BENTONVILLE -- Plans for a pet resource center received unanimous approval from the Planning Commission on Tuesday.
The commission voted 7-0 to approve the large-scale development, one of four such plans before the commission.
Best Friends Animal Society, the applicant, is based in Kanab, Utah. Best Friends Animal Society announced plans for a regional pet resource center in December 2019, according to a news release.
An $892,500 grant for architectural design and engineering of the center was provided by the Walton Family Foundation, according to the release.
The center will offer complementary programs to local and regional animal service organizations and to traditional and nontraditional sheltering services, according to the release.
Plans show an approximately 12,000-square-foot animal services facility at 1312 Melissa Drive. The site is a little more than 6 acres, according to planning documents. It will be near the 8th Street Gateway Park.
The primary exterior material will consist of architectural metal panel, glass, cement-type plaster, and Accoya Wood cladding. The structure will be 33.5 feet at its tallest point, according to planning documents.
"The Best Friends Pet Resource Center will serve as a model for community-supported sheltering, providing resources for both the people and pets of Northwest Arkansas," Jackie Roach, senior manager of Northwest Arkansas lifesaving programs for Best Friends Animal Society, said. "It will also support animal welfare organizations throughout the area as well as across the state. We are grateful for the community support we have received thus far and are excited to share more details about the project in the coming weeks."
Construction is set to begin this spring with an opening in summer 2022. A final cost estimate hasn't been set, according to Best Friends Animal Society.
The city also will build its own animal services facility. The City Council approved the plan in October. Bentonville now has a contract with Centerton for animal services.
The site is a triangle-shaped property at the intersection of Southwest I and Southwest 41st streets, said David Wright, Parks and Recreation director. Plans call for a 6,500-square-foot facility. Wright said Tuesday the project is about 50% through the design phase and construction could start in the summer.
Other large-scale development plans approved Tuesday were Bentonville Eye Clinic at 2300 S.E. J St., SEG4 at Southeast G and Southeast Fourth streets and Motto Hotel at 223 S. Main St.
Motto Hotel plans show a 17,000-square-foot hotel 79 feet in height. The development meets its parking minimums through a shared parking agreement with a nearby parking garage, according to planning documents.
Osage Hospitality, the applicant, has submitted a sewer capacity analysis to the Water Utilities Department for review. The capacity analysis will need to be approved prior to construction, according to planning documents.
The eye clinic plans show construction of a 7,400-square-foot medical services facility, according to planning documents.
SEG4 will be a mixed-use development that will include 17 multifamily units and 420 square feet of commercial office space, according to planning documents.
The commission also tabled a rezoning from from downtown edge to downtown core at Southeast Seventh and Southeast D streets at the request of the applicant, Crowhow LLC, and approved the rezoning from neighborhood commercial to mixed-use commercial at East Central Avenue and Northeast J Street for Trailside Partners LLC.
The commission also voted 5-2 to deny a sidewalk waiver at 602 W. Central Ave.
Mike Jones may be reached by email at mjones@nwadg.com.