Bullock County commissioners approve several rezones, OK daycare and lift condition on commercial property; table drive-through request

Bullock County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve several zoning changes and conditional-use requests, including rezoning parcels for single- and two-family housing, lifting a prior condition on a commercial property that restricted alcohol sales, and approving a conditional-use permit for a 40-child daycare. Commissioners tabled a request for a drive-through facility at an AMPM convenience store after the applicant failed to appear.

The actions will allow: a rezone for a manufactured home site on Lily Creek Road; removal of a 2009 zoning condition at 6980 Kennedy Bridge Road that previously barred alcoholic beverage sales; creation of a duplex subdivision at Cody Lane; a 162-acre rezone to allow creation of 5-acre residential lots off Lotts Creek Road (with conditions); approval of a conditional-use permit for a day-care center on Simons Road (R-40 parcel); and a 10-acre rezoning adjacent to an existing Birdsong peanut operation for an additional warehouse. Commissioners also voted to table a conditional-use request for a truck-stop / drive-through facility at the intersection of U.S. 80 and Burkhalter Road because the developer or agent was not present to answer questions.

Why it matters: The approvals permit new residential development, an expanded agricultural/industrial operation, and a daycare facility that proponents said will serve local families. Lifting the condition on the Kennedy Bridge Road parcel reopens the property to a future beer-and-wine retail application, though any alcohol license would still be subject to state and county proximity rules and a separate licensing review.

Planning staff presented each item and recommended approval for most cases. James Poe, the county planning presenter, described the properties, adjacent land uses and the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendations. Rebecca Brown told commissioners she sought the rezone of 2911 Lily Creek Road so she could place a manufactured home on the site; staff recommended approval and commissioners voted to rezone the parcel. For the Kennedy Bridge Road property, applicant Jerry Washington asked the board to remove condition No. 1 from a 2009 rezoning (case RZ-2009-043), saying the condition hindered sale or rental potential; Pastor Judy McCrary and other neighbors opposed, citing concerns about increased traffic and alcohol near several churches. Commissioners agreed to remove the condition; staff and the board noted that any future beer-and-wine license would require a separate proximity survey and compliance with the county alcohol ordinance and state law.

Barbara Berry’s application to rezone 7.21 acres at 2012 Cody Lane from AG-5 to R-2 (two-family residential) to create duplex lots was approved with the conditions recommended by planning staff. An applicant representative, Amy Kish, said the site would suit families and connect to an existing greenway trail.

A large parcel on Lotts Creek Road that was rezoned previously (R-80 with conditions) was approved to AG-5 with conditions; the current owner Tim Reddy, represented by agent John Dodson, told commissioners the plan calls for 15–16 lots, each with private water and septic. The commission recorded the approval with conditions.

On the conditional-use request from Nikki Grant to operate a daycare on Simons Road (5 acres, R-40), Grant told the board she planned to care for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, up to 40 children, with operating hours from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Planning staff had recommended denial but provided conditions if the board granted approval; the commissioners voted unanimously to approve the conditional use with the staff-recommended conditions.

The AMPM convenience-store request for a drive-through at U.S. 1/80 and Burkhalter Road drew opposition from Josephine Hutchins, who cited concerns about diesel exhaust, noise, truck traffic and property values. The applicant’s representative was not present; commissioners voted unanimously to table the item to the next zoning meeting so the applicant can appear and supply requested traffic/access information.

Birdsong Corporation requested rezoning about 10 acres near Brooklyn–Leafield Road from AG-5 to Heavy Industrial to site additional warehouse space to expand an existing peanut operation. Staff recommended approval limited to warehousing/wholesale uses; during discussion commissioners clarified whether drying equipment would be allowed. After debate, the board approved the rezoning without the staff’s restrictive condition and recorded the motion as a unanimous approval without conditions.

Votes at a glance (selected zoning items): - Rezone: 2911 Lily Creek Road (Rebecca Brown) — motion to approve; outcome: approved; vote: unanimous (6-0). - Condition removal: 6980 Kennedy Bridge Road (Jerry Washington; RZ-2009-043) — motion to lift condition #1; outcome: approved; vote: unanimous (6-0). Note: future alcohol license would require a proximity survey and separate review under county alcohol ordinance and state law. - Rezone: 2012 Cody Lane (Barbara Berry) — motion to approve with conditions; outcome: approved; vote: unanimous (6-0). - Rezone: Lotts Creek Road (Tim Reddy, agent John Dodson) — motion to approve with conditions; outcome: approved with conditions; vote: unanimous (6-0). - Conditional use: Simons Road daycare (Nikki Grant) — motion to approve with conditions; outcome: approved with staff conditions; vote: unanimous (6-0). - Conditional use: AMPM drive-through (Manpreet Singh/AMPM) — motion to table due to lack of representation; outcome: tabled to next zoning meeting; vote: unanimous (6-0). - Rezone: Birdsong (10 acres to Heavy Industrial) — motion to approve (motioners removed a prior staff condition limiting dryers/manufacturing); outcome: approved without condition; vote: unanimous (6-0).

What commissioners said: Several commissioners pressed for clarity about how proximity to churches would be measured if an alcohol license was later requested, and staff said the distance is verified when an alcohol license application is filed (a surveyor measures proximity under the ordinance/state rule). Commissioners also asked whether activities such as peanut drying would be allowed on the newly rezoned Birdsong parcel; the board ultimately approved the rezoning without the staff’s manufacturing limitation so the operation can continue as currently conducted on adjacent parcels.

Next steps: Applicants whose rezones and conditional uses were approved will follow up with planning staff to satisfy any conditions. Any future beer-and-wine license applications will require a separate licensing review and proximity survey. The AMPM drive-through will return to the board’s zoning agenda when the applicant appears and provides the requested traffic and access details.