The City of Benton Planning Commission will meet Tuesday to discuss an indoor gun range, a new hotel, and other items. The meeting is scheduled for September 3rd, at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at 114 S. East Street. See the full agenda outline below, along with minutes from previous meetings, discussing Buc-ee’s, a marijuana dispensary,Â
This meeting’s agenda is as follows:
Planning Commission Meeting:
1) Establish a Quorum/Call to Order
2) Approve Minutes from August 6th, 2024 Planning & Zoning Meeting (see minutes below)
3) Approve Minutes from August 26th, 2024 Special Meeting (see minutes below)
4) Board of Adjustments
5) Planning Commission
 a. Indoor Gun Range [Conditional Use]
 b. Indoor Gun Range [Site Plan]
 c. Tru Hotel [Site Plan]
 d. The Prairie [Preliminary Plat]
 e. 309 E Hazel Street [Rezone from LI to R5]
 f. Ordinance 6 of 2009 [Modify to allow gun ranges]
5) Other Business
Meeting Adjourned
Previous Meetings’ Minutes:
Board of Adjustments/Planning & Zoning Meeting Minutes:
Tuesday, August 6th, 2024, 6:00 P.M.
Chairman Stilwell called the meeting to order. Roll call resulted in 3 member[s] being absent.
Members PresentÂ
- Carl West
- Brett Chumley
- Lois Burks
- Darrell Wood
- John Clements
- Pamela Gibson
- John Parton, Comm. Development Director
- Chelsea Matthews, City Planner
Members Absent
- James Stilwell
- Andy Warford
- Mark Chilton
*Due to Chairman Stilwell being absent, Commissioner Gibson will sit in as chair for this meeting.
Approval of the Minutes of the July 2 nd , 2024, Planning Commission Meeting Commissioner Gibson asked if there were any additions, deletions, or corrections to the minutes. Commissioner Burks makes a motion to approve the minutes as is. Commissioner Wood second. Motion carried.
Board of Adjustments
Buc-ee’s [Sign Height Variance]
Commissioner Gibson asked Ms. Matthews to introduce the variance for the Buc-ee’s sign. Ms. Matthews reads the memorandum that states that Kimley Horn, on behalf of Buc-ee’s is requesting a variance for their sign located at parcel #805-22100-004. Ms. Matthews states that the purpose of the request is to allow for a sign height of 125’ at their gas station/truck stop. Commissioner Gibson calls for any questions or comments regarding this request. Ms. Janick with Kimley Horn speaks in favor of this item. Commissioner Wood makes a motion to approve this request. Commissioner Burks second. Motion carried 5-0.
Planning Commission
510 Highway 5 [Conditional Use for Marijuana Dispensary] (currently Lost Pizza Co.)
This item was tabled per applicant request until the September Planning Commission meeting.
15618 I-30; 1606 W Sevier and 1614 W Sevier Street [Rezone from C3 to C1]
Commissioner Gibson asked Ms. Matthews to introduce the rezone request. Ms. Matthews reads the memorandum that states that the City of Benton is requesting a rezone of the property located at 15618 I-30; 1606 W Sevier and 1614 W Sevier Street. The City of Benton is requesting the property to be rezoned from C3 [Service Commercial] to C1 [Neighborhood Commercial]. The purpose of this rezone request is to allow this property to have more appropriate uses due to ARDOT not granting access off the Frontage Road. Commissioner Gibson calls for any questions or comments regarding this request. Several neighbors from the surrounding areas came to speak in favor of this rezone request. Attorney Spalding, who is representing the current property owner asked the Commission to table this item due to a lack of notice from the City regarding this request. This item is tabled until a special meeting on August 26 th @ 5:00pm [prior to City Council meeting].
Rosemarry Fields [Rezone from M to R3]
Commissioner Gibson asked Ms. Matthews to introduce the rezone request. Ms. Matthews reads the memorandum that states that Hope Consulting LLC is requesting a rezone of their property located at parcel #805-10801-000. The purpose of this rezone is to be able to build a single-family residential neighborhood [Rosemarry Fields]. Commissioner Gibson calls for any questions or comments regarding this request. Neighbors from surrounding areas come to speak against this rezone request – they do not want a new subdivision nearby due to concerns about traffic and security. Jonathan Hope with Hope Consulting LLC speaks in favor of this item and provides clarification to the neighbors about their concerns. He hopes to rezone this area to R3 so that he can have smaller single-family lots here [3,500 square foot minimum in R3 zones]. Commissioner Wood makes a motion to approve this item. Commissioner West second. Motion carried 5-0.
Rosemarry Fields [Preliminary Plat]
Commissioner Gibson asked Ms. Matthews to introduce the preliminary plat for Rosemarry Fields. Ms. Matthews reads the memorandum that states that Hope Consulting LLC is requesting approval of their preliminary plat at parcel #805-10801-000. Commissioner Gibson calls for any questions or comments regarding this request. Jonathan Hope speaks in favor of this item and states that it will be about 160 single family lots. Commissioner Burks makes a motion to approve this request. Commissioner West second. Motion carried 5-0.
