Denied

Howard also claims that putting the store on Burning Bush Road would give folks in that rural area a go-to place for their shopping needs in lieu of traveling to a main road or highway to shop.

“Dollar General has figured out a way to build a building out in a rural setting that lets those folks that live there be able to buy a good amount of general merchandise at a very reasonable price,” Howard said. “Folks can have goods and services and products where they don’t have to go all the way to a main road.”

Hilda Jones, one of the owners selling the property to Hibbymo Properties, said she and her business partner purchased the property in an attempt to protect her adjoining 40 acres from undesirable development.

“We were offered a measure of control as to the construction and operation of the business on the site,” she explained. “Therefore, we have chosen upgrades for this construction that are well above existing codes. These choices benefit all of us living in this area. The type of business this will be is an asset to our area and in no way a direct competitor to our longtime neighbors and friends, Jimmy Dean with The Front Porch Market and Jody Napier with Napier’s Feed Store.”

Jones said she and her business partner, John Cline, could have sold the property years ago, but wanted to have a say in how the property would be developed.

Jimmy Dean, who owns The Front Porch Market directly across the street, says he often gets shoppers wishing they could buy milk or bread in that area.

“We can’t keep it like it is forever, it has got to change,” Dean said. “We need a grocery store there. I think it’d be a benefit to my business, think it’d be a benefit to the community, and I think the people that are opposing it will be the first ones in there within a year.”

Although some were in favor of the endeavor, a number of residents, many of whom also voiced their concerns with Planning and Zoning last month, were in attendance at the Sept. 19 meeting to again make their opposition known.

“I live very close to that proposed land and I’d much rather drive a little bit further to the one on the main road than have one right there among us,” said Jim Webb. “I would encourage that we should embrace the idea of preserving what makes this part of the county a little bit unique.”

Resident Nathan Smith says he realizes a store could still be built on the site, but doesn’t want to see the area become commercialized.

“We understand that a 5,000-square-foot-orless Dollar General could be built there now, it’s the changing from C-2 zoning to C-1,” he said. “A lot of us bought houses in that area for that very reason, to get away from traffic and commercialization.”

Ultimately, Commissioner Jim Cutler motioned to follow the recommendation of Planning and Zoning and deny the rezoning request, which was met with a 4-0 vote. Commissioner Bobby Winters didn’t vote either way in the matter and expressed his frustration with the vote at the end of the meeting.

“Another thing about the general store, the Dollar Store...that thing will bring in more taxes and sales tax than if they put five or six houses out there in the field. That store would help the citizens about their property tax. That’s the reason we need to work on businesses...I don’t care what Planning and Zoning says, the buck stops right here.”