The Augusta Board of Supervisors has passed the zoning for the Marketplace off Interstate 81.

Rolling hills or booming business was the question for the board Wednesday night.

"I want to live in Augusta County, not Augusta City," says Melissa Cline, a college student who resides in the area.

The 135-acre plot could soon be turned into a marketplace, which officials say would provide 5,000 jobs for Augusta County.

Jean Fraser knows the dilemma well. She lives in the historic house that sits on the property.

She says, "I think it would be good for Staunton. I mean I think Augusta County and Staunton could use the jobs."

However, the choice between business and history is a difficult one.

"It will be tough to give it up because everything will change," says Fraser. "It will go from this type of scenery to a million square foot mall.

The board of supervisors also heard some of those torn feelings at the meeting.

Greg McGee, the general manager for the Staunton Golf Course, says, "I think that is a significant number of jobs in Augusta County that can go to many of our citizens and especially our young people."

Deborah Cheezum, a resident of Verona who also attended the meeting, says, "I moved here because of its beauty, because of its farm land, because it stood out as just this diamond and you just couldn't make it dull. But now we are going to make it dull."

Supervisor Larry Howdyshell summed up the feelings of the board.

He says, "That the development just seemed like the right place in the right time, especially with all the jobs it will create for residents."