Public Opposition to PRD24-0005 Development Project

The PRD24-0005 project, a Planned Residential Development on East Central Avenue, has faced significant opposition from local residents, as highlighted during the Bentonville Planning Commission's recent public comment session. The project, which initially aimed to change the future land use from Residential Estate to General Commercial and rezone the area from A-1, Agricultural to C-2, General Commercial, has been met with strong resistance from neighbors who raised concerns about privacy, traffic, and environmental impacts.

Key Public Concerns

Residents such as Patty Wilder of Stonebridge Way, who has lived in the area for over 30 years, expressed worries about how the development would negatively impact her privacy and property value. She showed photos of her backyard to illustrate how the project would intrude on her space and revealed that realtors had warned her of potential property devaluation if the project were approved. Traffic increase was another significant concern, with many fearing that the development would exacerbate congestion in the area.

In addition, other residents, including Nina Frizzell and Jared Stewart, accused the developers of using repeated withdrawals and resubmissions of the project to wear down opposition. They voiced frustration over the lack of transparency, with many believing the process was deliberately designed to confuse the community.

Official Remarks and Actions

Mayor Stephanie Orman also weighed in on the matter, agreeing that the withdrawal process can be confusing to the public. She called for an evaluation of the procedure to make it clearer for residents. Mayor Orman further stated that she had requested a new design from the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) to address the concerns about traffic in the area.

City staff tried to alleviate concerns by reaching out to the Kensington Property Owners Association (POA) to inform them about the withdrawal and added watermarks to the agenda to indicate the withdrawn items. They allowed public comments on the development despite its official withdrawal to ensure that residents had the opportunity to voice their opinions.

This development project remains a point of contention in the community, with many residents continuing to oppose the plan due to its potential impacts on the neighborhood's character and infrastructure .