Decision due on Evans rezoning

Voters in Columbia Countys District 4 have a very important decision Tuesday as they choose between five candidates for their vacant County Commission seat.

The countys other four commissioners have an important decision, too - and theyll have to make it without a vote from a representative of District 4.

Commissioners Tuesday night take up a controversial rezoning. Blanchard and Calhoun Commer-cial Corp. wants 14 acres of property at Furys Ferry and Evans-to-Locks roads rezoned for heavy commercial use to allow a larger grocery store in a planned shopping center.

Its obvious there is no shortage of commercial property available for big grocery stores in Columbia County. The problem is that there isnt a parcel in the exact Evans spot that has just what the developer wants.

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Is that Columbia Countys problem? Should it change the rules to help raise the value of a developers investment? If the 14 acres in question were already zoned C2, its a sure bet the land would have cost more. By putting together the pieces of land and getting them rezoned, the developer in effect gets the county to boost his profits.

Far better that the project get an emphatic signal from commissioners that theyll stick to their own zoning rules and follow the lead of the countys Planning Commission by rejecting the rezoning request.