6/9/2014 Planning & Zoning Commission Minutes
GORDON COUNTY PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
PUBLIC HEARING
JUNE 9, 2014
The Gordon County Planning Commission held a Public Hearing on Monday, June 9, 2014 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:
Brad Rains, Ron Free, Randy Rule, Butch Layson, and Jerry Lovelace
Chairman Rains 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 May 12, 2014. Randy Rule seconded the motion. All voted aye. The minutes were approved as written.
VARIANCE APPLICATION #V14-04 & REZONING APPLICATION #Z14-04, KITTY LEUNG
Chairman Rains read variance application #V14-04 and rezoning application #Z14-04, Kitty Leung, requesting a variance to reduce required county lot size and required buffer strip and the rezoning from A-1 to C-G on .36 acres located at 1331 Hwy. 41 North, Calhoun. Ms. Leung represented the requests explaining that the existing structure was built in 1988, 8 feet from the back property line and 6 feet to the side property line and she has a potential renter that wants to start a small equipment repair shop in this structure so she needs the variance and the rezoning to bring this structure into Gordon County commercial requirements. Ms. Leung had failed to bring the receipts as proof of having notified the adjoining property owners, but stated she would bring them in to the Zoning Administrator, Ursula Desrosier, on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 if that would be acceptable.
Ursula Desrosier, Zoning Administrator for Gordon County, recommended that the variance request identified as Application #V14-04 and rezoning request identified as Application #Z14-04 be approved as requested, to reduce the commercial requirements with existing septic systems, from 1 acre to .36 acres and reduce the required buffer strip and to rezone from A-1 to C-G, with the stipulation that Ms. Leung bring in to her the proof that she had notified the adjoining property owners.
Ron Free made the motion to approve both the variance application identified as #V14-04 as requested and the rezoning application identified as #Z14-04 from A-1 to C-G, with the stipulation that Ms. Leung bring the proof of notifying the adjoining property owners into Ms. Desrosier. Jerry Lovelace seconded the motion. All voted aye. The variance application #V14-04 was granted with the stipulation. The thirty- (30) day appeal period was explained. The recommendation for approval of rezoning application #Z14-04 was sent to the Board of Commissioners with the stipulation. (Note: Ms. Leung did bring in the property owners notifications to Ursula Desrosier, Zoning Administrator.)
REZONING APPLICATION #Z14-05, TAMMY BURCHETT
Chairman Rains read rezoning application #Z14-05, Tammy Burchett, requesting to rezone a 1.156 acre tract located at 3433 Rome Road, Plainville from A-1 to C-G. Ms. Burchett along with her business partner, Jerry Stroup, represented the request stating that she and Mr. Stroup presently owned Opi’s Roadhouse which is located on Highway 53 just inside of Floyd County and they would like to relocate the business to Gordon County and subdivide off from Ms. Burchett’s property to build a 3500 square foot structure for the restaurant with a bar. They addressed the issues of the septic system stating that the study indicated that another .50 acres might be needed to install the septic system for a commercial rezoning, the D.O.T. requirements, parking, lighting, hours of operations, as well as the building that would be constructed. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Ursula Desrosier, Zoning Administrator for Gordon County, recommended that the rezoning request identified as Application #Z14-05 be approved, with the following condition that all state and local regulations shall be complied with, including but not limited to Gordon County appearance standards for structures in commercial zoning districts, landscaping and buffer requirements, and sign requirements.
Randy Rule made the motion to approve the rezoning request identified as Application #Z14-05 from A-1 to C-G with the conditions stated by Ms. Desrosier, Zoning Administrator and the amendment of .50 acres more or less if needed to install the proper septic system. Ron Free seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z14-06, NEIL BISHOP (Applicant: Stephen P. Williams)
Chairman Rains read rezoning application #Z14-06, Neil Bishop (applicant: Stephen P. Williams), requesting to rezone a 2.38 acre tract located at 878 Covington Bridge Road, Fairmount from A-1 to C-H. Stephen Williams represented the request stating that he had started operating a cabinet shop at this location in 1996 but in 2005 when the economy took a dive he only worked from his shop in Summerville, therefore letting the business license lapse. In 2008, Mr. John Arthur started using the shop as a location to work on farm equipment. The property is owned by Mr. Neil Bishop, who has a lease/purchase agreement with Mr. Williams. The Gordon County Ordinance Officer had requested that Mr. Arthur obtain a county business license even though the majority of the repair work is done at other sites when farm equipment needs repaired.
Harry Young, Mac Wright, and Marcus Dyer, all area property owners and farmers, spoke in support for Mr. Arthur to continue his business. They said that the service he provides in this community is very helpful and much needed especially when large farm equipment breaks down out in the field, Mr. Arthur comes to the site. Beth Bishop McGee, daughter of Neil Bishop, and who has Power of Attorney over her father’s business spoke in support as well. John Arthur added that this business had just started small and has grown because of the need for the service he provides. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Ursula Desrosier, Zoning Administrator for Gordon County, stated that the proposed zoning is not consistent with the Future Development Map and this would be considered spot zoning therefore recommended that the rezoning request identified as Application #Z14-06 be denied
Randy Rule commented to how impressed he was with the support from the community for Mr. Arthur to continue to operate. Ron Free commented that in his opinion, this type of a business is a neighborly deed that fortunately Mr. Arthur gets paid for. Randy Rule made the motion to approve the rezoning request identified as Application #Z14-06 from A-1 to C-H with the stipulation that if the current business ceases to be a non-conforming business then the zoning converts back to A-1. Butch Layson seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
There being no additional business, Butch Layson made the motion to adjourn. Randy Rule seconded the motion. All voted aye. The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 p.m.
