Downtown Bentonville Sees Push Toward Denser Housing with New Rezone Requests

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — A wave of rezoning requests considered at the March 18 Planning Commission meeting suggests that developers—and the city—are eyeing denser, more walkable neighborhoods in and around downtown Bentonville.

The commission reviewed and approved several applications, including:

• Emma Properties, LLC: Rezoning 701 SE 5th Street from Heavy Industrial (I-2) to Downtown Edge (DE) to allow for more pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development.

• Johnson: Rezoning 701 SW 2nd Street from Low-Density Residential (R-1) to Downtown Medium Density Residential (DN-2) to support infill housing.

• Garrett: Rezoning 1600 NW 3rd Street from Residential Estate (RE) to R-1, simplifying development standards for traditional single-family homes.

• Limestone LLC: Rezoning a site at Southwest 41st Street and Ranch Road from a Planned Unit Development (PUD) to Medium-High Density Multifamily Residential (R-3).

Each of these rezonings supports the city’s broader goal of adding “missing middle” housing—duplexes, townhomes, and small apartment buildings—especially near bike trails, schools, and downtown amenities.

“This is part of an intentional shift in how we think about neighborhood design,” said a staff representative during the session. “More flexible zoning leads to more housing variety.”

The rezonings align with community goals outlined in Bentonville's master plan and drew minimal public objection at the hearing.