The Henry County Board of Commissioners voted Jan. 16 to approve a special R-2 zoning instead of the R-3 requested by a developer for about 42 acres on East Lake Road across from Union Grove Middle School. The developer’s proposal called for up to two residential units per acre, which is within the low-density designation for that area on the county’s future land use map.

Much of the land is already surrounded by other subdivisions. A few citizens speaking in opposition to the request cited concerns about traffic spilling onto East Lake Road and road safety issues along with schools that already are crowded to the point of using trailers.

Commissioner Blake Prince moved to approve R-2S zoning, which he said is an R-2 designation with larger lots and sewer availability. He said he could not grant an R-3 zoning but knows that if the developer takes the issue to court with existing R-3 homes in the area, the county will lose.