x
Breaking News
More () »

'There's always a bad apple:' Jones County homeowners nervous about a possible transition facility for men

Jones County Planning and Zoning Commission will hear the item on Oct. 28. The proposed rezoning decision could allow for a drug rehab center or halfway house.

MACON, Ga. — Some people in Jones County say they are nervous about a transition facility for men possibly coming to their neighborhood.

Some homeowners in the Wayside community say safety is their main concern. 

A rezoning decision could allow for a drug rehab center or halfway house for men in that neighborhood. 

Neighbors Mattison Dees and Mickey Hill have lived in the Wayside community in Jones County for decades.

"I came and spent 20 some odd years renovating this old house and now that it's on there, I just don't want anything to happen to this," Dees said. 

Dees and Hill say they are just some of many homeowners in the area who don't like the idea of a drug rehab center or halfway house possibly coming to 1350 Monticello Highway. 

Cross Roads Recovery Ministries is asking the Jones County Planning and Zoning Commission for a conditional use of the land.

It is currently zoned as agricultural-rural and is around 100 acres.  

Hill and Dees say they want the men recovering to get better and find the help they need. They just don't think their neighborhood is the best location to do that in. 

"If it helps someone get well and he gets back in society, I'm all for that but I think the return on those people is quite rapid. They don't go in one time and come out and never have to go back again," Dees said. 

Some people say they have traffic concerns and fear property value will go down and crime will increase if commissioners vote to bring the transition facility to the county.

"There's always a bad apple in that group and we don't want that bad apple to wind up out here," Hill said. 

Planning and Zoning says they will hear the item at a public meeting on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Jones County Government Center. 

Jodi Sappe with Cross Roads Recovery Ministries says the group has a conflict and decided to push the hearing to November. She declined to comment further about the reason why at this time. 

"If we lose this little neighborhood, we'll never come back again," Dees said.

Commissioners will not vote on the building until May 5, 2020.

RELATED: ‘These pictures were taken 7 months apart’ | Mom shares photos of son to bring awareness to addiction

RELATED: Beverly Sackler, an owner of Purdue Pharma, dies

RELATED: Arkansas doctor arrested for prescribing more than 1 million opioid pills, 16 gallons of 'sizzurp'

STAY ALERT | Download our FREE app now to receive breaking news and weather alerts. You can find the app on the Apple Store and Google Play.

STAY UPDATED | Click here to subscribe to our Midday Minute newsletter and receive the latest headlines and information in your inbox every day.

Have a news tip? Email news@13wmaz.com, or visit our Facebook page.

  

Before You Leave, Check This Out