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Tuesday, October 18, 2016 – 10:00 a.m.
Courthouse Annex, 79 Jackson Street, Zebulon, Georgia
All commissioners present with the exception of Commissioner Jenkins. Also present are County Clerk Jo Ann Wrye, County Manager (CM) John Hanson, and County Attorney Rob Morton.
The room was only about half full to hear the decision of the Board on Supreme Corporation. Click here to read the public hearing comments from the regular called meeting on October 12, 2016. There were only three commissioners at the past meeting, and the Board as a whole wanted to make a decision with as many commissioners as possible.
1. CALL TO ORDER .................................................................................... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
2. INVOCATION………………………………………………………………………….Frank Winfrey
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ................................................................... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. § 50-14-1 (e) (1))
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
a. Minutes of the September 14, 2016 Regular Monthly Meeting.
b. Minutes of the October 12, 2016 Regular Monthly Meeting.
6. INVITED GUESTS
a. Employees to be recognized for their service to Pike County.
Rose Marie Fields – 5 years
Michael Kuprian – 5 years
Sandi Chamblin – 10 years
Rose Marie Fields is a 5 year employee. CM Hanson said that she worked in the banking world with the county manager many years ago. She is dedicated and a hard worker. Tax Commissioner Donna Chapman said that she has been a blessing to them for five years. She has always been dedicated and does a good job.
Michael Kuprian is a 5 year employee. These are the hidden heroes that you don’t ever see, Sheriff Thomas said. We don’t always realize what they are going through as they call the appropriate people to handle the calls that come into 911. It takes a special person to do this. It’s a calling. Mike has been here in the fire service side as well as 911. He thanked Mike for his service.
Sandi Chamblin is a 10 year employee. She is our Voter Registrar here in Pike County. CM Hanson said that she does a thorough job and that she takes her job seriously and does things well. She is always helpful and is very concerned about voters. Sandi said that this job has been a blessing, an honor, and a privilege to her.
7. REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS, DEPARTMENTS, COMMITTEES, AUTHORITIES
a. Monthly Reports submitted from County Departments and County Authorities, including a Revenue/Expenditure Statement for all departments and a summary check register.
b. County Manager Report
Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ............................................................................................ $1,133,639.11
Fire Dept. Donations ........................................................................................ $4,594.54
BOC – Jury Account………………………………………………………………$0.00
Cash Reserve Account ..................................................................................... $3,646.55
Pike County CD Special Revenue funds………………………………......$500,000.00
Jail Fund ........................................................................................................ $14,733.82
E-911 Fund .................................................................................................... $34,965.95
DATE Fund ................................................................................................... $40,847.02
Juvenile Court Fund ....................................................................................... $13,817.63
Residential Impact Fee ................................................................................ $331,969.92
Commercial Impact Fees ............................................................................... $19,359.40
C.A.I.P FUND ................................................................................................. $4,008.92
General Obligation SPLOST Tax Bond Sinking Fund, 2011 ........................ $59,356.94
L.M.I. Grant (DOT) ..................................................................................... $358,684.57
c. County Manager Comment
Last week was tragic for CW Matthews. They had a death as they were working on our last SPLOST road. They will let us know when they begin again.
Our collections for July and August have exceeded what we conservatively figured in our estimations. We are $4,821 higher than last year in the same month with almost a 4% increase in SPLOST revenue overall. This will be good for the counties and cities. We are 2 months into a 6 year SPLOST. Please keep shopping in Pike County so we can keep putting tax dollars to work.
A decision has been made on the Hwy 109 East bridge that was rebuilt last year. DOT made a permanent fix but they decided to look at a long-range fix there. The DOT advised that the bridge is not eligible for that particular program, but they are going to look at federal programs to pay for this. They will keep us up to date on the replacement process.
Jo Ann Wrye was honored for finishing her training to be a certified clerk. She was praised by commissioners and said that she loves what she does and appreciates working for Pike County.
[Note from the Editor: Also included in the County Manager's Report that was given to the commissioners on paper but not read aloud was a follow upon the UGA Easement. Documents have been received for right of way easement on Blanton Mill Road for the culvert that extends onto the UGA Bledsoe Farm for drainage. The County Attorneys are reviewing and executing these documents.]
d. Commissioner Reports
Commissioner Tim Daniel thanked Commissioner Guy for filling in last week. He commended the school board and Dr. Duncan for a job well done on the new football stadium.
