BELLA VISTA -- The City Council on Monday expedited an ordinance to accept and dedicate rights of way for property near Euston Road.
After voting to suspend the rules to normally read ordinances three times before voting, the council unanimously approved 30 feet of right of way along Euston Road, just south of the Kingsland Road intersection.
Planning director Chris Suenson said the City annexed the property in 2008, but it had not been properly subdivided. The need to speed up the ordinance process also was due to a pending real estate transaction, Suneson said.
"We didn't want to slow things down anymore than we had to," he added.
Bella Vista's Master Street Plan classifies Euston Road as a collector, which defines a street that has relatively low levels of traffic volume (less than 4,000 vehicles a day), is designed to handle speeds of about 20 to 25 mph and caters to residential areas.
Collector streets require a right of way of 60 feet. Code requires that the right of way be dedicated before the subdivision of land is approved. The property owner is required to dedicate 30 feet on their side of the Euston Road center line, according to Suneson's report.
Meanwhile, an ordinance planners hope will spur development in Bella Vista advanced to its second reading. The ordinance would adopt amendments to the zoning code for variance review criteria, building height restrictions, planned zoning districts and landscape maintenance bonds.
Planners have said introducing planned zoning districts to the code could help ease the burden on builders.
"Everything is touched by residential in some form or fashion," said Daniel Ellis, chairman of the Planning Commission. "Straight rezoning gives us very little input as to what happens on that project as long as the zoning code is being followed. (Planned zoning districts) also give the public the information that it wants to know exactly what is going to be built in Bella Vista."
Ellis added, in his experience, getting a planned zoning district approved has been easier than a "straight rezone" because developers and city officials have more flexibility to meet each others' needs.
Suneson told the council Feb. 17 the ordinance also was needed to streamline the code.
New language to variance review criteria will make it easier for the Board of Zoning Adjustments to make decisions, he said. Previous height restrictions for buildings and limited options available to builders to finance landscape maintenance guarantees also hindered development, Suneson said.
"Our growth is associated with our commercial enterprise," Suneson said, noting Bella Vista's zoning code was adopted in 2010. "And it's hard to keep up because where we started out is not where we're going."
NW News on 02/24/2015