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Neighbors successfully oppose rezoning; commissioners deny request for 7.15 acres
Summary
After multiple neighbors testified that rezoning would amount to spot zoning and lower property values, Ben Hill County commissioners denied Christopher Walker’s request to rezone 7.15 acres at 1124 Jacksonville Hwy from R‑9 to G‑F. The denial passed unanimously.
Ben Hill County commissioners on July 6 denied a request to rezone 7.15 acres at 1124 Jacksonville Highway from R‑9 to G‑F after neighbors spoke in strong opposition.
Zoning Administrator Lawton Lovett introduced the petition from Christopher Walker. Walker told the board he had taken the request to the Planning Commission and said he wanted to place a $180,000 mobile home on the property. He argued the subdivision did not meet R‑9 requirements for public water and sewer and said he was not proposing a mobile home park.
Multiple nearby residents opposed the rezoning during the public hearing. Billy Register submitted notarized petitions and said prior rezoning requests had been denied; he warned that if Walker sold his six lots they could become a mobile home park. Robert Jaros described the request as “spot zoning,” noting five previous attempts had been denied. Wayne Whitley asked Walker to guarantee he would not place additional mobile homes on other lots and requested verification, and Suzanne Hewett said she did not want more trailers in the subdivision.
After hearing the public comments, Commissioner John Mooney moved to deny the rezoning request and Vice‑Chair Hope Harmon seconded. The motion passed with all five commissioners voting in favor.
The minutes record that the Planning Commission previously considered the matter; no amendment or conditional permit was granted and the board’s action denies the rezoning request. The transcript does not record any binding guarantee from the applicant regarding future sales or placement of additional mobile homes.