Chairman Johnson also thanked Commissioner Guy for filling in last week and asked that we keep the CW Matthews employee’s family in prayer.
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners.
Rob said they (he and his Dad) are thankful for Jo Ann Wrye and her work through the transitions of a couple of county managers and her work for their office too.
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Discuss/Approve/Deny - SUB16-03 - Per County Code Section 155.02 (BB)(3), Richard Watkins, property owner, and Matthew and Taylor Atkinson, applicants, are requesting preliminary plat approval for a 3-acre lot off a 41.36 acre parent tract on Ga. Hwy. 109 West. The parent tract is zoned A-R (Agricultural-Residential), with approximately 1120 feet of frontage along the northern side of Ga. Hwy. 109 West. The property is located in Land Lot 6 of the 9th Land District of Pike County, Georgia. Parent tract is further identified as Tax Map Parcel Number 071 003A.
No changes and no opposition at the public hearing. Motion to approve. Guy, Daniel. Approved 4-0.
b. Discuss/Approve/Deny - REZ-16-07 – First Bank of Pike, property owner, and Jason Brisendine of First Bank of Pike, applicant, are requesting a re-zoning of the subject property from A-R (Agricultural-Residential) to R-11 (Single Family Residential) in order to divide the subject property into two 2-acre lots. The subject property, located on Roberts Quarters Road, has approximately 496 feet of frontage along the northern side of Robert Quarters Road. The property is located in Land Lot 117 of the 9th District of Pike County, Georgia. The subject property currently consists of 4.23 total acres and is further identified as Tax Map Parcel #043 051B.
No changes and no opposition at the public hearing. Motion to approve. Daniel, Powers. Approved 4-0.
c. Discuss/Approve/Deny - Acceptance of Environmental Report for ERC-16-01 - Sammie C. Story, property owner, and Supreme Corporation applicant, are requesting a re-zoning of the subject property from A-R (Agricultural-Residential) to M-2B (Manufacturing - Heavy) in order to expand an existing industrial business (Supreme Corp.). The subject property, located off of Liberty Road, has approximately 690 feet of frontage along the western side of Liberty Road and approximately 122 feet of potential access off of the eastern side of Shackelford Road. The property is located in Land Lot 234 of the 2nd District of Pike County, Georgia. The subject property currently consists of 38.87 total acres and is further identified as Tax Map Parcel #087 030A.
This is strictly for the environmental report. The Environmental Review Board held their meeting on October 4, 2016. Click here to read the Report from Planning and Development on this property. Discussion includes items like whether there will be excess noise, water supply protection, how the grass will be cut and not killed with weed killer, etc. "The area cleared would not be paved, being a mixture of grass and gravel. The chassis would still be produced at the existing facility north of the subject property and not actually on the subject property."
Here is a list of restrictions from the Environmental Review Board:
1. Appropriate buffers around any verified streams and wetlands and the perimeter of the property.
2. Extending the specified buffer width around the church property.
3. Find any further documentation of graves off of the church property – historical society information, plats, deeds, maps and/or possible archaeological study.
4. Maintain safeguards for water quality.
County Attorney Rob Morton said that this is simply on whether or not receive this report. Motion to approve the acceptance of the report. Guy, Powers. Approved 4-0.
d. Discuss/Approve/Deny - REZ-16-06 – Sammie C. Story, property owner, and Supreme Corporation applicant, are requesting a re-zoning of the subject property from A-R (Agricultural-Residential) to M-2B (Manufacturing - Heavy) in order to expand an existing industrial business (Supreme Corp.). The subject property, located off of Liberty Road, has approximately 690 feet of frontage along the western side of Liberty Road and approximately 122 feet of potential access off of the eastern side of Shackelford Road. The property is located in Land Lot 234 of the 2nd District of Pike County, Georgia. The subject property currently consists of 38.87 total acres and is further identified as Tax Map Parcel #087 030A.
