5/11/2015 BOC Special Session Minutes
GORDON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
MAY 11, 2015
The Gordon County Board of Commissioners held a Special Meeting May 11, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Gordon County Agriculture Center for the purpose of amending the temporary 60-Day Moratorium on new and expanding poultry operations.
Chairman Hood called the meeting to order.
County Attorney Ledbetter explained that some people were in a tough situation because of already having made investments and started their paperwork toward applying for a permit on new or expanding poultry operations. Requests were made to make an exception for those people and lift the moratorium to give those people a chance to finish their paperwork and application and to go ahead and apply for their permit. Attorney Ledbetter advised that after discussion with everyone, the Board would like to lift the moratorium temporarily from Tuesday May 12 at 8:00 a.m. through Tuesday May 19, at 5:00 p.m. Any variance concerning poultry operations approved in the past few months is still valid.
County Attorney Ledbetter read the wording for the motion to accomplish this temporary lifting of the moratorium.
Applications for poultry houses during the temporary emergency moratorium adopted by the Gordon County Board of Commissioners on the 5th day of May, 2015 will only be accepted by the Gordon County Building, Planning and Development department between 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Tuesday, May 11, 2015 through Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 5:00 pm. All application must be complete. Incomplete submittals will not be accepted. If it is determined during application review that required information is missing or incomplete the application will be rejected and returned to the applicant.
The following documents shall be submitted:
– A fully completed building permit application(s)
– A copy of your recorded deed and plat
– A copy of your Notice of Intent (N.O.I.) from EPD, a copy of the certified mail, return receipt dated prior to May 6, 2015
– A copy of an Environmental Health Department certificate indicating a septic permit is not required and the structures will not interfere with an existing system
Gordon County will not accept applications for zoning changes or approvals, land disturbance permits nor issue any decisions for any such applications for new commercial poultry operations or the expansion of existing commercial poultry operations prior to release of the moratorium by the Gordon County Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner Cunningham made the motion as read by County Attorney Ledbetter. Commissioner Sexton seconded the motion and Commissioners Cunningham, Sexton, Steward, and Gazaway voted aye. Motion passed.
Commissioner Gazaway made a motion to go into the public hearing for citizen comments regarding amendments to the Unified Land Development Code section concerning construction of poultry houses. Commissioner Sexton seconded the motion and all voted aye.
Mr. Steve Fain and Mr. Chad Castoe both spoke to the Board and advised that the amendment to the moratorium will take care of their problems concernign the moratorium and they felt that their property would be adequate to meet any setback changes the Board might make to the ULDC.
Mr. John Holbert and Mr. Buddy Lowe both spoke and said the amendment to the moratorium took care of their problems also.
Mr. Mark Owens spoke to the Board and he advised that he is a poultry house builder and that changes to the rules, plus the moratorium will be detrimental to his business.
Mr. Robert Groynn spoke to the Board and he was concerned about poultry houses being built too close to residential developments.
Mr. Thomas Stevens was in favor of requiring poultry house developers to have more space and more room between them and neighborhoods. Has problems now himself with smell and flies.
Millicent Douglas wants more space between houses and poultry farms; also felt they hurt property values.
Shea Walraven complained that she was selling some land and now the moratorium may have an adverse effect on her closing that is scheduled next week.
Mike Giles is President of Georgia Poultry Federation and is offering help to the Board to amend their ULDC.
Abe Allen will be affected if Board changes setbacks, too restrictive, he went to another county.
Scott Bone advised that setbacks will make it where no one can afford to purchase land because they will require so much more land.
Ivan Ngo was not in favor of stricter rules.
Hugh Greeson said he’s look at other counties to build in because it’s getting harder and harder to build, farmers feed us all, government is too involved.
Quang Nguyen has some houses now and wants to expand but no land available to meet stricter rules.
County Attorney Ledbetter advised the Board that this concluded the public hearing and that there were no more citizens signed to speak at the public hearing.
Commissioner Cunningham made a motion to adjourn the meeting and Commissioner Sexton seconded the motion. All voted aye. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
