The Bainbridge City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve a rezoning application filed by Taramore Developments, LLC. to bring a Dollar General to Highway 84.

A large crowd was in attendance in support of city council denying the application. The parcel of land sits at the intersection of Highway 84 and Randolph Court.

Last week in the planning commission meeting, the rezoning application submitted by Taramore Developments, LLC. was denied. The application was then sent to city council to be voted on.

After spirited participation before the council, the members voted to approve the rezoning application. Councilmen Don Whaley, Kregg Close and Phil Long voted in favor of the application, while councilwomen Glennie Bench and Roselyn Palmer voted against it.

“I rode out and looked at the property,” said Councilman Whaley. “In my opinion, any reasonable person would consider that property commercial. I don’t think anyone would build a residential home.”

Public participation for the development pointed out that in an original development outline, drawn up in 1967, the parcel of land in question had been set aside for commercial usage.

While the application passed, it did not pass without friction from the residents of Bainbridge.

Concerns for the residents around the site were heard. The concerns referenced an influx of traffic and other safety as well as health concerns, including an argument that references the city’s tree preservation ordinance.

“Your heart goes out to the citizens, I can understand some of their concerns,” said Whaley. “In the long run, I couldn’t vote to deny it based on those concerns.”

While two votes were for denial of the application, they were not for reasons brought forth by the public.

Councilwoman Palmer voted no because while she wants to see future developments in t hat area, she wants to look ahead and plan for service roads to access those developments. 

Palmer sees the need for a division in the roads to help with traffic flow.

“The road is a division,” said Palmer. “As you’re looking forward going east, you’ve got to cross Randolph Court so now you’ve got that corridor. Realistically it’s going to be commercial, I don’t think anyone expects someone to take that property and build a house there.”

Councilwoman Bench voted no along the same lines of Palmer.

“I’m concerned we’re looking at an individual parcel,” said Bench. “I agree with (Palmer) that we need to be looking at not only our current land-use map, but our future land-use map.”