Edwards, Colwell ask for rezoning for VA Clinic

Three properties off Highway 19 will be discussed at the April 12 meeting of the Pike County planning commission as property owners request rezoning from A-R (Agricultural-Residential) to P-I (Professional-Institutional) in order for a Veterans Administration Medical Clinic to possibly be located there. Two properties are on Highway 19 north and one property is on Highway 19 south across from the schools. ’There are multiple sites being considered for rezoning for this facility in April. It will not be built on multiple properties, but potential properties have to be considered now if this facility is to be approved this year,’ said planning and zoning director David Allen. ‘If approved, the facility would roughly involve an over 30,000 to 50,000 square foot veterans clinic building. This would provide the same services as other veterans facilities that are a couple of hours away from Pike County.’Public hearings will be held April 12 and April 24 to allow public input on the rezoning decisions. John W. Edwards Jr., Allie E. Armistead and Laurie E. Fisher are requesting rezoning for 30 acres of property on Highway 19 just north of Freshway and across the highway. JAASEE Holdings LLLP, care of James J. Edwards Jr., is requesting rezoning for 16 acres on the eastern side of Highway 19 near the same area. Jerry Colwell is requesting rezoning for 147 acres on Highway 19 south across from the track and primary school. Among many requirements listed on the VA solicitation documents are that the space must be easily accessible to multiple highways which provide multiple routes of travel, must have a loading dock and freight elevator with a parking lot that can accommodate deliveries by trucks with trailers, must be zoned for the VA’s intended use by the time initial offers are due and must be located on no more than two contiguous floors with a minimum of two passenger elevators and one combination passenger/freight elevator. According to the Georgia Department of Veterans Services, during the 2017 fiscal year, there were 1,328 veterans in Pike, 2,115 veterans in Upson, 479 veterans in Talbot, 4,735 veterans in Spalding, 19,253 veterans in Henry and 10,574 veterans in Fayette counties. All of those veterans could benefit from the VA clinic that will be located in Pike County.