Benton Courier - City Council shoots down rezoning idea

A second reading of a proposed ordinance that would rezone land on Fairfield Drive to multi-family residential failed at Monday night’s Benton City Council meeting.

The council room at Benton Municipal Complex was filled with residents interested in the rezoning proposal, which would have allowed for the construction of duplexes at 924 Fairfield Drive.
O’Kelley Construction’s plan to build the residential structures was approved by the Planning Commission at its December meeting.
Resident Ann Tarvin, who lives at 620 Fairfield Drive objected to the rezoning measure, citing traffic and street problems.
“We have the county barn, the National Guard Armory, a trailer park and homes that have standing water in the back,” she said. The street is not in city compliance, she said.
Noting her support for new housing in Saline County, Tarvin said, “There’s excess flooding in the area and the street needs to be brought up to standards.”
Alderman David Sparks said the city is working with engineers to improve drainage and street problems. A design by McClelland Engineers should be completed within the next 60 days that includes the problems on Fairfield Drive.
City Engineer Gail Mainard said O’Kelley Construction had reduced the original plans from four-plexes to duplexes. He said the plan for runoff would be directing it to the nearby ball field, which has a large drainage ditch on that property.
Mike Bolin, engineer for O’Kelley Construction, said stormwater detention was in the plans for the project.
Construction worker Ray Crosby said he was in favor of the project, noting he was sure that he wasn’t the only one needing work in the construction field.
“Any new construction prompts more construction,” he said. The project would “benefit quite a few people and the city of Benton.
   Voting against the ordinance were Aldermen Joe Lee Richards, Brad Moore, Steve Lee, Larry Wolf and Greg White. Voting in favor were Sparks, Bill Donnor, Jerry Ponder, Doug Stracener and Charles Cunningham, who was sitting in for Mayor Rick Holland.
   In another matter, aldermen unanimously voted in favor of the ordinance accepting public streets and utilities for maintenance of phases II and III of Hurricane Lake subdivision.
   “The city annexed this property, they pay taxes and they deserve to have their roads fixed,” alderman Lee said.
   Council members expressed frustration with developers who come in, tear up streets and then leave once their job is done.
   A policy is now in place that requires developers to have a maintenance fund for up to a year to prevent what has happened in Hurricane Lake.
   Concerning the matter at hand, Donnor said, “The least we can do now is fix the streets. It’s bad enough they pay us taxes and Bryant Fire Department is their first responder.”
   Mainard said the streets aren’t in terrible shape, noting it would cost around $70,000 to make the repairs.
   Hurricane Lake resident Bill Hampton, noting problems in the subdivision developed long before the current council or mayor were in office, said, “You all don’t have anything to feel sorry for. Just do something about it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
   There was some discussion about where the money would originate to fix the streets in Hurricane Lake and Denise Street, which Sparks said are about to fall in.
   Aldermen decided to take the money out of street repairs instead of the special projects fund, as originally suggested.

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