City planner Rick Stater presented Ordinance 02501 seeking to rezone about 18 acres at 1108 Higdon Ferry Road from R‑2/R‑3 (suburban/low‑density residential) to C‑4 regional commercial to facilitate a regional shopping center identified in the application as "Home Depot Hot Springs." Stater said the property consists of three contiguous vacant parcels (Garland County RPID 52386, 52384 and 52381) and lies northwest of the Higdon Ferry–Lakeshore Drive intersection in Board District 4.
"The finding is that the application successfully demonstrate that the standards for favorable consideration have been met," Stater said, and noted the Planning Commission voted unanimously (Dec. 12, 2024) to recommend approval. Stater also said a traffic‑impact analysis was submitted and concluded no off‑site improvements were recommended based on peak‑hour and full‑build evaluations; planned access would include one driveway onto Higdon Ferry aligned with Wright's Lane and one onto Lakeshore Drive.
Board members asked technical questions about ingress/egress and the submitted site plan; no board decision was recorded at the agenda meeting. The ordinance was introduced for formal consideration at the Jan. 7, 2025 business meeting.