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BOLIVAR - The Hardeman County Commission voted Tuesday night to approve the rezoning of land for Royal Oak Charcoal, following an hours-long public hearing that was fraught with high tension and numerous allegations of illegality.
The motion passed 11-4.
This marks the third attempt made by the commission to rezone land for the company as “I-2 Hazardous Industrial,” this time at site near the towns of Cloverport and Mercer in Madison County, a 186-acre property located off Tennessee Highway 138 and Cox Road, on the county line.
Mayor Jimmy Sain, after admonishing his constituents for how he was being portrayed on social media and showing a Facebook DIY article on charcoal uses, ardently expressed his support of the decision, primarily due to the approximately 30 jobs the plant would bring.
WBBJ TV
March 12, 2021
HARDEMAN COUNTY, Tenn. Residents in one community plan to fight a possible industrial addition.
Janette Moss’s family has been in Hardeman County for almost 100 years, in the community of Bethlehem.
It’s a quiet area, but they say they’re now facing an issue with a proposal that could bring Royal Oak’s charcoal company to the neighborhood.
“We’re thinking about the safety of the roads here, and we’re considering the possible pollution of the area and the Hatchie River,” Moss said.
The proposed land is off Vildo Road. The Hardeman County Commission is planning a vote next week, to rezone the area for industrial use.