Planners To Consider Extension For Grandview Heights
Last updated Friday, July 11, 2008 6:49 PM CDT in News
By Scarlet Sims
The Morning News
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BENTONVILLE - The Benton County Planning Board will decide Wednesday whether to grant developers an extension to build condominiums on Beaver Lake near Avoca.
Attorney Courtney Little filed a request for a two-year extension for Grandview Heights at Beaver Lake on June 25, the last day to make the request. His client, E & S Development of New York, is not changing the original plan to build three, multistory towers, said Director Ashley Pope. Little said development costs are expected to be around $50 million.
Grandview Heights was approved in November 2005 over neighbors' objections. County officials agreed informally last year to allow developers more time for construction because lawsuits halted work, Pope said. Little work has been done since, and Pope plans to recommend the board not grant the extension. This is the first time developers have requested more time, Pope said.
County regulations require developers show "good cause" for an extension, Pope said. The board will consider progress made, not just money invested, Vice Chairman Scott Borman said. Developers must show the project is not dead, Chairman Tim Sorey said.
The project stalled about six months ago after the real estate market took a downturn, Little said. Developers are working with investors in Oklahoma to take out a bank loan to pay initial investors and get rid of liens on the property, Little said.
Two foreclosure suits have also been filed against developers. No court date has been set in the cases, according to the Benton County circuit clerk's office.
Despite the financial crunch, developers have made substantial progress, Little said. The preliminary infrastructure is 80 percent complete, he said. Roads need asphalt, but developers paid around $2 million for earthwork for roads, foundations and drainage.
"There was 18 months of substantial work done," Little said.
Pope said the money put into Grandview Heights is only about 2 percent of $100 million, which she believes is a more realistic cost projection. She also pointed out developers have not met all stipulations for the project, including getting a completion bond.
The project does not appear compliant with its stormwater permit, Pope said. No silt fences are up and the project's sediment ponds are full, she said. The Benton County environmental department notified the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality this week about environmental concerns, Pope said.
The department sent a letter to Grandview Heights developers notifying them of possible Clean Water Act violations in May, Spokesman Doug Szenher said. No formal action was taken at that time, he said.
Little said the project meets all state environmental and health department requirements.
"This project has had no write-ups or citations," Little said. "As far as the state is concerned, there is no problem with the project yet."
Little said the Planning Board has no reason to deny the extension. Local investors will suffer if the project does not move forward.
"This is not New York being hurt, it's local residents," Little said.
Fast Fact
Extension Requests
The Benton County Planning Office has received about seven extension requests since 2005.
Source: Planning Office
Reader Comments (2 comment(s))
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ironfortified wrote on Jul 12, 2008 12:36 PM:
Why didn't TMN follow up on this? At this point the biggest local investors are the dirt company and the person that sold the land, and according to lawsuits they haven't been paid yet.
There is 0% this will be 3 condo towers, 1 condo tower, or even a resort hotel. If the allegations concerning soil runoff are anywhere near true then the drinking water source for all of NWA may be affected. Kill this mistake and sue the developers for the damage. "
Not already registered?
lifer66 wrote on Jul 11, 2008 11:09 PM: