FAYETTEVILLE -- The first rezoning request since the Rupple Road extension in southwest Fayetteville opened Friday passed through the Planning Commission and awaits City Council approval.
Planning Commissioners on Monday unanimously recommended rezoning about 3 acres just south of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and west of South Smokehouse Trail from the land's current Residential Agricultural designation to Urban Thoroughfare. The new zoning would allow existing buildings there to be used commercially without the need for a commercial use permit.
Next meeting
5:30 p.m. Nov. 7
Room 219, City Hall
113 W. Mountain St.
The rezoning request coincides with recent rezonings to the north along Rupple Road, which now intersects with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Smokehouse Trail connects to Rupple Road at the lighted intersection.
The city last year worked with property owners where the Rupple Road extension now sits to rezone sections of the area in anticipation of growth, City Planning Director Andrew Garner said. A large swath north of the intersection is zoned as Urban Thoroughfare with a section north of that designated as Community Services, both of which allow a mixed use of commercial and residential development.
The Rupple Road extension connects south at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and north at Persimmon Street. The city plans to connect farther to Mount Comfort Road and eventually create the northwest corner of the "box" leading to Van Asche Drive in north Fayetteville. Stretches along Van Asche Drive, Joyce Boulevard, Crossover Road, Huntsville Road, 15th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard are finished.
The 3-acre property houses the former Ozark Mountain Smokehouse facility and serves as the western entrance and trailhead to the 376-acre Kessler Mountain preserve and 200-acre Regional Park. The facility, built in 1976, now serves as a warehouse for a number of businesses, landowner Frank Sharp stated in his request to the city.
Sharp requested the rezoning because of the area's drastic growth in the past 40 years, he said.
"In 1976 the area was primarily agricultural, with a few private homes," the request states. "There were very few commercial buildings between the present day Whataburger and Farmington."
Planning commissioners voted 6-0 within minutes to recommend the rezoning for City Council approval. Commissioners Matthew Hoffman, Ryan Noble and Tracy Hoskins did not attend Monday's meeting.
Commissioner Allison Thurmond Quinlan jumped at the chance to make the first comment.
"It's an Urban Thoroughfare on a major street," she said. "Look at Rupple Road -- all that great zoning along it. I'm so excited to be supportive all the way around."
Conversely, the Planning Commission unanimously rejected variance requests from resident William Boscia for a 640-square-feet prefabricated building placed on the north side of East Rock Street, between College and Washington Avenues.
The variance requests to get building permit approval dealt with city standards for construction, design and driveways. Boscia said he operates a nonprofit organization and wanted to use the structure as a place for people to stay overnight instead of having to pay for a hotel.
Boscia, who owns the property, said he wasn't aware of the city's requirements when he put the building on his land.
"This is America still," he said. "My father fought in three wars and you're going to tell me what kind of windows I can have?"
The building sits on concrete blocks with no permanent foundation or water and sewer connections. There had been a significant amount of public comment against it, Senior Planner Jonathan Curth said.
Commissioners also recommended forwarding to the City Council a plan to initiate rezoning along College Avenue between Maple and North streets. Phase II of improvements along the west side of that stretch of road will begin next year. Phase I, which brought wider sidewalks, new lighting and trees and reduced curb cuts to the east side, wrapped up this year.
Working with property owners to pre-emptively rezone portions along College Avenue will prevent each developer from having to come to the city to make a request, Garner said. The city similarly rezoned portions along Rupple Road in anticipation of its extension.
Most of that stretch of College Avenue is designated as a commercial thoroughfare, according to the city's zoning map.
Garner said city staff will work with property owners to determine the proper zoning designations. A go-ahead from the City Council would allow planners to explore the issue, he said.
NW News on 10/25/2016