The Newton County Board of Commissioners approved a tree service operation to start a business at 126 Larue Road, a street located on Ga. Highway 162, at their meeting Tuesday night.

Commissioners voted 3 to 2 on a proposal that modified the uses allowed on the site to include a tree service business, modified the site plan standards and modified the standards to construct an entrance that meet all commercial standards.

Commissioners Mort Ewing, Nancy Schulz and Tim Fleming voted to approve the proposal and commissioners Lanier Sims and J.C. Henderson voted not to approve the proposal.

Voting on the proposal was deferred from the Aug. 21 meeting because commissioners had concerns with the commercial entrance at Ga. Highway 162 meeting minimum standards with the Georgia Department of Transportation.

During that meeting Commissioner Sims addressed the hours of operation of the tree service, which were proposed of being Monday through Saturday from 7a.m. to 7p.m.

Sims said the area around Larue Street had a lot of homes and he was concerned with the grinding of the trees that would take place during the evening hours of operation. He again raised those concerns Tuesday night, along with two other citizens that spoke to the board.

"I was under the impression that we were limiting the time to 5p.m. versus 7p.m. with it being close to subdivisions," Sims said.

After some discussion, the hours of operation were approved as they were proposed from 7a.m. to 7p.m.

For more on this story, read the Friday publication of The News.