The Forsyth County commission voted 5-0 on Thursday to approve a preliminary plan for the proposed Poole's Mill Elementary School that is scheduled to open 2012.

Forsyth County Schools spokeswoman Jennifer Caracciolo said the district does not have funding to build the school at this time, though it bought the land several years ago.

Getting approval of the sketch plat, or blueprint, was a necessary step in the eventual construction of the 130,000-square-foot school on the north side of Heardsville Road.

It was originally billed as a middle school site, Caracciolo said. Citing a shift in population, officials later determined it "would be a better fit for an elementary school to relieve some overcrowding."

Relief could come for Sawnee and Matt elementary schools in the northwestern part of the county.

According to a Feb. 19 letter to the county from schools facilities planning director Tim Amerson, Sawnee Elementary is "over capacity with 1,550 students projected to attend next year utilizing 12 portable classrooms."

The letter also said Matt Elementary reached capacity of 1,100 students, but was "granted relief next year from adding portable classrooms ... this is a temporary measure based on the current economic situation affecting school system budgets."

In other developments Thursday night, the commission voted to approve the following:

• Rezoning about 2 acres on Canton Highway from residential to commercial business district and granting Celestino Martinez a conditional use permit to store stone and brick materials on the site.

• Sewer variance for Walt Gowen's Gilbert Road property. Commissioners Charles Laughinghouse and Jim Harrell opposed the measure, which is for on-site sewage disposal instead of public sewer with a distance variance of 5,000 feet.

• County-initiated zoning condition amendment on Shiloh Road property owned by Cowart Mulch Products. Measure requires owner to install an 8-inch water line around the premises for dust suppression.

Note: Votes were 5-0 unless otherwise noted.