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Residents of Tuckers Crossing held a protest in the form of a tractor parade in June during a planning commission meeting and circulated a petition with more than 100 signatures asking for commissioners to deny the amendment. The planning commission did not recommend the amendment, and Hillwood appealed that decision, which brought it to Monday鈥檚 commission meeting.

Critics of the development repeatedly mentioned the fear of losing the agricultural identity of eastern Wilson County. People in favor said growth in the county is inevitable.

More than 50 individuals spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, many of whom wore T-shirts with 鈥淣o industrial park鈥� printed on them. Some outbursts from the crowd had to be addressed by County Mayor Randall Hutto, including asking people to hold their applause after some people spoke. 鈥淚 appreciate your commitment tonight, your commitment to our community,鈥� said Jeff Cherry, an attorney for Lowery, Lowery & Cherry in Lebanon, who lives in the Tuckers Crossroads area.

鈥淏y serving in the roles that you serve, you are to be commended for listening to the voice and being the voice of your constituents. I鈥檝e been incredibly impressed throughout this process with the character and the community of Tuckers Crossroads. The legacy that they share of family farming and friendships and that I have come to know has been, in my eyes, idyllic.

鈥淭he current land use plan meshes into the fabric of the character of this community,鈥� he continued. 鈥淭he proposed plan before you does not mesh with the fabric of the character of this community. When this matter came before the planning commission, it was denied and rightfully so because it does not fit the current land use plan.鈥�

One aspect of the land use plan change was that Hillwood would have added seven miles of water line extensions, which the company said would bring drinking water to residents in the area without city water access.

鈥淎ccess to clean, healthy, reliable drinking water that if not for private development won鈥檛 happen out here,鈥� said Paul Reinke with Hillwood.

Watertown resident Wiley Harris described his experiences walking down some of the roads in the land Hillwood planned to develop.

鈥淚 walk down Bobo Lane almost daily with my senior dog,鈥� he said. 鈥淔irst time I walked down it, I thought I was walking through Middle Earth, particularly the shire,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淎nd now Hillwood and Ross Perot Jr. want to make the Shire into Mordor, where shadows lie. This isn鈥檛 about opposing prosperity, it鈥檚 about ensuring that a billionaire鈥檚 success doesn鈥檛 come at the expense of our community.

鈥淚鈥檝e learned a lot listening here tonight about people not having water,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think you guys should just give them water with tax dollars. I think it鈥檚 ironic people in Watertown don鈥檛 have water.鈥�

Rep. Stratton Bone also addressed the commission, noting that he was on the County Commission in 1974 when there was a vote on buying 104 acres of land on the east side of Lebanon which became the James E. Ward Agricultural Center. Bone drew parallels between Monday night鈥檚 vote and the one 50 years ago.

鈥淭his responsibility you have to make hard decisions for what鈥檚 best in your county has never changed,鈥� Bone said. 鈥淭he decision, despite the opposition, has proven to be the right thing to do.鈥�

After hearing the public comments, commissioners had discussion before the vote.

鈥淚鈥檓 still going to go with the people with the water and the road deal. I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 right, but I鈥檓 going to vote with Hillwood,鈥� Terry Scruggs, District Seven Commissioner, said.

Accidentally pressing the button to enter the queue to speak, Jeremy Rich, District 23 Commissioner, said, 鈥淚鈥檝e listened to the people behind us and they obviously do not want this in their community, and I鈥檝e got a feeling that if we go forward with this we鈥檙e basically putting a 鈥榝or sale鈥� sign on Wilson County, so I鈥檓 voting 鈥榥o.鈥� 鈥�

Another round of applause from the crowd was addressed by Mayor Hutto.

The entire discussion and vote lasted nearly three hours. Residents who could not make it to the meeting watched the broadcast stream on the county鈥檚 YouTube and Facebook pages, many of whom criticized the commissioners voting on the side of Hillwood.