TIFTON — Approximately 50 residents spoke out against a proposed Dollar General at the Monday, Sept. 18 meeting of the Tift County Board of Commissioners.

After the public hearing, the commissioners voted unanimously to deny a rezoning request that, if approved, would have led to a new Dollar General at the intersection of US Highway 319 and Mount Olive Church Road.

The request would have rezoned the 1.805 acre tract of land from Agriculture to Community Commercial. That would have led to the construction of the proposed 7,500 square feet Dollar General.

Attorney Joseph Carter claimed the project would have “no negative impact” on the nearby neighborhood.

“We think it’s a good project and it’s in a good location,” said Carter.

Homeowner Rhonda Moore agreed it was a good location. After all, she argued, that’s why homeowners in the area chose to live there.

“We looked and searched and found the best place,” said Moore. “We were there first. Don’t force this on us.”

Residents of that area cited safety, increase traffic and property values as their major concerns.

John Huggins, one of the nearby residents, spoke against it.

“Convenience is not why we live in a rural area,” said Huggins. “If we wanted convenience, we’d live in the city’s boundaries.

“We live out there because we’ve created an environment that’s safe for our children and our grandchildren.”

Amy Mathis, who started an online change.org petition against the rezoning, cited vehicle accidents that had occurred at the intersection in the last few years and proposed the increased traffic to the store would lead to an increase of accidents.

Others, like Jeremy Moore, worried that the Dollar General would be the start of commercialization of the area.

“Dollar General is not the worst of things that could go there, but opens the door to the worst of things: a bar, a bait and tackle shop.

“We currently have 12 dollar stores operating in Tift County. I think 12 is plenty. I would ask that you not make it 13.”

Patrick Atwater, superintendent for the Tift County Board of Education, spoke as a resident of the area, saying that the area should stay agricultural.

“I’m an avid shopper in Dollar General,” said Atwater. “I could live in a Dollar General, but not this one.”

Matt Rewis, who said he bought a home in the area in 2015, said he was worried about a decrease in property values.

I’m open to conditioning it to the point where it makes the residents more comfortable with the project,” said Josh Hufstetler, executive vice-president of Terramore Development.

“This is getting close to our 200th Dollar General store…There’s a void in this market. Dollar General recognizes that.”

Teramore planned to refocus on a backup site in Irwin County if this Tift County site fell through.

“I’ve heard from a lot of people,” said commissioner Stan Stalnaker. “I haven’t heard from anyone who’s in favor of this.”

Stalnaker called for a vote to deny the rezoning request.

After the commission voted unanimously to deny it, the crowd applauded.