Liberty Regional Medical Center’s clinic at Tradeport East is a step closer after the Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission recommended rezoning two acres from industrial district to office institutional Tuesday.

The site is an unoccupied parcel owned by the Liberty County Hospital Authority next to Tradeport East, with the entrance on Islands Highway.

When built, the Tradeport East clinic will be similar to an urgent care unit. There will be seven exam rooms and one procedure room. The clinic is supposed to be open by the end of the year.

By Liberty County ordinance, the clinic has to be a minimum of 2,000 feet from the closest industrial building. Now, that is Tire Rack, 2,800 feet away. There are undeveloped industrial parcels next to the clinic’s site.

At Tuesday’s meeting Gabriele Hartage, LCPC zoning administrator, said someone may want to build on one of the parcels within 2,000 feet of the clinic later. And she suggested the Liberty County Board of Commissioners may want to change the ordinance.

LCPC Assistant Vice Chairwoman Lynn Pace said the ordinance needs to be clear.

“Did they address things that can be close to the clinic?” Pace asked. “Will they be careful of what they put there?”

Trent Long, of T.R. Long Engineering, said the site was intended for a medical facility, and includes room for what will be a “wrap around road.”

“They’re intending it for light industrial or commercial,” he said. “I think they’re trying to use it to their advantage.”

Pace thought it was a good idea.

Planning Commissioner Phil Odom suggested adding a condition to the recommendation for the BOC to review the ordinance to prevent problems if industry wants to develop across from the clinic. It was recommended for approval with a special condition.

LCPC also recommended approval for a fellowship hall to be added to the back of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church.

A variance was requested, because the addition would be 16 feet from the rear property line instead of the required 25 feet for its zoning.

Dryden Enterprises asked that more than 28 acres be rezoned from single-two and mobile home residential district to planned unit development, for an additional phase to Griffin Park subdivision. The request also asked the property be annexed into Hinesville.

The requests were recommended for approval.

For another property, Dryden Enterprises requested to rezone more than nine acres from general commercial to multi-family dwelling for an additional phase of Wyngrove Apartments off Veterans Parkway.

The request was recommended for approval.

LCPC also recommended preliminary plats for Griffin Park phase 8, consisting of 85 single-family lots and an entry road to Savannah Commons, a subdivision in Flemington.