Highfill hears rezoning request for 1,800 acres near XNA

Some area property owners concerned

— No action was taken at Tuesday night's planning commission meeting in Highfill on a rezoning request to convert 1,800 acres of land just west of the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport from rural-residential zoning to industrial (with 80 acres of it to Industrial 2), but the commission intends to discuss the matter further at its August meeting and then make its recommendation to the city council.

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. Only three of the five planning commission members were present: James "Butch" Wiand, Dwayne Evans and Stacie Williamson. Pam Eichenlaub and Don Nash were absent.

Tom Hopper, an engineer from Crafton Tull in Rogers, addressed the commission for Mathias Properties of Springdale and Sach Oliver of Highfill, owners of the properties in question. No details were given about plans for the property except that the partners would like to market the property for industrial development because of its proximity to the airport. Discussion included a road through the industrial area connecting it to both Arkansas Highways 12 and 264. 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.

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 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.

"We were pleased with the planning commission for taking the extra time to work out something with Mathias and Oliver," he said, adding that he and other property owners would likely be back at the August meeting.

Wiand called the plans to market the land a "win-win" situation for the city of Highfill because it would enable more businesses to come to the mostly-rural city. But, Wiand says, "We want to please as many people as we can in the process."

If the planning commission votes to recommend the zoning change, the matter will come before the city council for a final decision. If the commission votes against the rezoning, the property owners could appeal the decision to the city council and the council could vote to grant the rezoning request.

The next scheduled Highfill Planning Commission Meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Highfill City Hall.