Jan. 7--PERRY -- The Houston County Board of Commissioners approved rezoning an additional 313 acres for a new cement plant and limestone mine off Ga. 11/U.S. 341 in southeast Houston County at its regular meeting Tuesday morning.

The tract rezoned from agricultural to general industrial and mining for Houston American Cement is adjacent to 1,946 acres that the commission had rezoned in 2007 for the cement plant and limestone mine that the company plans to develop and operate.

"This is simply an expansion of that project," said engineer Bill Hodges, whose firm did engineering work for the company.

He and Ed Buehler, Houston American Cement's project director, said the company is now working to secure the necessary permits it needs to begin clearing the land and beginning operations.

"It's a pretty involved process, but we hope to be able to begin work in nine to 18 months," Buehler said.

The new mine and plant will be adjacent to the Clinchfield Cement plant and mine which has been in operation for about 90 years. It is now owned by Cemex, Inc.

No one spoke in opposition to the rezoning at Tuesday's meeting, but Houston County resident Walton Wood told the commissioners they should make their approval contingent upon the company meeting all possible environmental and traffic concerns addressed in a letter from the Middle Georgia Regional Development Center that said the project was in the region and state's best interest.

But Hodges and Commissioner Jay Walker pointed out that the industry is heavily regulated by the Environmental Protection Division, Army Corps of Engineers and mining regulatory agencies and that it would have to receive permits from them to develop and operate the mine.

Hodges also said the company had changed its plans since first submitting its application and will not need road access to the 313-acre tract rezoned Tuesday, so the RDC's suggestion of adding turn lanes on U.S. 341 was no longer necessary.

In other action, the commissioners:

ŸApproved transferring $10,000 from the contingency fund to the state court fund to cover juror expenses through the rest of the fiscal year.

ŸApproved two new vehicles for the Sheriff's Department -- a 2008 GMC Yukon costing $25,677 and a 2008 Dodge Charger costing $21,348. The Charger will replace a wrecked patrol car, with $10,000 to $12,000 coming from an insurance settlement for the wrecked car and the rest from drug seizure funds.

Ÿ Approved providing $1,791.64 in matching funds to the Sheriff's Department so it can claim a $17,916 federal grant for new equipment.

ŸApproved spending $10,491 more to cover changes in the project to replace the 6-inch water main on Klondike Road with a 12-inch main. The total cost for the project is now $550,334.

ŸApproved Warner Robins annexing a 1-acre lot behind the Lowe's on Ga. 96.

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