HOLLY SPRINGS — No one came forward Monday to speak out against a proposed shopping center on nine acres, with some of the property in the city and some awaiting annexation.

The Holly Springs City Council held a work session and public hearing about the annexation and rezoning of ten parcels located off Hiram Way.

The parcels, totaling slightly over nine acres, are separated by the interstate and bound by Holly Springs Parkway. They are now zoned as R-40-Single Family Residential, or agriculture properties, and are required to be rezoned as general commercial properties.

All of the parcels will also require a conditional use permit. Additionally, four of the parcels also need to be annexed within the city of Holly Springs.

In addition to the annexation and rezoning of the four parcels, a public hearing was held in regard to a requested total of 10

conditional use permits for a planned shopping center.

No residents chose to speak on the matter.

Upon hearing no public comment, Attorney Benson Chambers spoke on behalf of the applicants. He said the portion of the property already located within the city limits of Holly Springs is zoned commercial.

However, he said the portion requiring annexation is an illegal, unincorporated island.

“Because it’s located within basically city limits of either Holly Springs or Canton all the way around, it makes more sense for it to be in the city limits of Holly Springs simply because it’s separated by anything else by the interstate and also bound on Holly Springs Parkway,” he said.

Some of the properties have been on the market for about seven years, Chambers said.

“And they just have not been … feasible or attractive enough separately,” Chambers said. “We believe if they are combined together it would provide the most for the city.”

He said the area, as evidenced from some of the photos he provided, has been used up until now as a parking lot.

The Holly Springs City Council could consider the request at its Aug. 20 meeting.