RiverView Heights; Phase 1 [Final Plat]
Commissioner Gibson asked for Ms. Matthews to introduce the final plat for Riverview Heights; Phase 1. Ms. Matthews reads the memorandum that states that Hope Consulting LLC is requesting approval of a final plat for River View Heights; Phase 1 [duplex development on corner of River and Mary Kay]. Commissioner Gibson calls for any questions or comments regarding this request. Jonathan Hope with Hope Consulting LLC speaks in favor of this item. Commissioner West makes a motion to approve this request. Commissioner Clements second. Motion carried 5-0.
Arvest Bank [Site Plan]
Commissioner Gibson asked for Ms. Matthews to introduce the site plan for Arvest Bank. Ms. Matthews reads the memorandum that states that Wallace Design Collective, on behalf of Arvest Bank, is requesting approval of a site plan for a bank located at parcel #805-04912-000 [property beside Harps on Highway 5]. Ms. Matthews also states that this property is currently zoned C2 [general commercial] and a bank is a permitted use. Commissioner Gibson calls for any questions or comments regarding this request. Mandy Bunch with the architect firm speaks in favor of this item. Commissioner West makes a motion to approve this item. Commissioner Burks second. Motion carried 5-0.
N. Summit Mobile Home Park [Site Plan]
Commissioner Gibson asked Ms. Matthews to introduce the site plan for the N. Summit Mobile Home Park. Ms. Matthews reads the memorandum that states that Richardson Engineering is requesting approval of a site plan for a mobile home park on N. Summit. This property is an existing mobile home park but the homes are severely outdated. The plan is to update this lot and provide newer, nicer manufactured homes to the property. Commissioner Gibson calls for any questions or comments regarding this request. Tristin Phillips with Richardson Engineering speaks in favor of this item. Commissioner Gibson states that mobile homes are not allowed within Benton City Limits so the developer will have to re-word the site plan to read “manufactured homes” instead of mobile homes. Commissioner West makes a motion to approve the site plan. Commissioner Clements second. Motion carried 5-0.
Other Business
Changes of Zoning Matrix for Single Family Uses [Continued from last month]
Ms. Matthews states that Community Development is recommending a change to the Zoning Matrix regarding what zones Single Family housing is allowed in. Currently, single family dwellings are not allowed in multi-family districts. Commissioner Gibson had asked at a previous meeting that we revisit this and allow for single family dwellings in multi family zones. Ms. Matthews states that she will get an Ordinance together for the changes.
Changes to Zoning Ordinance [Accessory Dwelling Unit Definition; Continued from last month]
Ms. Matthews states that there have been issues regarding homeowners renting out their Accessory Dwelling Units that are located on their property. Ms. Matthews states that the purpose of ADU’s is to be used as a secondary living quarters [per the definition]. Ms. Matthews states that she will get an Ordinance together for clarification to be written into the definition that ADU’s cannot be rented out.
Establishment of Tiny Home Regulations
Ms. Matthews states that there has been an abundant number of Tiny Homes coming into the City limits of Benton. Discussion is made around the room regarding what regulations should be put into place regarding Tiny Homes. Community Development will do more research regarding surrounding cities and how they regulate Tiny Homes.
Planning & Zoning Special Meeting Minutes:
Monday August 26th, 2024, 5:00 P.M.
Chairman Stilwell called the meeting to order. Roll call resulted in 0 member[s] being absent.
Members PresentÂ
- Carl West
- Brett Chumley
- Lois Burks
- Darrell Wood
- John Clements
- Pamela Gibson
- James Stilwell
- Andy Warford
- Mark Chilton
- John Parton, Comm. Development Director
- Chelsea Matthews, City Planner
15618 I-30; 1606 and 1614 W Sevier Street [Rezone from C3 to C2]
*Applicant [City of Benton] has asked for C2 rezone instead of initial C1*Â
Chairman Stilwell asked Ms. Matthews to introduce the rezone request for 15618 I-30, 1606 and 1614 W Sevier Street. Ms. Matthews reads the memorandum that states that the City of Benton is requesting a rezone of the property located at 15618 I-30; 1606 and 1614 W Sevier Street. The applicant is asking that this property be rezoned from C3 [Service Commercial] to C2 [General Commercial] with stipulations that any development cannot exceed 45,000square feet and that gas stations and fuel is prohibited. The initial submitted rezone request was for C1 [Neighborhood Commercial] but the City has asked to rezone to C2 [General Commercial] instead. Chairman Stilwell calls for any questions or comments regarding this request. Several residents from the neighboring community speak in favor of this rezone. Commissioner Gibson makes a motion to approve this request. Commissioner West second. Motion carried 8-0. Since this is a rezone request, the final decision will be made by the City Council following this meeting [08.26.2024].
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