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Officials recommend land‑use and zoning changes for Sunstop property at 5300 Highway 98
Summary
Planning staff recommended and board members voted to forward to city council a future‑land‑use and zoning change for the Sunstop gas station at 5300 Highway 98, citing the parcel’s existing commercial use and a prior annexation agreement; a public commenter raised questions about a nearby cleared area that may be stormwater.
Planning staff recommended and board members voted to forward to the city council a requested change to the future‑land‑use designation and a matching zoning reclassification for the existing Sunstop gas station at 5300 Highway 98.
Laura, a planning staff member, told the board the applicant, Southwest Georgia Oil Company, seeks to move the parcel into Mexico Beach’s "general commercial" category so it aligns with city land‑use and zoning maps. "This is an existing use," Laura said, and staff’s analysis found no incompatibility with surrounding parcels, which are primarily vacant. She said the request follows an earlier agreement tied to the property’s development and its connection to city water and sewer.
During public comment John Harrell asked whether a cleared area near the site’s driveway is a stormwater pond and whether that parcel could be developed. Laura and other staff members said a specific proposal would require analysis; they noted some of the cleared area likely functions as stormwater. Board members and staff also discussed the annexation timeline and revenue implications. A board member reported the property had paid $9,000 per year in payments‑in‑lieu over the past three years; staff said, based on current rates and assessed value, the city’s share of taxes would be roughly on the order of several thousand dollars per year (the transcript discussion included numbers of $6,000 and $13,000 that reflect differing calculations and depend on tax and millage allocations).
A motion to recommend approval of the future‑land‑use change was made and seconded. The board then held the zoning portion as a quasi‑judicial step and moved to recommend the zoning designation of general commercial; both recommendations were forwarded to the city council for public hearings. The staff presentation and board discussion made clear these are recommendations to the council rather than final approvals.
Next steps: the annexation, land‑use amendment and zoning change will be scheduled for two city‑council public hearings, where final decisions and any conditions will be set.
