7 Brew, Tru Hotel coming to Benton; June 2nd meeting eyes annexing Dobbs Creek, designating neighborhoods

The Benton Planning and Zoning Commission will hold its next public meeting on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026, at 6:00 P.M. inside the City Hall Council Chambers. They will consider requests from new businesses, neighborhoods, and rules about neighborhoods.

The June agenda is listed below, but first, here’s a recap from the May 5th meeting.

At the May 5th meeting, the commission voted unanimously (8-0) to approve several commercial projects:

7 Brew Restaurant: A site plan was approved for a new drive-thru coffee location on the corner of Highway 5 and Alcoa Road.

Rent N Roll Facility: Located at 2215 Military Road, this tire and wheel business received approval for its site plan. The board also approved two rule adjustments (variances) for the property, allowing the garage doors to face the main street and lowering the side boundary line requirement from 15 feet to 0 feet to match the existing building.

Tru Hotel: The board re-approved a past site plan for a hotel at 2018/2102 Congo Road and allowed a trash collection area to be placed on the street-facing side of the property.

Barber College: B & D Property Management LLC received a conditional use permit to run a school inside a commercial zone at 1220 Military Road.

The upcoming June 2nd meeting:

Sign Requests: Multiple properties are requesting permission for new signs. Property owners at 1024 Military Road are asking for a variance regarding sign size, while the newly approved Barber College at 1220 Military Road has submitted a standard sign request.

Zoning Changes: The board will look at a request to change 1218 River Street from a single-family house zone (R2) to a heavy industrial zone (HI).

Dobbs Creek Land: Following news in May that the Dobbs Creek property is being brought into the official city limits (annexation), the commission must now assign official city zoning rules to the land so it can begin using municipal services.

Subdivision Rules: City staff and commissioners plan to hold a discussion on changing the definitions for “Major” and “Minor” subdivisions. This talk could lead to updates in how the city reviews and approves new housing developments in the future.

The meeting remains open to the public for residents who wish to hear the discussions or ask questions about these upcoming changes.

See the full agenda below:

1) Establish a Quorum/Call to Order

2) Statement of FOIA Compliance & Roll Call

3) Approve Minutes from May 5th, 2026 Planning Commission Meeting

4) Board of Adjustments

a. 513 Algood Street [Variance for Northside Side Setbacks]

b. 1024 Military Rd [Variance for Sign Size]

5) Planning Commission

a. 221 Clark Street [Conditional Use Permit]

b. 1218 River Street [Rezone from R2 to HI]

c. Dobbs Creek [Zoning Assignment]