Jackson Progress-Argus

Lamar County commissioners on Jan. 17 granted a request, by the Butts County Industrial Development Authority, to rezone land the authority owns in the neighboring county.

The 96 acres in Lamar County is part of a nearly 300-acre tract the authority owns across three counties. Most of the land the authority wants to develop is in Butts County, which already is zoned for light manufacturing use.

Development Authority officials were seeking to rezone the Lamar property from residential-agricultural to a light manufacturing designation as well. While there are no firm plans in place, the authority envisions the property being used as a distribution center.

The Lamar County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the rezoning over objections from a number of residents surrounding High Falls Lake, which is adjacent to much of the authority’s land.

Residents raised concerns about possible pollution of the lake once the property is developed.

Bud Queen, who said he lives in Monroe County, asked Lamar commissioners to delay a decision on the rezoning. “Once you do it, you can’t back up,” he said. “Do your due diligence. Go after everything you can.”

Mike Gray, a partner with Panattoni Development Co., which is working with the Development Authority to market the property, said the ultimate decision on the end user of the property would rest with the authority, a quasi-governmental entity that would weigh its potential impact.

“They are the guardian and gatekeeper -- not us,” he said.

Bryan Bush, chairman of the Butts County Industrial Development Authority, said the authority hopes to bring a quality project to the site that would bring jobs to the surrounding counties and expand the tax base.

“We’re not here to squeeze the last nickel of profit out of this property,” he said. “Our responsibility is to the taxpayers who have made the investment in this property.”

Brenda Ross, who said she owns property on the lake, reiterated fears about water quality, and worried about the potential for a storm to damage industrial structures and scatter debris into the lake.

“When the lake is destroyed, it’s destroyed, and some day it may have to be our drinking water,” she said. “I speak for the lake. It cannot speak for itself.”

Development Authority representatives and Lamar County staffers pointed to regulations -- local, state and federal -- that are in place to address pollution and water runoff problems.

Lamar Zoning Administrator Dan Gunter said Lamar’s development review board must sign off on future development plans, which would include stormwater and erosion-control measures.

“Most of the concerns come under development problems,” he said, adding that detailed plans would be reviewed as they are submitted for approval. “At that time, they would have to tell us exactly where, what, when, why ... for a rezoning, you’re not required to have all those answers yet,” he said.

Lamar County Commissioner Charles Glass said he was concerned about water quality at the lake as well, but saw no reason to hold up the rezoning. “I don’t think we have any intent of ever doing anything that would damage the lake,” said Glass, who made the motion to approve the rezoning. “I think we can protect the lake and still allow the rezoning to happen.”

Bush, of the Butts County Development Authority, was pleased with the vote.

“We’re excited and looking forward to partnering with Lamar County for the mutual benefit of both counties,” he said after the meeting.m>