Bethel Heights changes discussed

Annexation on with Springdale

Amethyst Avenue in the Chantel subdivision, shares a name with another Amythyst Avenue in Springdale since Bethel Heights was annexed into Springdale recently. To avoid problems for emergency services, Springdale officials are considering their options. 

(NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)
Amethyst Avenue in the Chantel subdivision, shares a name with another Amythyst Avenue in Springdale since Bethel Heights was annexed into Springdale recently. To avoid problems for emergency services, Springdale officials are considering their options. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/J.T. Wampler)

SPRINGDALE -- A new street name here. A new zoning classification there.

Patsy Christie, director of the Springdale Planning Department, on Monday introduced a few proposed changes affecting some former residents of Bethel Heights.

Bethel Heights became part of Springdale on Aug. 21 after residents in both cities voted for the change, with a dysfunctional wastewater treatment system driving the change.

Springdale officials and the leaders of Springdale Water Utilities have hosted several public meetings to let the new residents know proposals of merging the cities' operations. Water Department officials plan another information session at 6 p.m. tonight at the former Bethel Heights city hall.

Mayor Doug Sprouse told the 25 to 30 people gathered officials worked to make changes affect the fewest people possible.

Christie said she tried to fit the zoning units in the former Bethel Heights area into the Springdale zoning designations that closely matched.

For example, a property zoned for single-family homes in Bethel Heights would change from Residential 1 to Single Family 1. The designations in each city listed the property and structures similar in size.

"It was a lot easier than I thought it would be," she said.

City code says all land annexed into Springdale comes in zoned for agricultural use, which usually works when the land lies in an unincorporated, undeveloped area of its county, Christie said. But much of the land in the 2.5 square miles of Bethel Heights already holds residences, businesses and heavy industrial operations.

Christie assured former property owners who are using their land for something different than the Springdale zoning classification it receives. It would be zoned in as "nonconforming" use, and could stay that way as long as that type of use stayed the same, she said.

She also told the former Bethel Heights residents they needed to do nothing to change the zoning from city to city. She also quickly described the process for changing that zoning in the future.

"Is it perfect?" she asked. "No, but it's my job to interpret how this all will work. I get to be the person who says 'no' sometimes. But you can appeal my decisions to the Planning Commission, and the commission's decisions can be appealed to the City Council."

Tammy VanHouten said the zoning in her new city was her main concern -- "What might fall behind my property," she said.

She learned the Springdale zoning will stay similar.

Resident Mark Stevens expressed concern about what will happen to the open land along the U.S. 612 bypass corridor, along Arkansas 264 and Arkansas 265 and the tracks of the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad.

"The same thing that would have happened it if was still in Bethel Heights," Sprouse said. "It will be driven by the property owners, not the city."

Kevin Parsley told the former residents he lives in north Springdale, the same as they do.

"And I'll wear you out about improving the north side of Springdale," the Planning Commission chairman said. "I think it's a gateway to Springdale and a good opportunity to present the city as we want to be presented."

Stevens said annexing his former city didn't affect him much, as he lived in a subdivision that already seemed to be a part of Springdale. "And we're on septic."

But he was concerned about the response times for police and fire service.

He said he lives near Arkansas 265, and since the improved road opened providing a corridor to Rogers, street noise has become a concern for him.

In fact, he would like to see police patrols along the road. "It's a race track now," he said.

"I just want to say 'thank you,'" Tina Bowen said to the Springdale officials. Her property often was flooded by excess wastewater from the former city's waste water treatment plant on Lincoln Street.

"Last night, for the first time in 10 years, we were able to open our windows," she said.

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