Zoning request tabled
♦ A chicken farmer’s request was tabled until February by the Gordon County Board of Commissioners.
The Gordon County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday evening to table a rezoning request from Thong To regarding about 64.6 acres of property on North Goat Road in Resaca until February, much to the displeasure of dozens of people who attended the meeting to speak against the request.
County Administrator Jim Ledbetter explained after the meeting that To, who already operates eight dry litter poultry houses on the property to the north, wants to build an additional six chicken houses at 335 N. Goat Road. About a dozen people had signed up to speak in opposition to the request and a dozen others were present to lend their support to that opposition.
The county’s Planning Commission had already recommended a denial after 18 Resaca area residents spoke at their meeting, citing concerns about traffic impact, increased noise, odor, flies, pollution, harm to property values, airborne toxins and more.
To said during the commission meeting Tuesday that he wanted additional time to put together a more thorough presentation about this plans. The request is to change the property for the A-1 designation to conditional use. The new hearing was scheduled for Feb. 25.
People attending the meeting to oppose the request made their displeasure with the decision to table the issue known, with multiple individuals speaking directly to the commissioners during the meeting despite the public hearing having been closed.
Ledbetter explained to the crowd that it is standard procedure to grant a such a request when an applicant asks for more time, but he emphasized that the commission typically allows that opportunity only once per application.
“When they get continued, someone’s going to be happy and some people are going to be upset,” he acknowledged.
In other business, commissioners:
♦ Approved two rezoning requests for individuals planning to build homes.
♦ Declared as surplus and approved release to the state of old voting equipment. The county received newer machines from the state recently.
♦ Approved a statewide mutual aid and assistance agreement that includes the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Homeland Security and the local cities.
♦ Reappointed Nancy Nichols to the Gordon County Hospital Authority for a threeyear term and approved the appointment of Ed Moyer to fill an unfinished term.
♦ Approved a health care services agreement with AdventHealth Gordon that allows the hospital to continue to provide indigent care locally.
♦ Declared as surplus three Trane rooftop units 15 firearms from the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office and miscellaneous equipment from the information technology department.
♦ Approved a budget amendment and approved a bid award for a low boy trailer for use at the county’s chert pit.
♦ Approved a budget amendment to fund a Sonoraville pavilion so that it can be built at the same time as a splash pad. Both projects are funded by the Special Purpose, Local Option Sales Tax, however, the money for the pavilion has not been collected yet. The amendment allows the county to borrow funds from its own landfill funds and then repay those dollars as the SPLOST money comes in.
♦ Approved a malt beverage and wine license application for Martin’s Corner. The request comes after the store hired a new manager.
♦ Approved 2020 general primary election qualifying fees.
♦ Approved a list of alcohol license renewals for area businesses.
♦ Appointed Jesse Vaughn to the Floyd-Gordon Joint Development Board to fill an unexpired term.