BELLA VISTA -- The city is going into 2026 with an eye on smart growth, according to spokeswoman Cassi Lapp.
"We are very rapidly growing, which means we're continuing to see residential construction, we're continuing to see use of the library, more fire and EMS calls, so we are really just working really hard to continue to keep up with that growth in a responsible way," Lapp said.
Two places the city is putting extra money into dealing with that growth are trails and the public library.
Bella Vista's 2026 city budget includes $25.3 million in planned expenditures, an increase of $1.2 million, or 5%, over last year. The biggest jump in expenditures is in the Planning and Development Department, which increased 16% to $446,245. Part of that increase is to pay for a trails coordinator.
The trails coordinator will be the liaison for projects and events related to city trails held by external organizations or internally, according to Lapp. The coordinator will handle outreach and collaborations as well as the day-to-day work like emptying trash at the trailheads, she said.
The OZ Trails Bike Park at U.S. 71 and Mercy Way is set to open this summer. Mayor John Flynn has said the...
Source: https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2026/jan/18/rapid-growth-in-bella-vista-inspires-new/
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