‘Growing Home’ Roadshow Launches with Community Conversations on Growth

Residents and leaders weigh in on the challenges and choices facing the region.

The Growing Home roadshow opened Wednesday, Sept. 17 with the first in a weeklong series of community conversations on how Northwest Arkansas should grow. Updates will be posted throughout the tour to highlight the voices of residents and ideas shaping the region’s future.

Stop One: Rotary Club of Bentonville

First on the agenda was the Rotary Club of Bentonville, where the discussion centered on how rapid growth is reshaping daily life and weakening the sense of community. 

Participants said too many new developments lack places for neighbors to gather. Spontaneous interactions that help build community, such as walking to a park or passing a neighbor’s porch, are harder to find without mixed uses, shared spaces or pedestrian connections.

One participant noted: “I’ve been to new places that have spaces to gather, like a pocket park or a tennis court. There’s a sense of community there that I’m not seeing here in Northwest Arkansas.” Another added: “They’re building new communities with no amenities. No opportunities for neighbors to come together.”

Housing affordability emerged as a key concern. Younger residents may want to stay in the region, but many are pushed to the edges where homes cost less but lack amenities or connections. That creates a commuter culture, where driving for nearly every need fuels congestion people hope to avoid.

These early conversations underscore why the Growing Home process matters: growth is accelerating, and with it comes a choice between stretching people and communities thin or building models that foster connection, affordability and belonging.

Stop Two: Elected Officials

The roadshow’s second stop brought together city leaders from western Benton County for the first of four focus groups on the realities of managing municipal growth. For them, growth is both a source of opportunity and a constant challenge of budgets, infrastructure and constituent concerns.

Leaders spoke about the strain of unfunded mandates from the state, where infrastructure decisions are made outside local control but fall on city governments to implement and maintain. They pointed to state highways that run through city limits — vital corridors that local road budgets can’t support.

Smaller cities emphasized their desire to be seen as full partners in regional planning, not as afterthoughts to the I-49 corridor. With limited staff and resources, they often struggle to secure grants or meet expectations set for larger neighbors. One participant put it this way: “We are the sleeping giants getting ready to wake up. We’re just trying to get ready for it.”

Others reflected on the pace of change, noting Centerton’s rise from a small town to one of the region’s fastest-growing cities and Gentry’s 200% growth rate in recent years. They see parallels to how Bentonville looked 30 years ago and want to prepare for the similar trajectory.

The conversation also touched on housing and economic development pressures, where companies seeking larger-lot housing for employees sometimes clash with efforts to diversify housing choices. Leaders said tools such as property value mapping and zoning analysis could help them balance growth with local capacity.

The discussion underscored both the urgency and the complexity of planning at the local level. Cities are eager for strategies that address today’s pressures while helping smaller and fast-growing communities prepare for what lies ahead.

Stop Three: Public Meeting

The roadshow’s first day ended at Centerton City Hall with the first of several planned public meetings. Displays around the room highlighted the challenges of growth and the complexity of planning across the region, showing how many moving parts must be considered in shaping Northwest Arkansas’ future.

Matt Lambert of DPZ CoDesign opened the evening with a message that resonated: “For most of us, growth and its impacts can make you feel powerless. What can one person do to affect growth in an entire region? What can one person do to fix congestion?” he asked. He then offered the counterpoint: “My goal tonight is to help you feel empowered, that there are things you can do to be part of the solution. And that starts with understanding the issues so you can hold community leaders accountable.”

Residents took that charge seriously. They studied the displays, spoke with the project team, and shared their opinions through interactive exercises designed to capture a range of perspectives. The energy in the room reflected both curiosity and concern as people connected their daily experiences with the larger forces shaping the region.

It was a strong start and a reminder that while regional planning may be complex, the willingness of residents to engage is the foundation on which any strategy must be built.

Stop Four: Chamber of Commerce

Thursday morning began at the newly reconstructed Walmart Museum in Bentonville, where nearly 30 members from five regional chambers of commerce gathered for a conversation on growth.

Housing affordability surfaced early, with a representative of one local corporation noting its new recruitment campaign, designed to counter perceptions that the region is becoming too expensive. Others raised questions about the impact of short-term rentals, pointing out that most cities lack the data to measure it. Education leaders highlighted pressures on schools, with one noting, “Growth is not paying for itself.”

Discussion also turned to funding tools, from tax-increment financing on the November ballot to future opportunity zones. Participants pointed to successes in places like downtown Springdale while urging stronger regional collaboration to align resources.

The conversation reinforced a common theme: growth brings opportunity but also strain, and success will depend on new partnerships and practical tools to manage it.

Next Steps

As the roadshow continues, these conversations will stay with us. They remind us that growth isn’t just about numbers but about people and the daily experiences that make a place feel like home. Review the presentation slides, join us at the remaining events and share your perspective by taking the community survey, which will help shape the region’s future.