The Jones County Planning & Zoning Commission voted to recommend denial of a request to rezone a 1.34‑acre property at the corner of Shady Road Plaza and Joycliffe Road from R‑1 (single‑family residential) to C‑2 (general commercial). The request, associated with applicant Derek Davis (not present), would have allowed a full‑service automotive repair and maintenance facility.

Bert Harper spoke in opposition, saying the area already contains multiple auto repair centers and vacant commercial buildings that could be reused instead of rezoning a residential parcel. Harper argued rezoning has contributed to blight and depressed home values in the neighborhood and urged the commission to protect homeowners. “I would like to propose that y'all look at making some zoning changes so that in the future it must be agreed upon by everyone that owns a home… within a thousand feet of a property that's trying to be rezoned,” he said.

After public comment, a board member moved to deny the rezoning request; the motion carried on a voice vote. The commission’s recommendation to deny will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for their Dec. 2 meeting, per the transcript. The denial was recorded as the commission’s recommendation and not as a final rezoning action (final decision rests with the Board of Commissioners).