The once rural terrain around Ridgeland High School is set to change rapidly as the large Hutcheson farm is broken into pieces.
Almost 19 acres across Happy Valley Road from the school are set to be developed with up to 500 new homes. An apartment project and a retirement center are also planned on the once sprawling dairy farm.
Marion Hutcheson is now requesting that two parcels by Highway 2A be changed from agricultural zoning to commercial.
One on the south side of the highway that leads to Fort Oglethorpe is 3.5 acres.
A now-wooded site on the north side of the highway is just over three acres.
A spokesman for the family said earlier that the family has a buyer who is focusing on the tract on the south side for 1-3 lots. He said he did not know what would be built there, but he said it might be restaurants or a bank.
The Walker County Planning Commissioner earlier unanimously recommended approval of the request.
A public hearing on the issue will be held at the Walker County Commission meeting on April 8 at 7 p.m. in LaFayette.
The property is in Rossville.