Despite concerns expressed by some Lanier residents at the monthly Bryan County Commission meeting, commissioners voted 3-2 to remove curfew restrictions placed on a parcel of land recently rezoned from agricultural to commercial.
The property is located on Hwy. 280 near the bend at its intersection with Hwy. 204 where fatal car accidents have occurred in the past, including wrecks that killed a Lanier Primary School teacher and her son, and a Bryan County Sheriff’s deputy who collided with a car abandoned in the road.
An original stipulation in the March 6 rezoning approval placed an hours of operation curfew of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on businesses that might set up shop on the land.
But Buddy Polk, owner of the land, requested the time constraints be removed. He said there was a problem selling land with a curfew attached to it.
"When someone comes to commissioners to approve what’s to be put on the property, the commission can address hours of operation," he said. "A curfew shouldn’t be put on property as it's being sold."
But Nancy Mosley said Lanier is very small community and a lot of people were against the initial rezoning of property.
"The restrictions you placed, we think, are very fair to keep the integrity of the neighborhood. It’s a dangerous curve. If extending hours and allowing more traffic, it’s just a matter of time (until another tragic accident occurs)," Mosley said.
Another opponent, E.J. Smith, said service based businesses were in the area, such as his upholstery business that was recently granted a B2 rezoning request, and Greg Mosley’s electrical service business. But Smith said it wasn’t service based business they were worried about.
"Our main concern is that a business like a service station or shop and go will go in there," Smith said. "If it was service oriented business where people are quite, we wouldn’t have a problem with that."
Commissioners Rick Gardner and Glen Williard voted against ending the measure.