Tryon has approved the rezoning of a property off Rippy Road from residential to institutional professional (IP).

The rezoning was recommended recently by the Tryon Board of Planning and Zoning, which had recommended the same rezoning last year but was turned down by town council. &bsp;

Last year nearby residents expressed concerns to town council that they did not want to have a commercial building at the front of the road entrance.

At a recent public hearing, residents at first expressed the same concerns, but after hearing that the current zoning&bsp; of R5 allows for manufactured homes and IP does not, residents agreed for the property to be rezoned IP.

Myrna Viehman of Foothills Realty represented the Shields property and said at one time Dr. Rosenberg was interested in building an office there, but since the property was not rezoned, he sought other options.

Viehman said there is currently no one interested in the property.

The parcel is a total of nine acres, but the rezoning will apply to only five acres. One residential property on the parcel is now non-conforming.

Property owners have expressed some concern about how a commercial building would look there, about increased traffic over the bridge and about flooding. Planning and zoning chair John Walters said since it would be a business, the planning and zoning board would have to approve a site plan before construction could begin. The board could also request the business to have more buffers than required.

Residents also expressed concern about a mobile home currently located there and non-conforming uses of the home.

Resident Franklin McKaig told property owners they would be better off zoning the parcel professional because mobile homes wouldnt be allowed there.