A rezoning application for property across Riverside Drive from The Shoppes at River Crossing was approved at Monday’s meeting of the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning Commission.

Plans are for a shopping center on a 6.2-acre site at 5019-5081 Riverside Drive. The property was rezoned from an agricultural district to a commercial district.

Applicant Jarrett Nease said tenants are lined up for the shopping center, but he did not disclose specifically who they were. He said a national retailer “similar to what’s across the street,” would go in a 55,000-square-foot building; a medical user would go in a 3,200 square foot space and a restaurant would occupy a 5,000-square-foot building.

A separate parking variance for the shopping center was deferred until the applicant submits a final site plan.

Rodney McCord, general manager of B. Turners and Dry Falls Outfitters at the Macon Mall, said that while he wasn’t speaking in opposition of the shopping center, he wanted to express his concern “more about what’s going on in our area” on Eisenhower Parkway.

Since there are several schools in the area, including Mercer University and Middle Georgia State College, there is a lot of traffic in the area that would be attractive to other retailers to locate there, he said.

“I don’t know what this project is going to be,” he said of the new shopping center. “I would ask the commission to look at existing infrastructure ... there are plenty of places along Eisenhower who would attract more students and more people to the area.”

Commission chairwoman Sarah Gerwig-Moore said that while she appreciated McCord’s perspective, the commission has to address the applications they receive and rule on the proper land use for the property.

“Our land use plan recognizes that (the proposed shopping center property) should be for commercial use,” said Jim Thomas, the commission’s executive director.

In another matter, Monday’s meeting was commissioner Arthur Hubbard’s last meeting as his term ended. The city has appointed Jeane Easom, an appraiser with Appraisal Associates Group LLC, to fill his seat, Thomas said.

Other items on the agenda were:

DEFERRED FROM PRIOR MEETINGS:

246 Buford Place: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of a building addition (deck enclosure), HR-1 District. Sidney Haynes, applicant. Approved.

CONDITIONAL USES:

5687 Houston Road: Conditional use to allow a school at an existing church, R-1AAA District. Victory Christian Academy, applicant. Approved.

5630 Houston Road: Conditional use to allow outside seating at an existing restaurant, C-2 District. Dawn Palmer; The Hangar, applicant. Approved.

CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS:

1293 Calhoun St.: Certificate of Appropriateness to allow design approval of a single-family dwelling, HPD-BH District. Ryan Griffin; RGD Ventures, applicant. Approved.

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