Bella Vista moves forward despite growing pains
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The bike park and other recently purchased land offer some hope for the commercial sales tax in Bella Vista as it outgrows its former retirement community identity.
Why it matters: "We have these 550 miles of roads that have been around for 70 years, and we are not growing as quickly in the commercial tax base as other cities," city spokesperson Cassi Lapp told Axios. "So it is a struggle to maintain that because what used to be a road with a house on it is now a road with a neighborhood on it."
Flashback: Bella Vista is not even old enough to drink. It was incorporated as a bona fide city with a mayor and city council in 2006 after residents voted in favor of it. Cooper Communities established the property as a retirement and recreational community in 1965, forming the Property Owners Association.
- "When the development began, the property owners were primarily affluent retirees," the Encyclopedia of Arkansas states. "More recently, however, the demographics have changed. Younger couples and families are discovering that Bella Vista offers affordable housing and an active lifestyle all within a relatively short commuting distance to jobs in Rogers and Bentonville."
State of play: While a handful of restaurants and retail amenities exist, the city remains highly residential. Even back in 2018, a study estimated an annual $129 million in retail sales was leaving to nearby communities.
The latest: Bella Vista is finishing an update to its development codes that includes adding zoning districts for multifamily housing in a city made up almost entirely of single-family homes.
The intrigue: The city government controls less than most cities. It offers police and fire protections and maintains streets. It also operates a public library and emergency medical services.
- But it does not operate the sewer system, contracts out for water and trash collection, and does not run amenities like a community center or public parks. The Property Owners Association operates amenities such as fitness centers, golf courses, lakes and pools.
By the numbers: Annual housing permits hit more than 400 in 2020, more than 10 times as much as in 2013. They are not slowing down, rising to 636 permits in 2024 and already 349 during the first five months of 2025.
- The population grew about 15% from 2015 to 2023 to about 32,370 residents, according to the latest census estimates.
- It is trending slightly younger, with people 60 and older making up 39.5% of the population in the five-year census estimates for 2023, down from 40.6% in the 2015 estimates, even as the opposite is true for the state.
Yes, but: The slow growing children and teen population is not significantly affecting Bentonville Public Schools, the district where most of the city lies, Don Hoover, executive director of student services, told Axios. That could change as young couples move in.
- The student population at Cooper Elementary School, the only public school in Bella Vista, is holding steady, he said.
Go deeper:
Mountain bike park aims to be cultural hub
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