FAYETTEVILLE -- The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission has completed the final draft of the Open Space Plan for the region and will present it to the public next week in three workshops.
"I'd like for citizens to get an overview of the plan so they understand the goals and how the plan will be implemented," said Elizabeth Bowen, who headed up the project.
Opportunities to be outdoors contribute substantially to livability in Northwest Arkansas, regional planners say.
The purpose of the plan is to develop a coordinated, voluntary program to protect and promote the region's most valued natural landscapes and open spaces. The goal is to preserve those assets in order to maintain a high quality of life as the region continues to grow and to make natural areas in Benton and Washington counties available to residents.
The commission and Alta Planning+Design started working on the plan in January. The plan was paid for with a $350,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation.
The regional planning commission's resolution accepting the grant said livability and quality of life initiatives are important to economic development in Northwest Arkansas. A stated goal of the Walton Family Foundation is to preserve a sense of place.
During the planning process, multiple public meetings have been held in Fayetteville, Bentonville, Garfield, Springdale, Rogers, Prairie Grove, Gentry and Siloam Springs.
Numerous comments and suggestions were received and many have been incorporated into the final draft plan, Bowen said.
Several updates have been made to the draft, including adding an executive summary, expanding the Heritage and Farmland Trends and Goals and expanding the Implementation Chapter, Bowen said. Additionally, more examples of conservation success story examples have been added.
Planners estimate about 750,000 people will live in Benton and Washington counties by 2040.
"We're going to continue to grow," said John McLarty, a senior planner. "We need to keep these areas that are attracting people to this area now so that people won't be leaving in 2040. We want to preserve those assets and the quality of life."
Examples of open space include the regional trail system, national forests, state and national parks, wildlife management areas, rivers and areas around Beaver Lake, University of Arkansas agricultural property, city parks, properties held in trust and land owned by private nonprofit groups.
Some recognized benefits to preserving open space in communities include creating a high quality of life that attracts tax-paying businesses and residents, stimulating commercial growth and promoting city revitalization, boosting local economies by attracting tourists and supporting outdoor recreation, floodplain protection, protecting agricultural land to safeguard the future of farming economies and communities, and safeguarding drinking water and clean air, according to regional planners.
The final version of the plan is expected to go before the regional planning commission in February 2016. The resulting plan will be incorporated into the region's long-term master plan.
Get a Look at the Plan
Remaining Northwest Arkansas Open Space Plan Workshop presentations will be:
• 4 p.m., Wednesday, Bentonville Public Library, 405 S. Main St.
• 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Siloam Springs City Hall, 400 N Broadway St.
A presentation was made Tuesday in Fayetteville.
The draft plan will be available on the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission website at www.nwaopenspace.com after the Steering Committee and Policy Committee complete a final review.
Source: Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission
General News on 12/02/2015