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The Troup County Board of Commissioners approved a zoning change that would allow for a combination Family Dollar and Dollar Tree store to be built at the intersection of Hamilton Rd. and Bartley Rd.

The commissioners approved the request to rezone a 1.62-acre property located at 3008 Hamilton Rd and 21 Bartley Rd. from agricultural residential to general commercial. E&C LaGrange, LLC requested the change to allow for the combination store.

A total of 85 residents signed a petition opposing the change, 64 of whom were confirmed to live within one mile of the property in question.

Several citizens spoke out against the rezoning change during a public hearing at the board of commissioners meeting on Jan. 17. The primary concern from residents at the hearing was traffic safety. Multiple residents said the intersection is already unsafe and adding additional delivery trucks would only exacerbate the problem.

Others said the store would make the community look ugly and devalue their properties.

The commissioners also raised concerns about the need for a left turn lane into the property and proposed deceleration lane lengths, noting the danger of the intersection.

At the time, Commissioner Ellis Cadenhead made a motion to deny the request from the standpoint of safety, saying it was a dangerous intersection, but the motion died for the lack of a second.

County Engineer James Emery said that he had multiple correspondences with GDOT traffic engineers, and they have verified that they do not have any opposition or problems with proposed entrances to the property.

After the initial public hearing, the commissioners voted to continue the discussion on the matter at their next meeting.

During the second public hearing, Community Development Director Troy Anderson reminded the commissioners that the decision before them was to consider if the property should be rezoned and not to approve the entrance designs, which would still require subsequent approval. 

Anderson said the change would be consistent with the future land use map for the county, noting there is already a Dollar General store across the road from the proposed store. Anderson said the staff recommended the zoning change.

During the second public hearing, only the developer spoke on the issue.

“We would just like to have the same opportunity that the people across the street have,” said a representative of E&C LaGrange.

The commissioners later unanimously approved the rezoning request.