Developer Demands More Tax Subsidies

Attention Shoppers! Van Asche Drive will soon connect with Howard Nickel Road, providing shoppers with quick access to the NWA Mall area and Joyce Boulevard, according to Karen Minkel, a long-range planner with the City of Fayetteville after meeting with developers last week

The Fayetteville Planning Commission will consider the changes on July 9, but final approval must come from the City Council. The proposed alterations allegedly will put the plan in line with Fayetteville's City Plan 2025, which encourages pedestrian and bicycle access, as well as creating a rational vision of how Fayetteville will grow.

Developer Ben Israel, who led the fight against road impact fees and has not even examined the street plan, said it needs to give developers incentive to build new commercial developments. Ben is a member of the Free Lunch Club that wants Fayetteville residents to provide more corporate welfare and to pay more taxes to subsidize the sprawl created by developers.

It will be interesting to see how anyone can justify taxpayer incentives to promote sprawl and increased traffic in view of the City Plan 2025, assuming anyone still takes it seriously.

Take a look at the proposed Master Street Plan, and let the city planners know if you support subsidies for sprawl at the mall. Online comments can be made from the comments link here.