Commission rezones appeal Lowell property

LOWELL -- The Planning Commission approved rezoning land from agriculture to commercial after hearing numerous residents speak against the proposal at a meeting Monday.

Rezoning 400 N. Goad Springs Road to light industrial was voted down by the commission at a March 16 meeting. The applicant appealed to the City Council where it approved sending the request back to the commission as a commercial rezoning.

The commission approved the rezoning, 5-2. James Walker, James Milner and Fred Mocivnik voted in favor. Linda Vannoy and Lloyd Showalter voted against it.

An unknown applicant has applied to have the land rezoned. The property is surrounded by commercial, residential-agriculture and high density residential zoning, according to a city zoning map. The property has been designated as commercial on the city's land-use map.

"The future land use plan calls for it to be commercial," Milner said after the meeting. "I think voting in favor makes perfect sense."

Martha Brown, a nearby landowner, spoke against the proposal. She said she heard a large-scale development more suited for an industrial zoning wants to move to the property. Representatives for the applicant haven't confirmed what will be proposed for the site.

"Before you vote, you need to ask yourself are you obligating yourself to vote yes to a rumored large-scale development that may come through after the rezoning," Brown said. "If the answer is yes, you are voting for approval for all the wrong reasons."

Doyle Yates, president of Northwest Arkansas Board of Realtors, also spoke against the rezoning. The organization owns adjacent property. It's constructing an office and event space on the property.

A pond on the organization's property recently has started to flood, Yates said. He said commercial development of 400 N. Goad Springs Road will add additional runoff concern for the Realtors' property.

Vannoy said she doesn't agree with the property being zoned commercial now. She said this also is partially why she previously voted against the land-use map.

Fred Rausch with Rausch Coleman Homes previously spoke in favor of the rezoning. He said development of the property would create jobs and be good for a neighborhood he recently developed about a mile away from the property.

No one spoke in favor of the rezoning during the Monday meeting.

Crafton Tull, an architecture and engineering company, previously paid $800 to the city to hold the planned special meeting for the appeal March 30. The company is representing the rezoning applicant.

City officials said the money was to pay the salary of council members for the meeting. The money was returned to Crafton Tull before the meeting took place.

Thomas N. Kieklak, city attorney, said officials decided to return the money after further consideration to avoid "the appearance of impropriety".

Daniel Ellis, vice president of Crafton Tull, said he thought the $800 was a fee companies had to pay when there was an appeal. He said it was a misunderstanding.

Ellis said Monday he couldn't confirm when plans for development of the property will be brought before the Planning Commission.

NW News on 04/21/2015

Upcoming Events