By Rupert Howell
Supervisors on Monday approved Panola County Planning Commission’s request to change zoning from agricultural to commercial on four acres of property on Highway 6 east at the Terza/Lawrence Bros. Road intersection despite an appeal  sought by neighboring residents of Wildwood Subdivision.
Those opposed cited safety as the reason for the appeal and ask supervisors to delay any decision until an MDOT impact study is complete concerning a new intersection design slated for the nearby intersection before making a final decision.
Spokesman Joe Azar assured supervisors the group was not against commercial development, but were concerned about safety at the intersection near where the residential subdivision’s entrance and exit from Highway 6.
Azar and others were at the April 11 meeting of the Planning Commission where they also argued against the zoning change.
During that meeting it was revealed that a new intersection, called a ‘J-Intersection’ would be built at the location and two others along Highway 6. The group contended that the intersection design would make using the neighborhood’s entryway even more dangerous.
Property owner Cindy Allgood said the safety concern is a problem for everybody noting that she resides on Goodhope Road whose intersection with Highway 6 is also slated to be changed.
 She reminded supervisors that she originally owned 15 acres at the location and sold all but the four, all of which has been reclassified commercial at the request of the current owner.
Board president Cole Flint on three occasions brought the hearing’s discussion back to the matter of which the board was to vote and away from the a discussion of proposed changes of intersections on Highway 6.
Following the unanimous decision in favor of the commission’s recommendation to change classification of the property from agriculture to commercial, Flint asked both sides for their support when dealing with MDOT on the proposed Highway 6 intersection changes.