Staff Recommendation: Approval, with the following conditions: (from the past meeting)
1. Access for Supreme Corporation to the subject property via Liberty Road shall be prohibited.
2. Access for Supreme Corporation to Shackelford Road via the subject property shall be prohibited.
3. There shall be a 100 foot wide undisturbed buffer along the eastern, western, and southern property lines, and along the shared boundary with Pine Grove Church at the northeast corner of the subject property. This buffer shall also extend around the entire shore of the pond and the banks of the stream on the property.
4. Locations of any wetlands on the subject property will need to be verified, and there shall be a minimum 25 foot undisturbed buffer along the edges of the wetlands.
5. Land disturbance over one acre in size shall require a full submittal to the Towaliga Soil and Water Conservation District for their review and approval. The locations of wetlands and bodies of water shall be shown on these plans.
6. Per Section 156.261, an Environmental Review Board meeting shall be convened on this case prior to final approval.
7. If the rezoning is approved, any future development beyond the scope of this rezoning proposal shall require another Environmental Review Board meeting.
David Allen gave clarifications from the meeting last week. Click here to read this document or you can read the list of clarifications pulled from the Post Agenda here:
1. Would like to change the natural buffer along Liberty Road from 25 feet wide to 50 feet
wide.
2. Clarify that the perimeter fence that Supreme wants to install shall not involve clear
cutting the natural buffers. The amount of disturbance shall be kept to an absolute
minimum.
3. Condition #7 should be clarified, to insert “Board of Commissioners” along with the
Planning Commission and Environmental Review Committee.
4. If Supreme deeds a portion of property to Pine Grove Church to act as a natural buffer
along the church property lines, they do not want an additional buffer offset from the
property that they give the Church.
5. A citizen brought up the alternative of just granting a variance in the existing A-R zoning
for this request, since it just involves the parking of chassis. This would not really change
anything because the very items and clearing that other citizens are objecting to would
still be out there with an approved variance. Also, condition #7 already guarantees that
the whole issue would have to be brought before the Planning Commission, Environmental
Review Board, and the Board of Commissioners if buildings and other more intense uses
are proposed for the property. This alternative would not really change anything.
Supreme is zoned M-2B and any expansion of Supreme needs to be zoned M-2B. There
are other uses in industrial zoning which just involve the parking of vehicles, such as
logging companies (Section 156.233), motor freight depot (Section 156.248), and truck
terminals (Section 156.263).
Chairman Johnson asked if the church is given the property that has been discussed, do we still have the 30 foot buffer that is required? Answer: This would be a building setback and not a buffer. Johnson then asked about putting the amount of given land to be written to ensure the 100 foot buffer. County Attorney Rob Morton said that commissioners can identify the 100 foot buffer now to ensure that this is done appropriately.
Commissioner Daniel said that Commissioner Powers has studied this but he still had a few questions. Someone mentioned a retention pond and who would be in charge of requiring something like that. Answer: This would be up to the Towaliga District and not the county. They would require the study and anything with it.
Chairman Johnson asked if the 100 foot buffer would cover the graves that may or may not be close to the church. Answer: It probably would but we don’t know for sure.
Commissioner Powers asked about the burial sites. Who takes care of graves if they are found beyond the buffer? Answer: This would be upon the owner of the property and the county has regulations that regulate this. He asked about an oil spill in the parking area and whether there is water close enough that would be affected? Are there creeks as well as the pond? Answer: Yes, there is one. Wasp Creek. He also said that he had several items to ask about that have already been taken care of except one. He said that he doesn’t feel that 25 or 50 feet is a big enough buffer on Liberty Road. If we have to expand that road later on down the road, he wants to extend that to 75 feet. He then said that he feels that the people have asked the questions and Supreme has done their work too. He wanted to extend the buffer along Liberty Road to 75 feet.
#3 would change to 75 foot buffer. #7 would change to say that it requires Planning Board, Environmental Review Board and County Commission permission.
Commissioner Powers made a motion to accept with the conditions. Commissioner Guy gave a second for discussion.
County Attorney asked about the current right of way. David said that it’s probably 30 or 40 feet. Rob wanted to be sure that it was not an 80 foot requirement. The intent of the 75 foot buffer is to cover extension up to a 60 foot right of way on Liberty Road. Clarification to add to #5 and add “and follow any of their recommendations” (the Towaliga Soil and Water Review) so there will be no questions or ambiguity later on down the road. #7 is considered a zoning action so that any modifications will come back to the Board of Commissioners for any further action. This is how it will remain until the Board takes further action.
