Bentonville weighs new tree-preservation rules tied to zoning and utilities
Bentonville’s Planning Commission is considering an amendment to Sec. 109-114(e)(7) that would set minimum amounts of existing natural vegetation and tree canopy that must be preserved on development sites. The rule would also clarify that if a site starts below the minimum canopy, developers aren’t required to plant trees to reach it—the threshold applies only to what exists before clearing.
What would be required (sanitary sewered sites)
Minimum preservation of existing canopy/vegetation by zoning:
Estate & Low-Density Residential: 25%
Moderate-Density & Mixed Residential: 20%
Commercial Recreation: 20%
Neighborhood & Local Commercial: 25%
Mixed Commercial: 15%
Industrial Activity: 10%
Nature Preservation: 80%
Agricultural Preservation: 15%
A small administrative modification is possible: the Planning Director could adjust the required percentage by up to 5% when a site faces an undue hardship that would otherwise prevent development. Financial cost alone doesn’t qualify as a hardship.
Septic (onsite wastewater) lots
For low-density residential using septic, at least 10% of the existing vegetation/canopy must be preserved. The preserved area should come from side yards behind the home’s rear plane and the rear yard, totaling 10%. As with sewered sites, the rule doesn’t force planting to hit the minimum if a lot starts below it.
On septic lots, the Director could grant a smaller administrative modification up to 2% for undue hardship (again, not for financial reasons).
Why it matters
Predictability: Builders get clear, zoning-specific preservation targets up front.
Flexibility at the margins: Narrow adjustments (5% sewered / 2% septic) offer relief for atypical sites without weakening the standard citywide.
No retroactive planting: Projects won’t need to plant new trees just to meet a percentage when the pre-development canopy is below the threshold.
Bottom line
If adopted, the amendment would lock in a baseline of tree and vegetation retention tailored to each zoning district, with limited case-by-case relief for genuine site constraints—aiming to balance growth with Bentonville’s tree canopy
