A “Unified Development Code”: Plan Bentonville enters Phase 2

Plan Bentonville is a multi-year process to craft and support a vision for our future growth

Residents help develop a vision for Bentonville's future growth during last year's Design Week.

On Tuesday, February 11, City Council unanimously adopted Plan Bentonville’s proposed Future Land Use Plan, making official our collective vision for future growth and development in Bentonville.

What we want is clear. Now we need the proper tools to cultivate it.

Such a task would typically fall to zoning but Bentonville’s current zoning code is outdated and overly complex. Left unchanged, it will fail to produce the diverse place types — tailored for maximized environmental, economic, and social performance — envisioned by the community during Plan Bentonville’s first phase.

Zoning 2.0

Enter the Unified Development Code, Phase 2 of Plan Bentonville, which will consolidate our various growth regulations into one single document, encompassing land use, zoning, subdivision, stormwater, and other development-related matters.

It will:

Simplify and modernize our zoning, making it easier and more accessible to all users

• The current system is confusing, spread across multiple documents and ordinances.

• The new UDC consolidates everything into one resource for clarity and predictability.

Focus on Bentonville’s evolution over time, not just what we are today

• The UDC plans for future growth using context-based (“transect-based” in the language of planners) zoning to allow neighborhoods to evolve naturally.

• This ensures historic areas, suburban areas, and future development zones are planned cohesively.

Move from use-based zoning to the regulation of form and context

• Conventional zoning focuses only on land use (e.g., residential vs. commercial), while the UDC will consider how buildings and neighborhoods meet and function together.

• Building design, walkability, and public spaces matter as much as land use—allowing for a more adaptable and resilient city.

Launching our Next Phase of Community Engagement

This week, the Plan Bentonville project team is actively exploring the issues of an updated zoning code with a variety of stakeholders — residents, business owners, builders, students, and more.

Join us for our public kick-off meeting tonight at 5:30 PM at the Bentonville Public Library Rotary Room to learn more, ask questions, and share your thoughts on zoning, implementation, and how these efforts contribute to our sustainability goals.

See you there.