The Tift County Board of Commissioners are expected to make a decision Monday night on whether or not to grant Green Industries, Inc., a change of zoning request for a single family residential development planned for land located at Old Omega and New River roads. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will be held in the courtroom on the first floor of the Charles Kent Administrative Building.

Glenn Green’s efforts to build “The Willow” subdivision on the property currently zoned A-U (Agricultural Use) began in October of 2006 and has met opposition from homeowners in the area. He is seeking a rezoning to R-20 (Single Family Residential). A large crowd is expected for the board’s Monday regular session and hearing.

Commissioners denied Green’s original request in 2006 after a large number of current landowners voice opposition because of the small size of the lots proposed in Green’s Phase I plan and he was required to wait six months before bringing the request back to the board for reconsideration. Last June, He took Phase II before the Planning and Zoning Commission and the county commission and it was also met with opposition from area homeowners. The commission voted 3-2 to approve his rezoning request.

Last August, landowners brought a lawsuit against Green, members of the county commission and zoning administrator Carl Fortson. The homeowners won the lawsuit when Judge Bill Reinhardt set aside the 3 to 2 vote, essential stating that the vote required to pass the motion was a minimum of four votes. In October, Green placed old mobile homes and hog feeders on the property and began building duplexes there.

In March, the county changed its voting rules to allow the chairman to vote on any issue when less than six board members are voting. Commissioners Sherry Miley, Frankie Mathis, Grady Thompson, Donnie Hester, Mike Jones and Robert Setters are expected to vote in regular session on the issue Monday. Commissioner Buck Rigdon has not voted in the past on the issue, citing a conflict of interest. In the past, Miley and Hester have voted against the rezoning and Jones, Setters and Mathis have voted in favor of the rezoning. Tift County Commission Chairman Grady Thompson’s position on the issue is unknown and his vote could be the deciding factor.

Tuesday night during the commission’s workshop session, commissioners heard from Julie Shewchuck, the planning and zoning director. She told commissioners that Green’s request had gone before the Planning and Zoning Commission April 12 and been recommended for approval by a 4-3 vote. She said staff members look at whether or not the requests for zoning changes are consistent or not with the zoning codes and not whether or not it is a good idea to approve or deny such requests.

“In some cases, it’s up to the board to decide,” she said.

She did say that county staff recommended approval of Green’s plan.

The 21.167 acres is bordered on the east by land zoned R-1 and on the south and west is land currently zoned A-U. Shewchuck said that Old Ocilla Road will become a major arterial road once it is four-laned as planned. The area’s close proximity to Tift Regional Medical Center and Tift County High School will make the area prime for more residential and commercial developments in the future. She said that water services are available for the land Green is hoping to rezone and Old Ocilla Road, once four-laned, had the capacity to handle the expected increase in traffic.

Commissioner Mike Jones voiced his concerns that the development have buffers of vegetation when completed and Shewchuck said that issue could be addressed in the review of Green’s subdivision plat before it is approved.

A public hearing on Green’s request will be held Tuesday night. His petition to have the preliminary subdivision plan for The Willows Subdivision to construct a 27-unit single family subdivision on the acreage will be considered if his rezoning request is approved.

To contact senior reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.