9/13/2021 Planning and Zoning Commission Minutes
GORDON COUNTY
PLANNING and ZONING COMMISSION
PUBLIC HEARING
SEPTEMBER 13, 2021
The Gordon County Planning Commission held a Public Hearing on Monday, September 13, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. in Calhoun’s Gem Theater across from the Gordon County Administration Building for the purpose of hearing variance and zoning change requests.
Members present were:
Randy Rule, Eddie Smith, Jerry Lovelace, Nathan Serritt, and Sabrina Poole
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 August 9, 2021. Nathan Serritt seconded the motion. All voted aye. The minutes were approved as written.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z21-23, DARRYL EDWARDS, (owner); DARIN HARDIN (Legal Rep)
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z21-23, Darryl Edwards (owner), Darin Hardin (Legal Rep). Ursula Richardson, Zoning Administrator, presented an email from Mr. Hardin to request to table the application until the October 11, 2021 meeting. Eddie Smith made the motion to table the request until the October 11, 2021 meeting. Nathan Serritt seconded the motion. All voted aye. The application was tabled until the October 11, 2021 meeting.
VARIANCE APPLICATION #V21-15, SON NGUYEN
(Tabled from August 9, 2021)
Chairman Rule read variance application #V21-15, Son Nguyen, requesting a variance on a 4.354 acre tract located at 5160 Nickelsville Road, Resaca. Mr. Nguyen represented the request explaining that he would like to reduce the lot size requirement from 10 acres to 4.354. He is leasing an adjoining 6 acres with the possibility to purchase and he would like to build 3 carport structures to place equipment under for his sawmill. Currently this is an existing wood yard that has been in existence for many years. It was bought by a lumber company in 1953. Scot Martin, an area property owner, spoke to just be clear on the applicant’s plans and was not opposed to the variance request. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Jerry Lovelace made the motion to approve the variance application identified as #V21-15 to allow 3 carport structures on the 4.354 acre tract. Eddie Smith seconded the motion. All voted aye. The variance was granted. The thirty-(30) day appeal period was explained.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z21-21, JAREN JEFFORDS
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z21-21, Jaren Jeffords, requesting to rezone 27.41 acres located on Tucker Hollow Rd., Calhoun from R-2 to A-1. Mr. Jeffords explained that the property had been rezoned for a subdivision which he would like to rezone back to A-1 and use it for his cattle. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Nathan Serritt made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z21-21 from R-2 to A-1. Eddie Smith seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z21-22, QUANG NGUYEN & GIAU VO
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z21-22, Quang Nguyen and Giau VO, requesting to rezone 1.29 acres located on Lindsey Lane, Calhoun from A-1 to R-4. Mr. Nguyen explained that they would like to build a duplex on this site that had been used for a mobile home in the past. He also added that they would annex into the City for sewer connection. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Sabrina Poole made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z21-22 from A-1 to R-4. Jerry Lovelace seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z21-24, JEFF LANGSTON
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z21-24, Jeff Langston, requesting to rezone 2.071 acres located at 749 Brackett Rd., Resaca from A-1 to RA-1. Mr. Langston explained that he is splitting this property off of a larger tract and needs to bring into compliance. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Nathan Serritt made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z21-24 from A-1 to RA-1 with the stipulations that all the Environmental Health requirements are met. Jerry Lovelace seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z21-25, JEFF LANGSTON
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z21-25, Jeff Langston, requesting to rezone 1.817 acres located at 749 Brackett Rd., Resaca from A-1 to R-6. Mr. Langston explained that he is splitting this property with existing mobile home from a larger tract to sale and needs to bring into compliance. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Eddie Smith made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z21-25 from A-1 to R-6 with the stipulations that all the Environmental Health requirements are met. Nathan Serritt seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z21-26, BRIAN TOWERS
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z21-26, Brian Towers, requesting to rezone 1.06 acres located at 958 Cornelison Rd., Rydal from A-1 to R-1. Mr. Towers explained that he is splitting this property with existing home from a larger tract to sale and needs to bring into compliance. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Nathan Serritt made the motion to approve the rezoning application identified as #Z21-26 from A-1 to R-1 with the stipulations that all the Environmental Health requirements are met. Sabrina Poole seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for approval was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
REZONING APPLICATION #Z21-13, TOA QUOC NGUYEN, (applicant); SPRINGBANK, LLC (owner)
(Tabled from August 9, 2021)
Chairman Rule read rezoning application #Z21-13, Toa Quoc Nguyen (appl.), Springbank, LLC (owner), requesting to rezone 577.17 acres located on Evergreen Road, Resaca from A-1 to Conditional Use. Mr. Nguyen’s partner, Joseph Dinh, represented the request explaining that in the original application they applied for to purchase this property in order to build 24 broiler chicken houses to begin with and then as many as will comply with the ULDC regulations but now would like to be approved for 12 chicken houses because that is all Tyson has approved at this time. Steven Woodruff, P.E., was present to answer questions about the environmental impact study. The Planning Commission members had concerns of traffic, ground water, air quality, road liter, etc. Mr. Woodruff stated that the licensed haulers would be responsible for clean-up of any littering on the roadways; the composting would be on site, on a concrete floor and be covered so there would not be any ground water pollution.
Attorney Robert Walker, from Cartersville, and area and adjoining property owners all spoke in opposition to this rezoning request with concerns of increased traffic and road damage from the trucks, odor, flies, decreased property values, water/soil pollution, the toxins that will pollute the river, diminished historical value to the area, and the fact that there is already 87 chicken houses within a 5 mile radius of this site. Those who spoke and were strongly opposed to this application were: C.G. Walden, Nathan Wyatt, David McKnight, Meg Reidy, Rucker McDonald, Al Stone, Lisa Stone, Bernard Burrage, Tony Dinkins, Andy Bailie, Charlotte Swancy, Scot Martin, Gary Corn, Harry Russell, and Jesse Chapman. The audience was asked for those opposed to this request to stand and around 45-50 stood in opposition. Mark Owens, a contractor, spoke in support of this request stating that the traffic would not come from Resaca but from the East and that this was within land requirements for this size operation.
The Planning Commission members asked Mr. Dinh and Mr. Woodruff some questions that the group of people who had spoken in opposition. Mr. Dinh stated that he did not know about the traffic volume, that he would leave trees surrounding the site as a buffer, and that he does not think this operation would decrease area property values. Mr. Woodruff stated that the houses would not be built in the floodplain, that the cemetery would not be impacted, and that the entire operation would be contained and covered. All adjoining property owners had been notified.
Sabrina Poole made the motion to deny the rezoning application identified as #Z21-13 from A-1 to Conditional Use. Nathan Serritt seconded the motion. All voted aye. The recommendation for denial was sent to the Board of Commissioners.
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
There being no additional business, Eddie Smith made the motion to adjourn. Sabrina Poole seconded the motion. All voted aye. The meeting was adjourned at 8:53 p.m.