#3 has intent for a 100 foot buffer though if there is an exchange of property they want to be sure that it's not 100 foot on top of the exchange of property. We need to change language to show that the 100 foot buffer needs to be identified now and said that another 100 foot will not be required on this. The Board of Appeals will have to be brought in if there are changes on this. CM Hanson also said that there is ground penetrating radar that can identify where any graves are with the services of a local person who has done this for other cities, etc. in our area.
Vote was then taken. Approved 4-0.
Here is the list of conditions taken from the Post Agenda:
1. Access for Supreme Corporation to the subject property via Liberty Road shall be
prohibited.
2. Access for Supreme Corporation to Shackelford Road via the subject property
shall be prohibited.
3. There shall be a 100 foot wide natural buffer along the western and southern
property lines, and along the shared boundary with Pine Grove Church at the
northeast corner of the subject property. This buffer shall also extend around the
entire shore of the pond and the banks of the stream on the property. There shall
be a 25 foot wide natural buffer along the entire property frontage adjacent to
Liberty Road up to the 100 foot Pine Grove Church buffer.
4. Locations of any wetlands on the subject property will need to be verified, and
there shall be a minimum 25 foot undisturbed buffer along the edges of the
wetlands.
5. Land disturbance over one acre in size shall require a full submittal to the
Towaliga Soil and Water Conservation District for their review and approval. The
locations of wetlands and bodies of water shall be shown on these plans.
6. Per Section 156.261, an Environmental Review Board meeting shall be convened on
this case prior to final approval.
7. If the rezoning is approved, any future development beyond the scope of this
rezoning proposal shall require another Planning Commission meeting and
Environmental Review Board meeting.
8. By the time of the Board of Commissioners’ meeting, Pine Grove Church shall
provide documentation of any gravesites on the subject property.
e. Discuss/Approve/Deny - SUP-16-01 – 555 Trust, property owner, and Juanita Morgan, beneficiary for 555 Trust, applicant, are requesting a special use permit in an M-2B zoned district to erect a tent for a short duration religious revival on the subject property. The subject property, located at 2141 U.S. Hwy. 41, has approximately 206 feet of frontage along the western side of U.S. Hwy. 41. The property is located in Land Lot 154 of the 2nd District of Pike County, Georgia. The property consists of 3.31 acres and is further identified as Tax Map Parcel #086 070.
No changes and no opposition from the past meeting. These are the conditions from the past meeting:
1. There shall be no parking on the Highway 41 shoulder, within the Highway 41 right-of-way, or on adjacent properties.
2. The revival shall not exceed the operating times and overall duration specified in the letter of explanation, regardless of weather.
3. Porta-johns shall obtain any necessary Health Department approvals.
Discussion: Short duration was defined. This was described in the presentation. We have had things similar to this in the past. County Attorney Rob Morton said that the intent of the Special Use Permit is for special events that are not annual events. This event will be November 4th through the 20th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Motion to approve with conditions. Guy, Daniel. Approve 4-0.
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consider request from Rita Schneider for a tax refund.
Rob said that there is an application for refund in the package. The Tax Assessor and Tax Commissioner have not expressed an opinion. The structure burned down in January of 2014 but the 2014 taxes reflected the structure before it burned. $745.56 would be refunded for the 2014 year. This has been done before for similar situations.
Motion to allow refund. Daniel, Powers. Approved 4-0.
b. Consider request from Kevin Teate to approve a Recreation Impact Fee project in the amount of $6,024.96 for baseball/softball batting cage improvements, pitching screens for batting cages and portable benches for the football fields.
A number of coaches, parents and Rec Authority members have contacted the County Manager on this. This will expand upon their ability to serve and does meet the criteria. This is a good use of funds for those using this and their Board has asked for this approval.
Motion to approve. Powers, Guy. Approved 4-0.
10. PUBLIC COMMENT- (Limited to 5 minutes per person) None
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - None
12. ADJOURNMENT: 10:54 a.m.
Agenda subject to revision.
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