Two vacant metal buildings on East 13th Street in Mountain Home, previously used as the city’s water and sewer facilities, are set to become a day service center for children following action by the Mountain Home City Council. During its Thursday meeting, the council voted unanimously to rezone 217 and 221 East 13th Street from Industrial I-1 to Commercial C-3 at the request of property owner Rivendell Industries Inc. An attached emergency clause ensures the zoning change takes effect immediately.
Attorney Ted Sanders, representing Rivendell Industries, told the council that the rezoning was a prerequisite for an application with the Arkansas Department of Human Services to move forward. “The property has to be rezoned before the application can be accepted by the state,” Sanders explained. He added that the buyer intends to establish the children’s center but did not name the purchaser or provide a timeline for opening the facility.
The council’s vote followed a recommendation from the Mountain Home Planning Commission, which held a public hearing on October 12. Notices about the petition to rezone the property were published on September 23. The council suspended its rules to read the ordinance three times in one session and approved it by a 6-0 vote. Sanders then requested an emergency clause, traditionally initiated by council member Jennifer Baker, who was absent. The council again voted unanimously in favor of the clause to expedite the state application process.
The property, encompassing Lots 4 and 5 of Lane’s Second Addition and an adjoining tract, lies west of South Street and is bordered by Gilbert Drywall and residential properties on one side, with Walker Auction and Hiland Dairy nearby. It features approximately 300 feet of frontage on East 13th Street and includes a fenced rear area. Sanders described the existing buildings as functional but in need of renovations. “It needs to be remodeled. It’s not the best looking thing in the world,” he said. He noted that connecting the two structures and utilizing the fenced area will enhance the site’s suitability for the planned use.
Mayor Hillrey Adams also commented on the condition of the property, recalling his tour of the facility before his first term in office, when it was a city warehouse. He expressed confidence that the new owners would make the necessary improvements.
The site was previously rezoned in May 2025, when Sanders requested a change from residential and commercial zoning to Industrial I-1 to align with a steel fabrication shop that was operating there at the time. During Thursday’s meeting, Sanders reminded the council of that history. Newly sworn-in council member Marshella Norell cast her first vote on the matter.
Sanders confirmed that another nearby property owned by Rivendell has been sold, but the business located there will remain in operation.
Commercial C-3 zoning, described as a quiet retail service district in the city’s zoning code, aligns with the intended use of the property. The petition for rezoning stated that the site is no longer practical for industrial purposes and that the change would not conflict with surrounding land uses, given the range of zoning classifications already present in the area.