JOHN COFFELT
Editor

A second rezoning request by the owners of a property on the corner of Goose Pond Road and US Highway 53 failed to garner enough votes to pass the Coffee County Commission during the June 9 meeting.

The request to rezone the property from A-1 Agricultural to C-1 Rural Center District came with a unanimous positive recommendation from the Coffee County Planning Commission after Justin Kuhn of Shady Grove Homes, LLC, brought the matter back to the board following it failing to pass due to lack of votes at the poorly attended Oct. 14 2025 meeting. 

At that time, the resolution received seven yes votes from Roger Chambers, Rose Ann Carden Smith, Missy DeFord, Sammy Anderson, Terry Hershman, Tim Stubblefield and Todd Malone, and received five no votes from Tim Brown, Tim Morris, Tina Reed, Jackie Duncan and Dwight Miller. Six commissioners were absent: Dowe Jones, Jimmy Hollandsworth, Laura Nettles, Joe Mike Hodge, and Frank Watkins.

During the June 9 meeting, the resolution failed with nine yes votes and four no votes. Voting no were Jones, Hollandsworth, Jeff Perry and Tim Brown. Morris, Reed, Chambers and Nettles were absent, and Commissioner Joe Mike Hodge passed away June 6.  

No discussion was held by the commission during the meeting on the matter, but opposing the rezoning was community spokesman Ernie West who objected due to traffic impact and a change to the farming nature of the area.

“I talked to a lot of people at Goosepond. They want to keep it agricultural. We have a good little community. We want to keep it agriculture. The new owner wants to change it commercial,” West said when County Mayor Dennis Hunt allowed him to speak.

A representative of the owner was not allowed to speak after the commission declined to allow additional public comments.  

During the May 28 Planning Commission meeting said his plans for the site are as an office for his siding and roofing business. County regulations mandate that the entrance and egress be on Highway 53.

The C-1 Rural Center District is low impact commercial district designed to provide goods and services to rural residents. Primary listed permitted uses include single- and two-family dwellings, agricultural oriented commercial or light industrial uses.