Nixon withdraws rehab plan

Former Atlanta Brave Otis Nixon has decided to withdraw his application for a re-zone request to allow him to open a drug and rehab facility in the county.
The withdrawal comes ahead of next week’s board of commissioners meeting where it was on the agenda for a final vote.

“I made the decision after talking with my board and members,” Nixon said. “I think (Planning and Zoning Commission member Betty Alexander) summed up well when she said it was a good thing we are doing, but this property is not a good fit for what we are trying to accomplish. I made this decision and it is back to the drawing board.”
The application is for the 25-acre property at 3330 Dally Road outside Jersey which has two single family residences and two small barns. The purpose listed for the conditional use was for “residential care with very light mental or substance abuse problems, supervision counseling to restore them back to the community as productive citizens.”
But Nixon found an uphill battle to his effort. A meeting of concerned citizens packed the room at the Jersey Community center in November and it was standing room only at December’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting - most in opposition to the request.
In the end, planning officials denied the request 5-1 but the request still had to come before the Board of Commissioners for a final verdict.
Despite the change of heart regarding the Dally Road property, Nixon said he wasn’t giving up on Walton County.
“I have talked to a lot of probation officers here and they are waiting for me to open the doors,” Nixon said. “They have a lot of folks going back and forth between jail here, so opening up a facility here in Walton County is still on the table.”