HOLLY SPRINGS — The city of Holly Springs has notified Cherokee County of a possible annexation of property on Marble Quarry Road for potential location of a grocery store.

The property is now in unincorporated Cherokee County and zoned for office and institutional use.

County commissioners expressed concerns at their meeting Tuesday that nearby residents might not be happy if a retail business moves onto the property.

The property owners, Robert and Breneda Livingston of Jamestown, Tenn., have asked for the property to be zoned as general commercial if it is annexed into Holly Springs.

A zoning application filed with the city lists the proposed development for the property as a “general grocery store and complementary retail use.”

The zoning application calls for a two-story commercial building with a maximum square footage of 20,000 square feet. The development will be built in a craftsman style, according to the application.

The anticipated starting date for construction on the development is September, with an anticipated

completion date in September 2014.

Commissioners tabled a decision on the annexation request Tuesday following a recommendation by the county’s attorney.

“I would like to keep that corridor residential or light commercial. It leads to some of the county’s best neighborhoods,” Commissioner Harry Johnston said.

Cherokee County Zoning Director Jeff Watkins said the properties surrounding the one in question are zoned for residential use.

County attorney Chris Hamilton said at Tuesday’s commission meeting that the county can only deny an annexation if it would cause a “material increase in burden” to the county.

Johnston said commissioners in past years have wanted to keep the Sixes Road corridor residential except at its ends.

“For parcels like this one that may not be suitable for single-family residential, we’ve discussed allowing office or town home use as an acceptable alternative,” he said.

Gunnin said the development could cause a huge burden to residents along Marble Quarry Road if there is no entrance on Sixes Road.

The zoning application indicates that traffic would flow to and from Sixes Road in addition to Marble Quarry Road.

The county will not be able to block the annexation because of aesthetic concerns, Hamilton said.

Holly Springs Planning Commission will hold a public hearing regarding the site at 6 p.m. Feb. 28.