Centerton Planning Commission Meeting Recap – September 23, 2025

The Centerton Planning Commission gathered on Tuesday evening, September 23rd, 2025. While the agenda was light on volume, one item dominated the conversation—and likely the future of Main Street. Here’s what happened, what passed, and what it means for Centerton.

1. ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVALS

Approved without opposition:

• The Cosmic Lemon (211 Blake Dr): Beverage trailer business with no public-facing activity at the home.

• Shirley Estates Block Party (Oct 25): POA event approved, no street closures.

• Lifepoint Church: Paving north lot with required landscaping now enforced.

• Twelve Stone Tract Split: 6.92-acre parcel split into two tracts.

2. CONDITIONAL USE PERMITS

CU25-13 – Huber Place Model Home

• Address: 1001 Thornwood Pl

• Use: DR Horton model home & sales office (1 year)

• Notes: No structural changes. Limited public traffic. Approved unanimously.

CU25-14 – West Wind Model Home

• Address: 3010 Rosalee Ln

• Use: Model home & sales office (2 years)

• Issue: Property adjacent to a flooding lift station. No sewer connection until repaired.

• Concerns: Curve in road raised parking safety issues. Commissioners noted need for signage or informal restrictions. Approved with utility and parking caveats.

CU25-15 – Fox Haven Office Use

• Address: 610 Whitten Rd

• Use: Office space for Schuber Mitchell Homes

• Issue: This would be the 6th home in the subdivision used for commercial purposes.

• Staff Count: 5–10 daily; up to 20 during meetings

• Commissioner Concerns:

  • Use of multiple homes in an R3-SF zone as commercial offices.

  • Cumulative impact of “temporary” usage creeping into de facto commercial zoning.

• Outcome: Approved for 2 years, aligned with prior model home expirations. Staff instructed to monitor impact.

3. MAJOR ITEM: DEV24-13 – WALMART SUPERCENTER

The most anticipated item of the night: Walmart Real Estate Business Trust presented their preliminary site plan for a full-size Supercenter at Main Street & Highway 102.

Applicant: CEI Engineering (on behalf of Walmart)
Size: ~33 acres, zoned C-2

Key Discussion Points:

• Traffic & Infrastructure: Commissioners flagged serious concerns over congestion, turning radii, and access management. Joey Engel pressed for detailed traffic flow data. The applicant acknowledged that many elements—especially signal improvements—depend on ARDOT’s Highway 102 widening project.

• Pedestrian Safety: Curtis Ramsey noted future potential for this site to host a bus stop, pressing for walkability and cross-access. Jeff Scipart also voiced concern about stacking at intersections.

• Parking Lot Landscaping (Hot Topic): The most debated issue wasn’t traffic—it was the landscape island design in the parking lot.

  • City code requires 9-foot-wide islands with one tree per 10 parking spaces.

  • Walmart’s plan included narrower islands and fewer trees, citing visibility and maintenance concerns.

  • Commissioner Joey Ingle strongly opposed deviating from code, arguing Centerton shouldn’t compromise its standards just because of the applicant’s size.

  • Others expressed concern about setting a precedent for future commercial projects.

  The conversation went back and forth, with staff defending their interpretation and Walmart’s team noting they were providing more overall landscaped square footage, just not in the city’s exact format.

Outcome: The preliminary plan and adjacent street agreement—including the landscape design as proposed—was approved by a narrow vote. The tension in the room was clear: this was a reluctant compromise, not a slam dunk.

Expect this project to define commercial growth in Centerton’s core for the next decade. Infrastructure improvements will be critical, but so will consistent enforcement of city design standards moving forward.

Next Step: The Walmart Supercenter can begin construction as soon as they receive final approval from the Arkansas Department of Health. No City Council vote is required at this stage.

4. ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Next Planning Commission Meeting: October 7 @ 6:00 PM

• Next City Council Meeting: October 14 @ 6:00 PM

• Next Technical Review (Zoom): October 16 @ 2:00 PM

That’s your inside look at the Planning Commission. The Walmart Supercenter is officially in motion—no longer a rumor, but a real proposal shaping up. I’ll be watching closely as this moves toward construction. If you’re looking to buy, build, or invest near Hwy 102 or Main, the timing window is open.