Zoning Code Update
A vision protected
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Phase 1 of Plan Bentonville — the Future Land Use Plan — established a vision for how and where we want to grow in the future. But a vision alone carries little value if the rules that govern our development produce something altogether different.
In Phase 2 — our Zoning Code Update — we're avoiding this fate by aligning our zoning regulations with the outcomes we've envisioned. The result will be two complementary tools working together to ensure that the development we want is the development we get.
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Learn more and contribute. Download the primer to familiarize yourself with zoning in Bentonville, review the draft code, and submit comments below:
Understanding the approach
The principal difference between Bentonville's existing zoning and the update currently underway is the focus of each. Conventional zoning regulates land use — separating residential, commercial, and industrial activities into distinct zones — and emphasizes technical standards like setbacks, lot sizes, and building heights. It doesn't typically consider how individual buildings interact with their surrounding environment.
In contrast, our update emphasizes the physical form and appearance of the built environment — the shape, placement, and design of buildings — to create cohesive and predictable neighborhoods and public spaces. It allows for more flexibility in land use while ensuring development that supports the diversity of character preferred by the community during Phase 1 of Plan Bentonville.
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To do this, we're using an organizing framework known as the Transect, which arranges communities in terms of context — from the most rural to the most urban — rather than just use. Each zone along the way has its own distinct character and level of development intensity, allowing people to choose the kind of neighborhood that fits their lifestyle or best serves their business.
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Familiarize yourself with how the new Unified Development Code will be organized with the tutorials below.
The Deep Dive: The Plan Bentonville process is rooted in the 2018 Community Plan. Phase 1, specifically, will involve updating Chapter 4 of the plan (Land Use and Strategic Growth) to reflect current conditions and aspirations, then producing a new Future Land Use Plan and map to visualize its policy goals. Phase 2 involves zoning code updates to ensure that our development regulations moving forward are fully aligned with our long-term Land Use and Strategic Growth objectives.