Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- A plan to rezone a piece of land off Clemson Road for commercial use is one step closer to becoming a reality.
The Richland County Planning Commission voted 6-2 to recommend changing the land's classification from rural to commercial in a meeting Wednesday afternoon.
The change would impact a piece of property along Clemson Road between Hardscrabble Road and Crane Creek in Northeast Columbia.
The plan still must go before the Richland County Council for approval and neighbors says they plan to make their voices heard.
"I am not happy, I am not happy, I'm very disappointed," said neighbor Pat Adams.
She and others from the community lined up to speak against the change during the planning commission meeting.
"They can just go a mile down the road where
Clemson turns into Killian. We don't have to have a grocery store there so people can have jobs," Tracy Barnes told the panel.
"I think we have enough commercial space surrounding our nice little residential area that suffices," added John Quigley.
Those who oppose the change site issues like safety, crime, traffic and flooding as why they are against a plan from Cypress Equities, a commercial development company, to change the zoning.
The company says it plans to build a 41,000 square foot grocery store with a pharmacy drive-thru, and a 6-pump fuel station.
Everyone is not against the request with some saying they welcome a new development to the area.
People spoke before the panel about the opportunities for economic growth and development that could come from the project.
Cypress Equities says the project would represent a $12 million investment that would bring 95 jobs.
The company also says it wants to work with neighbors and would document promises they made to ease their concerns.
We're willing to take that proposal and say upon closing and file a declaration with the HOA as beneficiaries and say hey if we develop on this site, all the items that we stated in that proposal will be implemented," said Thomas Crowther, of Cypress Equities when he addressed the commission.
The panel's chairman said the decision was about the land and its zoning, not what could potentially come to the area. Those who voted against said they thought there would be a negative impact of the community.
Neighbors against the zoning change say they will work against the proposal as it moves forward.
"The other developments are going to join us and they're going to see a real united effort," said Adams.
