BENTONVILLE -- The city has been recognized with a national award for its work to make downtown a walkable and attractive destination.
Bentonville was one of 14 communities that received the recognition from Smart Growth America and will get a free technical assistance workshop in 2015, according to a news release. The organization received more than 120 applications from 35 states.
Smart Growth America is national nonprofit organization that advocates for better cities, towns and neighborhoods through coalition building, policy development and research, according to its website.
"This award is a testament to the hard work that Bentonville has already done," Roger Millar, Smart Growth America vice president, said in the release.
"Our program was more competitive this year than ever before, and Bentonville stood out as a community doing great work. We're excited to be able to help [it] continue on the next stage of this work."
There were five primary criteria and three other criteria the organization looked at in the application, said Shelli Kerr, planning services manager. They included the level of interest in Smart Growth solutions, the need for technical assistance and readiness to implement.
The need for technical assistance and readiness to implement were Bentonville's strong points, Kerr said.
The city is in the process of adopting and implementing the Bentonville Blueprint, a five-year economic development plan.
It also will start to develop an overall city general plan in 2015, she said.
The Smart Growth workshop will focus on planning for economic and fiscal health.
"The timing was good because we can hold the workshop in the spring," Kerr said. "It will be a public workshop with these experts in the field of smart growth."
It's one of 12 types of workshops the organization offers. Other topics include transit-oriented development, streets, growth zoning, parking management and regional planning.
They help build stronger local economies, protect the environment and improve the quality of life, the release states.
Kerr said the city will have its first conference call with the organization in January. More details on the workshop, such as time and location, should be available after that. The goal is to hold the workshop in the first half of the year, she said.
The technical assistance program is funded by a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Sustainable Communities under its Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program, according to the Smart Growth American website. The workshop rates are typically $7,500 to $15,000. Communities that don't receive the award have the option to pay for workshops.
The organization has provided free assistance to more than 50 communities through the program, which is in its fourth year. Bentonville is the second Arkansas city to receive assistance.
Hot Springs was awarded assistance last year to help make its street system more inclusive to all its community members and not just motorists, according to the website.
Smart Growth America received more than 120 applications for technical assistance from 35 states for its 2015 workshops. Bentonville was one of 14 communities or organizations to be recognized.
The others were:
• Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization, Cheyenne, Wyo.
• Charlottesville, Va.
• Tucker County Planning Commission, W.Va.
• Columbia, Mo.
• Fort Pierre, S.D.
• Franklin, Tenn.
• Indianapolis, Ind.
• Knoxville, Tenn.
• Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Knoxville, Tenn.
• Macon-Bibb County, Ga.
• Sanford, Fla.
• SeaTac, Wash.
• Spokane, Wash.
Metro on 12/30/2014