I. The “Community Node” Impact Statement

To be presented to the Mayor and City Council to justify the rezoning of residential land.

1. School & Educational Section:

• Vocational Mentorship: Each store serves as a “Joint-Service Mentor” site where resident veterans teach local students (K-12) food preservation, sourdough fermentation, and small-business logistics.

• The “Living Lab”: Provides Pea Ridge schools with a local site for field trips focused on “Food as Medicine” and bio-available nutrition.

• After-School Safe Zone: Each node acts as a neighborhood “Extended Pantry” where students can access healthy snacks in a supervised, veteran-led environment.

2. Social & Safety Benefits:

• Veteran Presence: On-site residential housing for veteran families provides 24/7 “eyes on the street,” increasing neighborhood security without increasing police costs.

• Food Sovereignty: Moves Pea Ridge away from “Big Box” dependency, ensuring that even in a supply chain crisis, the neighborhood has 30 days of shelf-stable, farm-direct food.

3. Economic & Local Benefit:

• Farm-Gate Returns: By removing middle-man distributors, 15–25% more revenue is returned directly to Arkansas farmers.

• Property Tax & Jobs: Converts a standard residential lot into a high-value commercial asset, increasing the city’s tax base while providing local, dignified employment.

II. Funding & Bank Proposal

Projected Funding Sources (The “Capital Stack”)

Based on 2026 Arkansas initiatives, Ozy Stores will utilize a blend of public and private funds:

Bank Proposal Summary for Pea Ridge (Local Lender)

• Request: $1.2M Commercial Construction-to-Permanent Loan.

• Collateral: First lien on the real estate plus federal grant guarantees (USDA).

• Pea Ridge City Benefit: The city receives an estimated $150,000 – $250,000 in “Impact Fees” and infrastructure improvements (curbs, gutters, and lighting) paid for by the grant-funded portion of the project.

III. The “Food Choice” Network Strategy

To compete with “Big Box” giants (Walmart) and provide genuine choice, Ozy Stores will deploy a Hub-and-Spoke network.

• The “Two-Mile Buffer” Strategy: We will place four (4) Ozy Community Nodes within a 2-mile radius of the Pea Ridge Walmart.

• The Goal: To ensure that every resident is closer to a “Farm-Direct” choice than they are to a “Big Box” store.

• Location Focus: 1. Intersection of Hwy 94 & Weston St.

  2. Hwy 72 (near the Primary School).

  3. Lee Town Road Corridor.

  4. Itzany Road (South side of city).

IV. Mandatory Documentation for City Hall

Submit these four documents as a single “Project Master Folder” to the Pea Ridge Planning Department.

1. Application for Zoning Map Amendment (The Rezone)

• Current: R-1 (Single Family Residential)

• Proposed: PUD (Planned Unit Development) with “Neighborhood Retail” designation.

• Justification: “The transition to PUD allows for a mixed-use veteran residence and community store that serves the public interest through food security.”

2. Community Impact Study (CIS)

• A 5-page report detailing how the Ozy Store will reduce neighborhood traffic by allowing residents to walk to the store instead of driving across town to Walmart.

3. Inter-Agency Agreement (School District)

• A draft MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between Ozy Stores and the Pea Ridge School District for the veteran mentorship program.

4. The “Mayor’s Executive Brief”

• A 1-page summary for the Mayor highlighting that this project brings $0.00 cost to the city budget while securing federal/state dollars specifically for Pea Ridge’s infrastructure.

Final Recommendation

The Benton County CDBG application for 2026 funding is currently active. To secure the county portion of the money, you must have your “Letter of Support” from the Pea Ridge City Council signed within the next 45 days.