With no opposition, Georgia Behavioral Health Services received approval Monday to move forward with plans to rezone less than an acre to build duplexes for low- and moderate-income people who are homeless or disabled.

The development, called Third Neighborhood, is a continuation of the city’s revitalization efforts in the Fort Hill neighborhood. The Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning and a conditional-use application for the duplexes on .87 acres at 672 and 688 Bowman streets and 1061 Woolfolk St. The property will be rezoned from two-family residential district to a planned development district.

The proposal calls for the construction of five duplexes that will include eight one-bedroom/one-bath units and two two-bedroom/two-bath units, along with 10 parking spaces.

“This is a unique project ... in a most-needed area,” said Cass Hatcher at the meeting.

A property manager, who will be located on site, will be responsible for all three “Neighborhood” developments and will collect rents and handle maintenance issues, Hatcher said.

Georgia Behavioral is the land-owning arm of River North Behavioral Health Center, which would provide support services and case management for the residents.

Other items on the agenda were:

ITEMS DEFERRED FROM AUG. 13 MEETING:

112-118 Lamar St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of a parking lot and fence, HR-3 District. Widner & Associates, applicant. Approved.

CONDITIONAL USES:

564-566 Mulberry St.: Conditional use to allow a place of assembly (restaurant/bar) with live entertainment, CBD-1. Matt Emerson; Widner & Associates, applicant. Approved.

3360 Millerfield Road: Conditional use to allow a proposed place of worship, R-1A District. Cunningham & Co. Engineers Inc. applicant. Approved.

4219 Forsyth Road: Conditional use to allow platting of property prior to site plan approval, PDE District. Ed Walsh, The Summit Group, applicant. Approved.

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:

2764 Cherokee Ave.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow exterior modifications to an existing dwelling, HR-2 District. Augustin Morales Jr., applicant. Approved.

596 College St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of exterior changes (replacement of columns), HR-3 District. Madison-Poss & Associates, applicant. Approved.

VARIANCES:

3864 Holley Road: Variance in location requirements to allow a detached garage between a dwelling and the public right-of-way, A-Agricultural District. Obie Moran, applicant. Approved.

SIGNS:

3555 Mercer University Drive: Variance in aggregate sign area requirements to allow a wall sign for a retail store, C-2 District. Scott Bombard, Rosson Sign Co., applicant. Approved.

154 Plantation Inn Drive: Conditional use to allow a multi-message billboard with variance in distance requirements, PDE District. George Greer; SPP Investments LLC, applicant. Deferred to Sept. 10 meeting.

To contact writer Linda S. Morris, call 744-4223.