A Columbia County property owner hopes his land can be included as part of a proposed commercial node when county planners revise a Growth Management Plan.

But at least one county official says creating the node seems unlikely.

Martinez businessman Nick Shah owns a 1.23-acre corner lot at Washington and Hallali Farm roads. Twice he has tried to rezone the property from neighborhood commercial to general commercial to start a used-car lot. Twice, his petition has failed.

The Growth Management Plan designates certain areas of the county for intense commercial growth in an attempt to halt urban sprawl. Because Mr. Shah's property exists outside of a recognized commercial node on the plan, county officials say a general commercial zoning is inappropriate.

Mr. Shah disagrees.

"I would say that 90 percent of properties there are zoned commercial anyway," he said. "I think a corner lot should be commercial before any other."

Recently, Mr. Shah's Realtor made a case for adding a node in his area, but with no luck.

Because businesses that existed before the Growth Management Plan were allowed to remain, another used-car lot, a body shop, a barbershop, a plumbing business and two nurseries are within view of Mr. Shah's lot. At least two of those business operators, Cushman Paint and Body manager Kenny Covington and Greenbrier Nursery and Gifts owner Julie Logan, say a car lot at that corner would be appropriate.

"There already is one right down the street," Mr. Covington said. "I don't see why another one would make a difference."

Mrs. Logan said she didn't understand why county officials would deny Mr. Shah's rezoning.

"But I don't understand a lot of the things they do," she said.

Charles Clifford, the owner of The Car Store, said he understands.

"We already have too much traffic on this road without bringing in something that would just add more," said Mr. Clifford, whose used-car lot is near Mr. Shah's property. "The county is doing this to try and stop there from being too much growth, and they're right."

Mr. Clifford said his opinion isn't motivated by the desire to prevent competition. He said adding motorists to a busy intersection will invite more wrecks.

County Commissioner Ron Thigpen said additional traffic wasn't his primary motivation when he voted against Mr. Shah's rezoning request. He also said he would not support creating a commercial node allowing general commercial zonings for that area.

"One of the issues I had with this particular zoning is that there is no transition or buffer between it and the adjacent residential zones," said Mr. Thigpen, who was once chairman of the county's planning commission. "(General commercial) is a pretty aggressive zoning. ... My philosophy with regards to land use is that we need transition areas between abrupt changes in zoning."

Though county planners intend to revise the Growth Management Plan next year, and some changes might take place, altering the commercial nodes has not been discussed, Planning Manager Nayna Mistry said.

"We'll be looking at this area, although there's nothing I can tell you about that right now," she said. "It hasn't been part of any study we've done."