Benton, Washington County quorum courts meet in historic session to tackle growth

For the first time ever, the Benton County and Washington County Quorum Courts held a joint meeting — coming together to talk about one of Northwest Arkansas’s biggest challenges: growth.

By: Lauren Spencer
5 News

For the first time ever, the Benton County and Washington County Quorum Courts held a joint meeting — coming together to talk about one of Northwest Arkansas’s biggest challenges: growth.

Both quorum courts gathered at Springdale City Hall on Sept. 22. The session centered around "Growing Home," a regional study commissioned by the Northwest Arkansas Council and led by planning firm DPZ CoDesign. The study looks at what it will take for the region to keep up with rapid growth, including a projected population of one million by 2050.

Benton County Judge Barry Moehring said the joint meeting was overdue but necessary.

“It's something we probably should have been doing long before now, but I'll give credit to the Northwest Arkansas Council. They suggested that we get together," Moehring said. "They had their report coming back on growth. They said, 'Why don't we get the two quorum courts together?' And Judge Deakins and I thought that was a great idea."

The study highlights both opportunities and concerns. Among the top challenges is housing becoming less affordable for working families, growing traffic congestion, and uneven infrastructure in fast-growing or rural areas.

Moehring said the report goes beyond identifying infrastructure needs.

“What this report really revealed not just that, yes, we need better streets, and we need more sewers, and we need more, you know, water and all of those things, but it really kind of revealed how stepping stone and how to get there. You know, what does density look like? Where do we need to think about density? How do we need to think about our rural areas? How do we even need to think about zoning in the future," Moehring said.

Quorum court leaders noted the need for smarter land use planning, stronger coordination between local governments, and more support for smaller cities. They also expressed wanting to preserve the green spaces and the natural beauty of the area.

Moehring added that without change, the region faces greater congestion, affordability issues, and infrastructure strain.

“I think they all wanted to learn new ideas, new ways of thinking," he said. "I think we all kind of believe that the path we're on now is going to lead to greater congestion. It's going to lead to greater infrastructure problems. It's going to lead to even less affordability. It's not going to be without its pain and challenges, but I think it's pretty evident from this study that we need to start thinking differently."

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