Commissioners approve rezoning application despite opposition from residents

May 24—THOMASVILLE- The Thomas County Board of Commissioners met on Tuesday night for their regular meeting, where they heard from Mark Manley in regard to a rezoning application. After several objections from neighboring residents, Commissioners approved the application in a 5-2 vote.

The application was for a property located on Twin Acres Drive consisting of 4.71 acres. Manley had requested the property be rezoned from R-3 (Residential, Mixed Use) to CG (Commercial General) in order for him to move his company to the proposed location. The company is a real estate/auction business and warehouse that operates exclusively online.

Despite the fact the business would not create an influx of traffic, residents in Twin Acres felt the building would be an eyesore for the neighborhood.

Charles Buckwalter of Twin Acres Drive addressed the Commissioners stating that it was not a good idea to put an office building/warehouse in the middle of an established, residential area.

"I bought my house in a rural, residential area expecting that it would remain residential," he said. "The proposed development is too deep within a residential area and does not fit."

Buckwalter pointed out that there are several commercial properties in Thomas County, including the lot next to Stone's on Hwy. 319, available for purchase.

"This project will be an eyesore, lower property values for homeowners and increase travel on our street," Buckwalter said.

Barney Summers, who also lives on Twin Acres Drive, agreed with Buckwalter.

"Our neighborhood is really one of the nicest ones on the outside," he said. "We came here in 2006 and 2007 about opening a daycare and it was voted "no" because it would ruin the neighborhood."

Summers compared the development to dropping a bomb in the middle of the neighborhood.

"Every other commercial building is next to the highway," he said. "There is just nothing to compare to this. I just don't see any positive effects from this."

Summers went on to say he didn't understand how this was even a possibility due to the fact there is a Home Owner's Association in Twin Acres neighborhood.

Board Chairman Zippy Vonier allowed for one final speaker in opposition to the development, before hearing from Manley.

Jackson Myrick explained to the Commissioners that he has young kids and has lived in the neighborhood for the past four years. He shared his primary concern was the approval of this rezoning would lead to other developers trying to gobble up smaller tracts of land until there was no neighborhood left.

"It's just not what we want," he concluded.

Manley broached some of the residents' concerns, explaining he was interested in buying the property to relocate his business, which is currently housed in Moultrie.

"This property is designated by the Thomas County future land use plan as highway commercial," he said. "The property actually fronts on Hwy. 319 and has a small amount of frontage on Twin Acres and a small amount of frontage on Oak Hill."

Manley said he does not anticipate any large amounts of traffic, or any traffic changes at all.

He then explained the nature of the business he conducts and how it would not impact residents' daily lives and activities.

"We do residential estate sales and business liquidations," he said. "We aren't talking about semis or multiple truckloads coming in. We are talking about a small business."

Manley pointed out that the land adjacent to the property on Twin Acres Drive is already zoned commercial general and he owns the strip mall center next to Susie Q's, which is additionally zoned commercial general.

"We truly believe this will be a positive for the community," he said. "This will be an attractive building and we anticipate bringing jobs to Thomas County, while revitalizing this piece of property."

Reportedly, the property has been in disarray for quite some time, with nearly 11 salvaged vehicles sitting in the yard, a sagging barn and home, along with an open well.

"As an adjacent property owner, I have personally experienced vagrants being on this property and trespassing through this property," he said. "Trust me when I say cleaning this property up will be a positive for Thomas County."

Manley reminded the Commissioners and residents that he was an adjacent property owner and would never want to do anything that would diminish the value of the land in the area.

Manley then fielded questions from the Commissioners, including questions about a buffer surrounding the business.

Manley stated he would like to install a fence, but would be open to landscape buffers as well. However, he would do whatever was required of him if the rezoning was approved.

Vonier then called for a motion to approve the rezoning.

Commissioner Mark NeSmith made the motion with Commissioner Donnie Baggett seconding.

Commissioners NeSmith, Baggett, Jeremy Rich, Kenneth Hickey and Moses Gross voted in favor of the rezoning, while Commissioners Phillip Brown and Wiley Grady voted nay.