GORDON COUNTY
PLANNING and ZONING COMMISSION MEETING
APRIL 10, 2023
The Gordon County Planning Commission held a Public Hearing on Monday, April 10, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Gordon County Administration Building for the purpose of hearing variance and zoning change requests.
Members present were: Randy Rule, Jerry Lovelace, Sabrina Poole, Tommy Hibberts, and Ken Dinning
Chairman Randy Rule called the meeting to order and advised all present of the sign-up sheets available for those who wish to address the Planning Commission on any of the zoning or variance change applications.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A motion was made by Jerry Lovelace to approve the minutes of the previous meeting of March 13, 2023. Tommy Hibberts seconded the motion. All voted aye. The minutes were approved as written.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z23-05, JENNA CAIN (appl) ROBERT STANLEY (owner)
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z23-05, Jenna Cain (applicant) and Robert Stanley (owner), requesting to rezone 5 acres located at 2717 Chatsworth Hwy. 225, Calhoun from A-1 to Conditional-Use. Ms. Cain represented the request stating she would like to turn the current church building and property into an event and wedding venue. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Tommy Hibberts made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z23-05 from A-1 to Conditional-Use. Ken Dinning seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z23-08, DEVIN OESTERLE (appl), SPRINGBANK, LLC (owner)
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z23-08, Devin Oesterle (appl) and Springbank, LLC (owner), requesting to rezone 70.01 acres located at the opposite side from the corner of Guess Road and Jim Tom Road, Ranger from A-1 to Conditional-Use. Mr. Oesterle represented the request explaining that he would like to construct 8 – 55 foot X 600 foot poultry houses. Area property owners and other concerned citizens went on record to oppose this rezoning request.
There were four disclosure reports submitted and those speaking in opposition were: Rucker McDonald, Carol Caywood, Chad Guess, Crystal Guess Alday, Jason Cronon, and David Penley. The concerns were: the number of poultry houses already in the area, smell and the basic nuisances associated with poultry farming, property values, respiratory illnesses, the bridge and roads will not support all the additional truck traffic to the poultry houses, and safety. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Mr. Oesterle spoke to the concerns that had been mentioned, stating that the trucks will not be using the route of the wooden bridge to access the farm, which he follows all EPD requirements, that mismanagement is why the smell would be an issue, and he doesn’t know that poultry farms contribute to respiratory illnesses.
Jerry Lovelace made the motion to deny the rezoning application identified as #Z23-08 from A-1 to Conditional-Use. The motion dies from the lack of a second. Ken Dinning made the motion to approve the rezoning application. Sabrina Poole seconded the motion. Tommy Hibberts voted with the motion. Jerry Lovelace voted against the motion. The vote was 3-1 to approve. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z23-09, JENNIFER B. KING
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z23-09, Jennifer B. King, requesting to rezone a 0.61 acre tract located at 198 Peters Street, Calhoun from A-1 to C-G. Ms. King represented the request stating that they would like to remodel building into a convenience store. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Jerry Lovelace made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z23-09 from A-1 to C-G. Ken Dinning seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z23-10, LITTLE RIVER PROPERTIES, INC. (Andrew Barrett)
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z23-10, Little River Properties, Inc. (Andrew Barrett), requesting to rezone a 3.55 acre tract located at 305 Windy Hill Lane, Fairmount from A-1 to R-6. Mr. Barrett represented the request stating that he would like to subdivide the property into two tracts, one with an existing mobile home, and place another new mobile home on the other tract. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Tommy Hibberts made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z23-10 from A-1 to R-6. Sabrina Poole seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
VARIANCE APPLICATION #V23-02, STEPHEN NIX
Chairman Rule read variance application #V23-02, Stephen Nix, requesting a variance on a 12 acre tract located on Liberty Road, Calhoun. Mr. Nix represented the request explaining that he would like to subdivide the tract into 2 parcels and sell 5 acres in the back for a new home site and use only a 25 foot easement as access to the site. This would leave the front 7 acres as a future home site for himself. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Sabrina Poole made the motion to approve the variance application identified as #V23-02 and grant the variance to use a 25 foot easement road to the back 5 acres of the original 12 acre tract. Jerry Lovelace seconded the motion. All voted aye. The variance was granted. The thirty (30) day appeal period was explained.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z23-12, MIKE LOY, PRECISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (appl), GOLDEN SUN MEDICAL TRAINING CENTER, LLC (owner) & REPRESENTATIVE DAVID STUART, GASKINS-LECRAW
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z23-12, Mike Loy, Precision Technologies, Inc. (appl), Golden Sun Medical Training Center, LLC (owner) and the representative is David Stuart with Gaskins-LeCraw, requesting to rezone 65.56 acres located at 1083 Miller Ferry Road, Adairsville from A-1 to R-1. Mr. Stuart represented the request stating they would like to develop this property into a residential subdivision with 73 lots. The homes would be 1800-2000 square feet on about ¾ of an acre lots. Area property owners and other concerned citizens went on record to oppose this rezoning request. There was a discloser report submitted by Kristen Allen as well as a letter from Ms. Allen opposing the rezoning and those speaking in opposition were: Timothy Zufelt and Amber Nagle. The concerns were: water runoff, increased traffic on the narrow roads, and the low water pressure that already exists. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Mr. Stuart spoke to the concerns that had been mentioned, stating that the drainage issue would be addressed by storm water management and that this property does follow the master zoning plan for residential housing.
Jerry Lovelace made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z23-12 from A-1 to R-1. Tommy Hibberts seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
OLD BUSINESS
Chairman Rule stated that since it was getting late he would like to wait till next meeting to discuss section 5.02.02 (B) RV’s and Trailers. Sabrina Poole made the motion to table the discussion until the May 8, 2023 meeting. Ken Dinning seconded the motion. All voted aye. The old business will be discussed at the May 8, 2023 meeting.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
There being no additional business, Jerry Lovelace made the motion to adjourn. Tommy Hibberts seconded the motion. All voted aye. The meeting was adjourned at 7:34 p.m.