By Tara DeRock Mahoney
Senior Staff Writer

    Residents in the Belleview Shores area of Morgan County will soon have an alternate route into their subdivision, courtesy of developers of Swords Pointe in eastern Morgan County.
    County commissioners unanimously upheld a planning commission recommendation to approve a rezoning from AR (Agriculture Residential) to LR-3 (Lakeshore High Density Residential/Recreation) of 224 acres between Swords Road, Fractions Bottom Road, the railroad and I-20. The rezoning will result in only an additional 16 housing units for the developer—400 attached units, up from the 384 units which would have been permitted by right—but will allow the Bluewater Development Group to install a golf/swim community in the area, and build a public road through the center of the development that should alleviate dependence on Fractions Bottom as a primary entry to the Belleview Shores area.
    “I have heard nothing but good things from residents in that area about the road,” said County Commission Chairman Mack Bohlen.
    In a separate, written agreement with the Morgan County Board of Education, the developer will provide phased payments totalling $250,000 to the school board for acquisition of property and buses for a future school in the area.
    In other zoning news:
    •Commissioners approved a zoning change from LR-1 to AR for two lots in the Buckhead Downs/Deer Run area.
    •Commissioners approved a minimum setback variance for the installation of poultry houses on Sandy Creek Road near the Morgan County/Walton County line.
    •Commissioners approved a request for a rezoning and a conditional use at 2590 Seven Islands Road; the property will be down-zoned from AR to AG (Agricultural), and a cabinet shop will be installed on the property.