Gentry council approves rezoning requests

GENTRY -- Rezoning requests of Grand Estates LLC, of Bentonville, were approved by the Gentry City Council on June 4, changing a portion of land on the east side of Crowder Avenue and north of SWEPCO Road from A-1 to R-2 and changing a lot on the southeast corner of the intersection of Crowder Avenue and Arkansas Highway 12 from R-2 to C-2.

The rezoning will make it possible for the landowner to progress with subdivision plans and for a commercial business such as a convenience store to be built on the corner of Crowder and Highway 12.

The rezoning was passed in a single ordinance, with rules suspended and on three readings with a single vote. An emergency clause was also passed to allow the developer to move forward with plans. The only no vote was from Janice Arnold, with no specific reason stated.

In other business, the council approved, on a first reading, ordinances related to levying a 7/8 cent increase in city sales and use tax (see last week's issue of the Eagle Observer), and heard updates on the Dawn Hill East bridge project, the park master plan, and work toward building an elevated water storage facility to serve a portion of Gentry's water service area and to supply water to the new Simmons plant under construction.

Kevin Johnston, Gentry's mayor, also updated council members on Gentry's participation with the county in exploring contracted ambulance service for western Benton County if that would benefit the city by providing quality service at a lower cost, in work to be done on developing a schedule of fees related to paperwork which the city must file with the county, regarding mosquito mitigation and regarding the city's rejection of the Fire Pension Board pay increase request.

General News on 06/13/2018