Explore ‘Place Types’ in Second Round
of Plan Bentonville Input Opportunities
Proposals reflect input from February’s ‘Design Week’
Bentonville, AR — Earlier this year, Bentonville residents were invited to consider different growth and development models and their potential impacts on future land preservation, financial accountability, and community connection. That input has since informed a new round of recommendations for community review, kicking off with an Open House, Thursday, July 18, 4-6pm at Thaden Field House, 2205 SW I Street.
That kick-off will be followed by two weeks of additional input opportunities, from pop-ups scattered around town to more open houses to office hours where residents can drop by and discuss the proposals one-on-one with city staff.
The full schedule of opportunities can be found at the Plan Bentonville website, planbentonville.com/participate.
A New Idea: Place Types
The latest round of proposals involves ‘place types’, a classification system for shaping our future community by focusing on the look, feel, and complexity of different places rather than through conventional land use categories focused primarily on use alone.
Each individual ‘place type’ visualizes a unique character and function by combining land use with transportation amenities and building forms. They don’t necessarily describe what exists today, but rather the desired vision of what a place can, with intention, become.
Reflecting feedback received during last February’s ‘Design Week’ activities, the ‘place types’ consider all elements that contribute to the character, value, and attraction of a place, from density and building height to job creation and impact on the city’s budget.
With the proposed ‘place types’ defined, they’ve since been assigned to all areas of Bentonville, creating a map of future land use defined by a diversity of character and environments — from the country to the suburbs to the bustle of downtown.
Getting Involved
Bentonville residents are now tasked with providing their thoughts and input as they evaluate both the proposed ‘place types’ and the draft Future Land Use Map (FLUM) that details their locations across the city.
Further information, as well as mechanisms for collecting resident comments, can also be found at planbentonville.com.
Supporting Background
This phase of the project involves the new Future Land Use Map, a specific element of Bentonville’s 2018 Community Plan. Its goal is coordinated and harmonious development and adequate provision of public facilities and services. The map identifies desired land uses across the city that must be balanced with individual property rights, existing conditions and other codes, policies and ordinances. The Future Land Use Plan is not a regulatory tool and does not change any zoning classification or affect existing rights. Instead, it visualizes city growth policy and serves as a guide for future pursuits and decision-making.
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