TIFTON — City council finds itself at an impasse over a request to create an outreach center in a residential area from one of its own.

Members of the council were unable to reach a consensus regarding the approval or denial of a rezoning request from District 3 representative Lester Cromer at their Nov. 6 meeting.

This reclassification would alter the .257 acres of land of focus on Tifton-Eldorado Road from Residential 8 to General Business, allowing Cromer to repurpose the former church building on the site into an outreach center.

City council first discussed the rezoning request last month during their Oct. 2 meeting, where planning and zoning director Crystal Gaillard reported that the planning and zoning commission had recommended approval, with conditions that the property only be used for an event and outreach center.

Due to being the applicant, Cromer was not allowed to weigh in as a councilman, but spoke as a citizen in favor of the project, arguing that the center would have the potential to bring a positive impact to the community through providing educational programs, job training, counseling, and other services in an easy to access place.

Vice mayor Jack Folk, however, was very reluctant to approve the adjustment, expressing concern over the possibility of Cromer selling the property in the future to someone who could take advantage of the zoning classification and property’s status as an event center.

City council had planned to vote on the item at their Oct. 9 meeting, but had postponed the discussion to the following month at Cromer’s request.

At this most recent meeting, District 1 representative Josh Reynolds offered a motion to approve the rezoning, but received no second, resulting in the motion dying; the same happened when Folk made a motion to deny the application instead.

Due to no decision being made on the request either way, the item will be readdressed at the city council’s next meeting Nov. 20.