HIGHFILL — Highfill's planning commission declined to approve a rezoning request to convert 1,800 acres of land just west of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport from rural-residential zoning to industrial at its Aug. 23 meeting.
Mathias Properties of Springdale and Sach Oliver of Highfill, owners of the properties in question, requested the rezoning so they could market the properties for industrial development because of their proximity to the airport. No specific details were released about plans for the property. When the commission did not grant the request of Mathias Properties due to concerns of other local landowners, Oliver asked that his request for rezoning be tabled until a later date.
Mathias could appeal to the city council for rezoning the property or modify his proposal and return to the planning commission. While many believe the rezoning could be good for the city of Highfill, landowners would like a buffer between land which is industrial and that which is zoned for rural-residential use.
The joint properties extend from Arkansas Highway 264 on the south to Arkansas Highway 12 on the north and west, with the regional airport to the east. Earlier discussion included a road through the industrial area connecting it to both Arkansas Highways 12 and 264.
No action was taken at the July 26 planning commission meeting on the initial rezoning request. There was standing room only at the July 26 meeting, with a good number of Highfill residents attending to learn more about planned use for the property and concerns about what might be built on property near their homes and farms.
According to Stacy Digby, Highfill's mayor, the joint property was once zoned for planned unit development which included industrial zoning near the airport but, when plans fell through for the previous property owner, the land reverted back to rural-residential zoning.
Digby said industrial zoning for the property would allow all that commercial zoning allows, plus industrial uses. The Industrial 2 (heavy industrial) designation requested for a portion of the land allows for additional industrial uses not permitted under Industrial 1 (light industrial).
Light industrial would permit things such as warehouses and packaging plants, roofing and building supplies, according to commission member Butch Wiand. Heavy industrial would include such things as fabrication plants, trucking and freight companies, assembly and processing plants. The Industrial 2 zoning sought was adjacent to the airport property, Wiand said. He said property on the east side of the airport is already zoned for industrial use and could possibly become the site of an additional runway.
According to Wiand, property owners in the adjacent areas hoped to see some kind of a buffer between land used for industrial purposes and residential areas. Wiand said the commission in July chose to continue the matter to its August meeting in order to have time to discuss concerns with Mathias and Oliver and see if the proposal could include some kind of buffer, such as a commercial zone, between the rural-residential and industrial zones.
Scott Elliott, a Highfill resident, was one of many property owners who raised concerns the requested zoning change could put their homes and farms next door to industrial activities not conducive to their rural, residential uses.
"Our main concern is the lack of a buffer zone between rural, residential areas and an industrial zone," Elliott said, calling the placement of an industrial zone next to a residential zone "too harsh." He said, "Normally, cities put something in between, like a commercial zone."
Elliott said area residents welcome the development but would just like something in between so that existing homes would not end up adjacent to industry.
General News on 08/31/2016