TIFTON — The Tifton City Council held a public hearing related to rezoning several properties at the city council workshop on June 4.

The first application is to rezone 12.19 acres located off of US HWY 41 from residential professional to general business. This rezoning was submitted by Michael Bowen and would allow for the development of a “holistic neighborhood environment.” This property has been owned by the University System of Georgia since 1996 and has been undisturbed open land and woodland. It stretches from the intersection of HWY 41 and Interstate 75 to the railroad.

John Bowen presented a preliminary mock-up of the plans. They include an anchor hotel, pedestrian-only main street, greenhouse, dog park and room for restaurants and retail spaces, according to Bowen.

He said there was interest from the USGA Board of Regents in seeing the property developed to “bolster growth on that side of town, providing more resources and amenities for all the University assets on that side of town and to serve the conference center.”

According to Danny Wallace, environmental management director, the Planning and Zoning Committee approved the request with a caveat that there was a concern about possible traffic congestion, and staff recommends approval of the application.

The next three applications encompass three properties along HWY 41 where Waffle House, Affinity Clinic and the shopping center where Harvey’s Supermarket is located.

Wallace said that the city is requesting that these three properties be rezoned from neighborhood commercial to general business to accommodate for future growth.

When asked about impact to the neighborhood by city council member Jack Folk, Wallace said this rezoning would benefit the neighborhood by requiring larger buffers between new businesses and the existing neighborhood.

Mayor Julie Smith said she wanted to ensure any rezoning would protect Emmett Drive East and “not disrupt that residential neighborhood any more than it has been.”

The city also held a public hearing to receive comments on the proposed Fiscal Year 2019 budget. No members of the public commented.