Commission launches draft plan

ROGERS -- The public got its first glimpse at a draft of a nature-focused plan for Northwest Arkansas on Wednesday during a public launch of the draft of the NWA Open Space Plan.

The draft plan has four chapters and 110 pages with text, maps, photos and graphs.

The plan covers Benton and Washington Counties, Bowen said. It's about making natural areas available to residents.

Open spaces can increase property values, attract visitors, help with water quality, provide opportunities for physical activity and provide natural habitats for wildlife, according to the draft plan.

The plan was paid for with a $350,000 grant from the Walton Family Foundation.Bowen said. Reyes said they planned to have the draft online at nwaopenspace.com by Friday.

Bruce Pertle, who lives outside Rogers, attended one of the two presentations on Wednesday. He said he thinks the process is "a positive step forward."

Pertle explained he's lived in multiple urban areas. He said he saw the effect of the lack of long-range planning for nature.

Reyes said now is the time to be strategic about open space while the region is growing.

Reyes spoke about a possible open space committee, as part of the commission, to work on an open space program. He said people would be able to nominate projects.

Sales tax would be an option for paying for the program, Reyes said. He spoke about the options of a 1/4 cent sales tax and a 1/8 cent sales tax. He said a tax for Washington and Benton Counties together would be the ideal approach.

Reyes also said the tax could exclude certain items if needed. A ballot measure for this for fall 2016 would be an option.

Voter approved bonds, "project-by-project basis" and a "city-by-city" sales tax were also noted in the draft as possible funding methods.

There have been multiple public meetings so far in the plan process, Reyes said. Wednesday's presentations were the eighth meeting. The other seven meetings have been held in Fayetteville, Bentonville, Garfield, Springdale, Prairie Grove, Gentry and Siloam Springs, according to the draft.

Bowen said they hope to have the final plan available for public comment in November. They want the commission to approve and adopt it by February 2016.