Planners OK regional bicycle, pedestrian plan

The Northwest Arkansas Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan was approved by the Planning Commission Tuesday.

The plan is part of a regional bicycle and pedestrian off-road and street rail network that will link communities via the Razorback Regional Greenway. The greenway is a 36-mile paved pedestrian trail from Fayetteville to Bella Vista along Interstate 49.

In Siloam Springs, the plan calls for enhancements to Dogwood Springs Trail, said city planner Ben Rhoads. A north to south trail will link City Lake to the Siloam Springs Kayak Park. It will also link to downtown, John Brown University, local parks, schools, commercial and residential areas.

The north/south line of the bike trail is planned to run alongside the Kansas City Southern railway, but the city would have to seek approval from KCS. The bridge on Lincoln Street that connects to Arkansas Highway 59, which runs over U.S. Highway 412, will need to be widened to accommodate the bike path, Rhoads said.

"Each community with over 4,000 residents each got a customized bike plan," Rhoads said. "It complements our current facilities nicely."

The proposed bike plan will cost roughly $2.98 million, according to documents for Walk Bike Northwest Arkansas.

The Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan will go before the board of directors for a vote on Jan. 6, 2015.

Commissioners also approved:

• A plat-development permit, which was tabled at last month's Planning Commission meeting, was approved Tuesday.

Rodrick "Rick" Allen requested a development permit for the 23000 block of Arkansas Highway 16 to separate 32 acres into three tracts.

The city requested that Allen donate 70 feet of land along the north side of his property (tract D) for a right of way for the future connection of Quarter and Keck roads. The property is outside of city limits, but falls within the city's one-mile planning boundary.

Previously, Allen said through Jonathan Barnett, who is going to purchase two tracks of land from Allen, that he would not donate the land, but after receiving a commitment from the city to waive all future street fees associated with development of the land, he agreed.

Allen was not present at Tuesday's meeting, but was represented by Ron Homeyer, civil engineer.

If Allen had not accepted the street fee agreement, the city would have had to revise the city's Master Street Plan.

The plat-development permit will go before the Board of Directors on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

• A lot-split development permit for 18451 Highway 59 South. The landowner, James M. Henegar, requested the split so a family member can build a house on the land.

• A plat-development permit for the 2100 block of U.S. Highway 412 West, which will go to vote before the Board of Directors on Jan. 6, 2015.

• A special use development permit for 100 U.S. Highway 412 West, which will go to vote before the Board of Directors on Dec. 16.

General News on 12/14/2014