TIFTON — Despite protests from the residents living nearby, Tift County commissioners moved to approve a rezoning allowing for a subdivision development on Jacob Hall Road.

The board of commissioners voted 4-2 at their Sep. 11 meeting in favor of the rezoning application of Trinreal, Inc., a company that sought to have their 37.7 acre property on the road rezoned from Agriculture to Rural Residential for the purpose of constructing a 27-lot subdivision.

The matter was previously discussed at the board’s last meeting Sep. 5, where development support services director Chris Davis noted that Steve Solomon, the property owner, had met all requirements to move ahead with the development, including his assent to pave, curb, and gutter the road, provide documentation for septic and water systems and provide the proper ingress/egress routes.

However, Davis also reported that the proposition had received vehement opposition by local residents at the planning and zoning commission meeting July 15, citing concerns over lack of water pressure.

A study conducted by ESG Operations confirmed that the water pressure in the area met the 25 PSI standard, and Davis stated that the planning and zoning commission had recommended approval despite the opposition.

These findings were reiterated at the most recent meeting, but the project once again faced backlash from the community surrounding the property.

As the commissioners opened the floor for a public hearing, no one attending the meeting stepped up to speak in favor of the application, but several residents voiced their concerns over the potential development.

Ricky Sellers stressed that, in regard to the water pressure, the issue was more about volume, citing that there was so little water volume to work with that even the fire tank nearby was overlooked in favor of water straight from the city.

Sellers was also worried about the increase in traffic, reporting that seventeen of the twenty-one houses near the property in question were owned and occupied by seniors. He explained he, along with all the other property owners around there hadn’t purchased their land with the hopes of being incorporated into a subdivision, and that the development would consume precious farmland.

He presented a petition of 85 names to the county commissioners, speaking out against the planned subdivision.

Daniel Berry worried over the depletion of farmland as well, stressing that Tift County was and should remain an agricultural community, while Robin Strickland once again highlighted the need to consider the safety of the residents currently living there, believing that the new development would potentially attract unsafe tenants. James Wilson attested that every person in the audience was united in opposition to the new development, and that he hadn’t met someone living near the property in question that was in favor of the development.

Lastly, Sellers took the stand again, stating that he was aware the property owner was well within their rights to do with their property as they wished, but urged the commissioners to remember that they all had rights as well.

Commissioner Paul Webb sympathized with the opposed residents, admitting he would probably protest alongside them if he were in their position. However, he stated that as long as the property owner had met all of the county’s standards for their proposed development, he would respect their right to do with it as they wanted.

And as Trinreal, Inc. had met those standards, he felt they were within their right to request this rezoning and move forward with their planned subdivision, making the motion to approve the application.

The motion carried 4-2, with commissioners Melissa Hughes and Stan Stalnaker being opposed.