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10:00 a.m. Wednesday, January 28, 2016
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia
[Note from the Editor: This is verbatim from the Post Agenda.]
The Pike County Board of Commissioners held its Special Call Meeting on Wednesday, January 28, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. in the Commissioners Meeting Room, Courthouse Annex, at 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon. Chairman Briar Johnson convened the meeting and Commissioners Tim Daniel, Tim Guy, Tommy Powers and James Jenkins attended. County Manager John Hanson, County Attorneys Rob Morton and Tom Morton and County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye were also present. (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
1. CALL TO ORDER................................................................................Chairman Briar Johnson
2. INVOCATION……………………………………………………………………...Ben Maxedon
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE..............................................................Chairman Briar Johnson
4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. 50-14-1 (e) (1))
Motion/second by Commissioner Powers/Commissioner Daniel to approve, motion carried 5-0.
5. BUSINESS
a. Approve/Deny Development Agreement between Pike County and Dollar General at Bottoms Road.
County Manager Hanson addressed the Board stating they are here to go over the Development Agreement. Also the developer requested to be at the meeting via conference call. The developer also provided by email some cost he would like to go over with the Board this morning in relation to the Development Agreement should there be any questions for him. Motion/second by Commissioner Daniel/Commissioner Guy to approve the Board to ask Mr. Hodges questions, motion carried 5-0.
[Note from the Editor: This was a topic of discussion during the Regular Call Meeting on the 26th. Click here to read from that meeting.]
Commissioner Jenkins was under the impression the Board was going to have input on the Development Agreement, but the first they saw it was Tuesday evening at their meeting on January 26, 2016. Commissioner Jenkins stated there has been discussion about the signage in which the County Attorney has explained that, but asked why couldn’t there be brick on all four sides of this Dollar General as there is with the one in Williamson. Mr. Hodges explained they had budgeted this building by the Pike County Code and because of the requested changes in the material for the building, signage and landscaping it was not in the budget to brick all four sides. Commissioner Jenkins stated his concern is they were not included in the planning on this, plus this is going to be a good location for this store and will be very profitable. Commissioner Jenkins noted that whatever the cost is will be between Teramore Development and Dollar General, it is the Boards responsibility to look after the county and how it looks here. Mr. Hodges stated the profitability of the store has nothing to do with Teramore, they get paid by the building. Mr. Hodges said it is not because they do not want to brick all sides; the money is just not in the budget and they have done their very best to give them an attractive building.
Chairman Johnson wanted clarification about the height of the sign. Mr. Hodges said they are not opposed to a monument sign, but it will be up to Dollar General to approve the style of the sign. County Attorney Rob Morton suggested to Mr. Hodges to emphasize to Dollar General there is a monument sign at the Williamson location. David Allen, Director of Planning and Zoning, commented there may also be a problem of a monument sign with GDOT due to the sight triangle at the subject location. County Manager Hanson confirmed the fourteen foot sign is in the agreement and has been approved by Dollar General, but Teramore will make a good faith effort to talk with Dollar General about agreeing to the monument sign.
Commissioner Jenkins asked if Pike Propane, which adjoins the property Dollar General will be built, sells their property and the land is cleared will you be able to see the artisan side of the building coming from the west on Hwy 18? Mr. Hodges confirmed that you would be able to see the artisan side coming from the west. County Attorney Rob Morton stated there was discussion of additional Leland Cypress trees behind Dollar General and Pike Propane. Mr. Hodges said that could be done or a privacy fence. Commissioner Jenkins asked if it would be possible to brick the east side of the wall; Mr. Hodges said unfortunately it was not in the budget.
Motion/second by Commissioner Guy/Commissioner Daniel to approve with added conditions to place Leland Cypress trees down the east side and add the language regarding the monument sign, motion carried 4-1 with Commissioner Jenkins opposing due to the grounds of this was not the agreement we had on October 27, 2015.
6. ADJOURNMENT
Motion/second by Commissioner
An email from Director of Operations Tom Hodges to County Manager John Hanson sent on the 28th prior to this meeting listed the additional costs on the project and reads as follows:
Before our call this morning [conference call with the Board of Commissioners] I wanted to give you an itemized list of the additional costs associated with the upgrades we have agreed to that exceed what we budgeted for (our budget having been based on what Pike County Code allows).
· Overlay of Bottoms Road- Approximately 140’ of overlay estimated cost $55,000 - $60,000
· Upgrade from Standard R Panel to Artisan/Architectural Panels on the north and east side of building- $10,000 - $12,000
· Façade upgrade along Bottoms Road plus additional cost of upgrade to Brick from Split Face Block on front of building- $27,000
· Additional Landscaping- $5,000 - $10,000.
· Vinyl Coated Fence around Pond Area. Approx 280 linear feet- $5,000 - $7,000
We budgeted for this project based on Pike County Code, and we were actually forced to strip even that to bare bones in order to make the numbers work to get the project approved by DG. At this point, we have already agreed to an additional $102,000 - $116,000 in upgrades above what was budgeted for.
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