PRESS RELEASE
Shelli Kerr FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Bentonville
(479)271-3122 skerr@bentonvillear.com
CITY OF BENTONVILLE LAUNCHES NEXT PHASE
OF PLANNING WITH ZONING CODE UPDATE
Bentonville, AR – Following the adoption of Bentonville’s updated Future Land Use Plan in February, the City is moving forward with the next critical step: updating the zoning and development codes to align with the community’s long-term vision. This effort will result in the creation of a Unified Development Code (UDC) that reflects the city’s goals for smart growth, vibrant neighborhoods, and sustainable development.
To lead this initiative, the City has partnered with the national planning and design firm DPZ CoDesign. Next week, DPZ will be in Bentonville hosting a series of community engagement events aimed at educating the public, gathering input, and guiding the UDC development process.
Community Engagement Schedule:
· Community Leader Training April 17 | 3:00 – 4:30 PM City Hall Council Chambers Local leaders will receive a high-level overview of zoning reform and gain practical tools to help them communicate the importance of these changes within their networks.
· Public Open House April 17 | 5:30 – 7:00 PM Bentonville Public Library, Rotary Room Open to all residents, this session will explain how zoning connects to the Future Land Use Plan and initiate a community-wide conversation around questions, concerns, and aspirations.
· NWACC Panel Discussion April 18 | 9:00 AM NWACC Shewmaker Center
In partnership with Northwest Arkansas Community College (NWACC), this panel of local leaders will engage students, faculty, and the broader NWACC community by sharing real-world perspectives, helping translate zoning reform into everyday impacts.
· Developers Forum April 18 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Bentonville Public Library (RSVP required) This biannual forum brings together local developers, engineers, architects, landscape architects, and design professionals for a technical overview of the zoning code update and an opportunity to share feedback from those actively involved in the development process.
Supporting Background
In late 2023, the City of Bentonville announced Plan Bentonville, a two-phased project to align future development goals with zoning and development regulations. The Plan Bentonville process is rooted in the 2018 Community Plan.
Phase 1 involved establishing 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. The Future Land Use Plan was adopted in February 2025.
Phase 2 is the rewriting of zoning and development regulations to ensure that the rules that govern our local development are aligned with the community aspirations in the recently adopted Future Land Use Plan.
The result will be two complementary tools working together to ensure that the development we want is the development we get.