County should follow lead of zoning board, reject rezoning

Editor:

I want to extend my thanks and deep appreciation to the Columbia County Planning Commission for listening to homeowners at the Oct. 2 and 16 meetings.

As Planning Director Jeff Browning reported, 75 percent of those who spoke were against the rezoning. Homeown-ers spoke about the precarious situation of thousands of homeowners (taxpayers) who have been lured to invest millions in beautiful Columbia County neighborhoods only to have inappropriate commercial development locate, or threaten to locate, near their homes resulting in the devaluation of their investments.

Also brought to the Planning Commissions attention:

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How tragic it is for desperate homeowners to be continually forced to battle the countys commercial rezoning in order to protect their quality of life and rights to have peace and sanctuary from noise pollution, light pollution, high traffic (4,300 extra trips isnt low impact) and 24/7 activity.

The need for county officials to show compassion and prevent "the few who seek financial gains" from desecrating neighborhoods at the expense and detriment of thousands of homeowners who have so much to lose;

The homeowners expectation that the county will protect neighborhoods rather than ruin them with inappropriate rezoning; and,

The necessity for the county to redeem itself by undoing the damaging precedents previously set by rezoning for much too big commercial development to be located much too close to neighborhoods.

I hope and pray the county commissioners will follow the Planning Commissions lead and demonstrate the same courage, compassion, reverence, decency, good sense and respect for Columbia County homeowners by also denying the rezoning for the 14-acre Kroger strip mall....

Jeri Whitworth

Evans