Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District Regulations in Bentonville
The Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District in the City of Bentonville modifies base zoning standards by strictly prohibiting all land uses within the Runway Protection Zone (Zone 1) and banning manufactured homes within the Traffic Pattern Zone (Zone 4). Throughout the district, all noise-sensitive developments, including all types of residences and schools, must achieve a minimum 30-decibel noise reduction from outdoor to indoor levels. Additionally, any property owner seeking to develop within the Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District must grant an avigation easement to the City of Bentonville prior to the issuance of a building permit.
Overview of the XNA Airport Overlay District
The City of Bentonville established the Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District to protect the safety of airport operations and the well-being of the public on the ground. The district is divided into four specific zones, each with its own set of restrictions that supersede or add to the standards of the underlying base zoning district [Section 401.13(f)]. Where an area is located in more than one overlay zone, the City of Bentonville applies the most restrictive height and use limitations [Section 401.13(b)].
XNA Overlay Zones
The following table describes the four zones designated within the Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District:
| Zone | Name | Description/Location |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | Runway Protection Zone (RPZ) | A trapezoidal area located beyond the ends of the runway. |
| Zone 2 | Inner Safety/Turning Zone (ISTZ) | A triangular area positioned along each side of Zone 1, extending approximately 5,000 feet. |
| Zone 3 | Outer Safety Zone (OSZ) | A rectangular area 1,000 feet wide, extending 5,000 feet beyond Zone 2. |
| Zone 4 | Traffic Pattern Zone (TPZ) | Extends approximately 6,000 feet on each side of the runway. |
[Section 401.13(c)]
General Development Standards
The Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District imposes several performance standards that modify how structures are designed and operated in the City of Bentonville:
- Glare and Lighting: In Zones 1, 2, and 3, the City of Bentonville prohibits the use of glare-producing materials on the exterior of any building. Flashing, blinking, or upward-projecting lights that could interfere with a pilot's ability to identify airport lights are also prohibited [Section 401.13(d)].
- Visibility and Emissions: For Zones 1, 2, and 3, no structure or use may impair visibility through the emission of smoke, steam, or other obscuring phenomena [Section 401.13(d)].
- Sound Attenuation: All noise-sensitive uses within any of the four zones must be sound-attenuated to achieve a minimum 30-decibel noise reduction. This applies to daycares, school facilities, hospitals, religious facilities, and all types of residential dwellings [Section 401.13(d)].
- Electronic Interference: In all zones, land uses are prohibited from creating electrical or electronic interference with navigational signals or communications between aircraft and ground stations [Section 401.13(d)].
Use Restrictions and Prohibitions
The Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District significantly restricts specific uses allowed by the base zoning. In Zone 1, all land uses are prohibited, and the area must remain as open space on airport property [Section 401.13(f)].
In Zones 2 and 3, uses permitted by the base zoning are allowed unless they appear on the prohibited list. In Zone 4, the only major modification is the total prohibition of manufactured homes [Section 401.13(f)].
Prohibited Uses in Zones 2 and 3
The following uses are prohibited in the Inner Safety/Turning Zone and the Outer Safety Zone of the Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District:
| Use Category | Prohibited Uses |
|---|---|
| Public Assembly | Adult day care, child care, educational facilities, hospitals, religious facilities, theaters (indoor/outdoor), museums, arena/auditoriums, conference/convention centers, and community centers. |
| Residential | Single-family homes, multi-family homes, manufactured homes, assisted living facilities, or any other type of dwelling. |
| Infrastructure | Correctional facilities or jails, transmission towers/stations, and wind turbines. |
| Industrial/Hazardous | Mining, solid waste disposal, above-ground bulk hazardous material storage, and contractor maintenance or salvage yards. |
| Other | Wireless communication facilities. |
[Section 401.13(f)]
Height and Administrative Requirements
The Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District modifies the maximum height allowed by the base zoning. All structures must comply with the Height Hazard Zoning Ordinance prepared by the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Authority [Section 401.13(e)].
To ensure compliance, the City of Bentonville requires all developments to provide a height certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Furthermore, the granting of an avigation easement is required for all properties within the Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District before a building permit can be issued [Section 401.13(d)-(e)].
Sections Cited
- Section 401.13 Northwest Arkansas Regional (XNA) Airport Overlay District
- Section 401.13(a) Description and purpose
- Section 401.13(b) Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport (XNA) Overlay District Map
- Section 401.13(c) Zones within the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport Overlay District
- Section 401.13(d) General provisions
- Section 401.13(e) Height limitations
- Section 401.13(f) Use restrictions