The El Dorado Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a specially-called meeting and public hearing at noon today to consider a rezoning request for undeveloped property on the west end of town.
The meeting will be held in the Council Chamber of City Hall.
Stringfellow Development, LLC, has asked that undeveloped property along the frontage of Hollywood Avenue, which runs alongside Stars Cinema 6 between Hillsboro/U.S. 82 B Timberlane Hills Street, be rezoned from A-1 (agricultural) to R-1 (single-family residential).
The property is located behind Stars Cinema 6 and stretches between Hollywood and Vine streets.
Vine lies on the west side of the cinema and Hollywood, the east.
Clifton Stringfellow, owner of Stringfellow Development, filed the rezoning petition on Sept. 24, saying that development in the area reflects the characteristics of an R-1 designation.
The Legal Notice about the request and public hearing appeared in the Oct. 10 edition of the News-Times.
Stringfellow developed the Timber Hills Subdivision in 2005, saying at the time, "With the expansion of several commercial properties on Highway 82 - West, I decided that the expansion of residential properties would also be in order."
Development began on Timber Hills, which is adjacent to the Thompson Heights Subdivision, just as the city moved forward with a project to extend West Main Street farther west.
West Main was connected to Hollywood Avenue, creating another route to Hillsboro/U.S. 82.
Several years ago, Hollywood was closed to through-traffic near Stars Cinema 6 after residents along West Main petitioned the El Dorado City Council for the closure.
The residents complained that the then-new West Main extension had increased traffic through the area -- which posed a safety issue with drivers speeding through the neighborhood.
Residents also noted an increase in litter that was thrown from passing vehicles.
Hollywood and Vine streets accommodated commercial development in the area, including the opening of Stars Cinema 6 in 2002, and the relocation of the El Dorado Social Security Office from its former home in the 300 block of West Main.
The public hearing will allow local residents to voice their opinions about the rezoning petition.