Global Urban Design Firm DPZ CoDesign Selected to Lead Effort

The Northwest Arkansas Council is working with communities across the region to address challenges created by rapid growth while preserving the unique qualities that make Northwest Arkansas special. This regional growth strategy emphasizes collaboration, ensuring each community is equipped with the tools and resources to achieve its own vision for the future.

To lead the effort, the Council hired DPZ CoDesign, a global leader in urban planning and design with a proven track record of creating community-focused solutions. Together with local governments, residents and other stakeholders, DPZ will craft strategies that reflect the region’s shared priorities while respecting the individuality of each city.

Northwest Arkansas is among the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas, adding 36 people per day to its population. Projections indicate the region’s population will exceed 1 million by 2050, with much of this growth taking place outside the urban corridor along I-49. This rapid growth has pushed up housing prices, strained infrastructure, increased traffic congestion and reduced green spaces, prompting the Council to act.

“Rapid growth places a significant financial burden on our cities, driving up infrastructure costs and contributing to traffic congestion. At the same time, it reduces the green space NWA residents enjoy, highlighting the need for more efficient and thoughtful land use,” said Nelson Peacock, president and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council. “This strategy is about empowering communities to determine their own future. With DPZ’s expertise in community-focused urban design, we will give local governments and stakeholders the tools to achieve sustainable growth solutions that align with their priorities.”

The initiative, supported by funding from the Walton Family Foundation, will include significant public engagement to shape the strategy. A key focus will be ensuring the process is fully representative of the region’s diverse communities, including Hispanic and Marshallese residents. DPZ’s eight-day roadshow this summer will serve as a cornerstone opportunity for residents to connect with the team, while additional meetings and events throughout the year will provide ongoing opportunities for feedback and collaboration.

DPZ will work with community leaders, business stakeholders and residents to develop a strategy that aligns with existing comprehensive plans. This regional strategy is not intended to replace city plans but will complement them by providing an overarching framework to help municipalities work together and plan for the future as a cohesive region.

The Council announced its intention to develop a regional growth strategy at its spring meeting in April 2024, focusing on challenges such as housing affordability, infrastructure needs and traffic. Public opinion research conducted by the Council in early 2024 revealed 71% of residents identified a shortage of affordable housing as the most significant issue, followed by traffic congestion (64%) and the loss of green space (40%).

The strategy will prioritize enhancing housing affordability, improving infrastructure, advancing thoughtful land-use planning, reducing sprawl and promoting long-term economic success. Special emphasis will be placed on assisting about a dozen of the region’s smaller cities, which may face unique challenges created by rapid growth, limited resources and smaller planning staff.

The resulting growth framework aims to:

• Prioritize regional connectivity and collaboration.
• Focus on walkability, quality of life and mixed-use development.
• Protect natural and open spaces.
• Reduce residential sprawl and traffic congestion.
• Support a range of housing options, including workforce housing.

The Council recognizes the importance of coordinating this work with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission, which is simultaneously pursuing regional projects such as the long-range transportation plan. Additionally, the strategy will acknowledge the growing importance of sewer infrastructure as a critical component of the region’s ability to manage growth.

“Northwest Arkansas is at a pivotal moment, and cities must be equipped with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about growth,” said Matthew Lambert, partner at DPZ CoDesign. “While we’ve worked with larger urban centers in NWA, we’re eager to engage smaller communities to craft a comprehensive regional strategy that recognizes the aspirations for communities of all sizes and ensures a vibrant and resilient future.”

DPZ has experience in Northwest Arkansas, having worked with Bentonville and Rogers on projects such as future land-use maps and comprehensive plans. These efforts emphasized urban design, improved connectivity and fostering vibrant, mixed-use communities.

For more information on the Northwest Arkansas Council’s growth initiative, visit nwacouncil.org/growth.