Several acres of land behind Lowes home-improvement store on Oglethorpe Highway was approved for rezoning during Thursday’s Hinesville City Council meeting. The parcel, approximately 7.82 acres, previously was zoned an RA-1 residential area, but it never was developed. The forested area now will be zoned as a C-2 commercial lot. Assistant zoning administrator Gabriele Hartage and attorney Thomas Ratcliffe, on behalf of the Michael E. Bryant Life Trust, presented a plan for what the area might look like once it’s developed. Also present was Paul Simonton of P.C. Simonton & Associates Inc., who will work with Ratcliffe to create a workable plan for the land.

The mock-up includes several commercial buildings and a potential restaurant, as well as a decorative feature, such as a fountain, at the entrance. At this time, however, the plan is subject to change and there is no set layout.

Developers may face problems with the site’s access points. The map of the potential setup contains two access points, one connecting to the Lowes lot and one off Frank Cochran. There are plans to include another access point at the back of the lot off South Main Street, but the planned widening of that street would affect the entire layout of the area, not just the access point. Ratcliffe and the council members decided to get together again to further plan that particular entrance, as well as the rest of the area.

Ratcliffe said he and Simonton will be required to submit a workable plan for approval by the Liberty County Planning Commission. The Hinesville City Council would grant final approval. The attorney expressed interest in working with the city and traffic engineers to ensure traffic flows easily in and out of the area and to decide how to best build on the site.

“The last thing we want to do is develop a commercial area with no public access,” Ratcliffe said. “We appreciated the rezoning by the council and will be working with them to create a viable plan.”

Ratcliffe and Simonton both pointed out several times that this plan only is provisional and that they plan to work with council members to create an aesthetically pleasing commercial area that will meet all requirements.

“We have the rezoning approved, and now the question is how to make it work the best,” Ratcliffe said.