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WEBVTT COREY: THE ARGUMENT OVER THISPIECE OF LAND, GOING ON NOW FOR3 DECADES.IT'S A BALLFIELD-SHAPED AREA ATTHE CORNER OF WOODRUFF ROAD ANDHIGHWAY 14.DR. BARFELL: IT'S GOING TO BEDEVELOPED, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.COREY: THAT'S BECAUSE THE OWNEROF THE NEARBY GRACELAND CMETERYSOLD THE PROPERTY.DR. BARFELL: WE'RE JUST SIMPLYIN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT,BECAUSE WE STAND TO BENEFIT FROMIT AS A MINISTRY AND AS ASCHOOL.COREY: THE DEAL WILL BRING IN AGROCERY STORE CALLED SPROUT.IF APPROVED, THE SOUTHSIDECHRISTIAN SCHOOL ACROSS THEFOR SUPPORTING THE PROJECT.THEY'LL USE IT TO EXPAND.DR. BARFELL: WE'RE EXPERIENCINGGROWTH AT ALL 3 OF OUR SCHOOLS.APPROVED, THE SCHOOL WON'T GETANY LAND,AND SOMETHING RESIDENTIAL MIGHTBE BUILT ON THE PROPERTYINSTEAD.MS. KELLY: IT'LL BE RIGHT IN MYBACK DOOR.COREY: PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUTTRAFFIC. MANY OF THEM SPOKE AT APUBLIC MEETING TONIGHT.MS. KELLY: WE'VE SEEN A LOT OFCHANGES IN 20 YEARS ON WOODRUFFROAD, BUT THIS WAS OUR LASTLITTLE BIT OF PEACE. COREY: OTHERS SAY PEOPLEVISITING THE CEMETERY WILL ALSOBE STRIPPED OF PEACE AND QUIET.THE DEVELOPER PLANS TO BUILD ACEMENT WALL TO HELP GIVEPRIVACY.MR. WILSON: I THINK THIS IS ASMART DEVELOPMENT, AND I'LL TELLYOU WHY. BECAUSE IT'S ACOMMUNITY CENTER. IT SERVES THELOCAL COMMUNITY.COREY: RIGHT NOW, THE LAND ISUNDER RESIDENTIAL ZONING,SOMETHING THE DEVELOPER HOPES TOCHANGE WITHIN THE MONTH.ULTIMATELY, IT WILL BE UP TOCOUNTY COUNCIL TO DECIDE WHETHERTHAT LAND WILL BE ZONED TO ALLOWA GROCERY STORE.THE NEXT PUBLIC MEETING WITH THEDEVELOPER WILL BE HELD HERE ATTHE SCHOOL ON MARCH .COREY DAVIS, WYFF NEWS 4, IN

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People living in a Simpsonville community have mixed emotions over a proposed development on a 10-acre piece of land. The land is located at the intersection of Woodruff Road and Highway 14. Some residents are worried about traffic, while others are concerned about disturbing a cemetery. The land is a ball field-shaped area next to the Graceland East Memorial Park cemetery. A Greenville company called RealtyLink bought the land in December with the goal of getting it zoned for commercial business. They want to build a grocery store called Sprout at that location. Right now, the area is zoned for residential development. The community has successfully disputed efforts in the past to get the land zoned for the past three decades. "It's going to be developed, one way or the other," Dr. Sam Barfell, superintendent of Southside Christian School, said. If the new zoning is approved, the school will get half of the land for supporting the project. Barfell said they'll use it as an opportunity to expand. "We're just simply in support of the project because we stand to benefit from it as a ministry and as a school," Barfell said. He added, "We're experiencing growth at all three of our schools." If the deal isn't approved, the school won't get any of the land, and a residential development might be built on the property instead. People are worried about traffic, and many of them attended a public meeting at the school Thursday night. It was the second of three meetings set to be held with the developer. "It'll be right in my back door," said Gail Kelly. "We've seen a lot of changes in 20 years on Woodruff Rd. But this was our last little bit of peace." Others say people visiting the cemetery will also be stripped of peace and quiet. The developer has plans to build a cement wall to help give privacy. "I think this is a smart development and I'll tell you why, because it's a community center. It serves the local community," William Neil Wilson, with RealtyLink, said. He said the store will cater more to the people who live in the area rather than others, who he says, are least likely to drive in from other areas. He said that's why the project will not put an additional strain on traffic. Ultimately, it will be up to county council to decide whether to allow a grocery store, or commercial development. RealtyLink is hoping to get a proposal in front of council by late March or early April. The next public meeting with the developer will be held at the school on March 14.