Residents oppose rezoning request at 3344 Strickland Ave. for migrant housing in Pierce County

At a June 4, 2024 public hearing, the Pierce County Board of Commissioners heard strong opposition from local residents to a request to rezone 2.5 acres at 3344 Strickland Avenue in Blackshear from Single-Family to Agriculture/Forestry so the owner could permit migrant housing.

Charles Joyner, who spoke at the podium on behalf of the property owner identified in the record as Ms. Patel, said the owner wants to create "multiple single living apartments" at the site. Joyner told the board the owner is trying to sell the property to someone who would pursue that plan. Ms. Patel told commissioners she purchased the property believing she could use it in ways now contested by neighbors and said she bought it on "false pretenses," according to the record.

Multiple residents spoke in opposition. Beth Thomas, a resident at 4461 Moneyhole Road, said she opposed migrants living at that address and worried about property maintenance and tax impacts. Victor Gonzalez, identified as a retired firefighter from 5233 Dixon Road, said from his experience he feared such housing "will attract drugs, gangs, drinking, and driving with no license" and asked who would be responsible for injuries or overcrowding. Other speakers raised related concerns: Felton Batten said the county "doesn't need a migration house," a speaker identified as Myles expressed worry about sewage runoff worsening if dozens of people lived on the lot, Mary Dowling said thefts in her apartment complex had driven residents to buy weapons for protection, and Dawn Thompson urged the board to "take care of our own citizens before we take care of anyone else." The record shows similar objections from Sue Steedley and Michael Bennett.

The rezoning application is listed in the public record as Parcel #034A-034. The request would change the property's zoning from Single-Family to Agriculture/Forestry; the applicant's stated purpose is to allow migrant housing. No formal motion or vote on the rezoning appears in the hearing record for June 4; Chairman Neal Bennett invited comments and, after no further speakers came forward, moved on and later adjourned the meeting at 5:57 p.m.

The hearing record shows a mix of public-safety, maintenance, and fiscal concerns from neighbors; the transcript does not include responses from county staff or a written plan from the owner describing how sewage, occupancy limits or property management would be handled. The Board did not announce a final decision at the June 4 hearing. Future procedural steps (a staff report, zoning commission recommendation or a vote by the Board) were not specified in the transcript.