Consider buying an advertisement for your business or sending a donation to Pike County Times to support the only free online newspaper in Pike County. Donations can be sent to: The Pike County Times, PO Box 843, Zebulon, Georgia 30295. You can also donate through www.venmo.com/u/pikecountytimes, $pikecountytimes, and PayPal.Me/PikeCountyTimesLLC.

Thanks for supporting Pike County's only free online newspaper!

ZEBULON - Members of the Board of Commissioners and the Planning and Zoning Board met to discuss the ordinances today. It was probably close to 11:30 a.m. when the regular meeting was ended, and everyone was able to get set up and rolling on the discussion of the proposed ordinances.

There was an open, overal discussion at the beginning before commissioners began rolling through the code book in order. This is not the first discussion of the ordinances.

Here is an overview of the changes that Gilbert gave to the commissioners and Planning and Zoning Board members at the August 10, 2023 meeting: http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/proposedordinancesoverview8.10.23.2nd.pdf.

http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/2023proposedordinances8.10.23.html has a copy of the proposed ordinances.

Here is a link to the proposed zoning districts map: pikecountytimes.com/secondary/PikeCharacterAreaMap8.29.23.2nd.pdf.

The 7 to p.m. August 10, 2023 Workshop can be found at: www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOC8.10.23.html.

The 4-6 p.m. August 29, 2023 Workshop can be found at: www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/ordinanceworkshop8.29.23.html.

[Note from the Editor: Thank you to Commissioner James Jenkins for allowing Pike County Times to FB Live from his Hotspot all day. Today would not have happened without his help. (He was NOT looking for publicity on this but just doing the right thing so people could watch this if they could not attend.) There were many people in and out during the day. Some stayed all day. This is a fairly large overview of the meeting today. There are 3 Facebook Live recordings of the meetings where I shut down the feed at each break.]

Workshop #1.https://fb.watch/n2aPPPGnTF/

Workshop #2.https://fb.watch/n2aMCm4Hds/

Workshop #3.https://fb.watch/n2aGyPn6I7/

Discussion of chickens. If not in there, no chickens are allowed so chickens have to be mentioned. If have 5 acres, can have what you want. UGA has a recommendation on space for chickens. Discussion on varying lot sizes. We have zoning districts that allow smaller lots, but there would be additional criteria that requires… R2 needs water and internal streets, etc. We’re already creating a ton of non-conforming lots in AR. There are a ton of 2 acre lots in AR.

What is the harm in that? That lot is legal non-conforming. Then after a period of time, their right to use the property goes away with it. If something is non-conforming, it stays that way until there is a rezoning.

Discussion on AR versus RR. Basically renaming RR to allow smaller lots. We’re not changing anything. This will be available for the future. This will take the subdivisions out of agricultural sections. Concern that turned 1/3 of the county into a place where there can be potentially 1 and 2 acre lots and then potentially 3 acres or more. Gilbert. Admin review. If someone meets the ordinance, you go with the ordinance. It is an admin action. Admin review versus public hearing. None of subdivisions have been an admin action. Put stipulations that we want in RR now to combat having the change things based on past decisions.

Need to have objective criteria for maintaining the integrity of the surrounding area. Like limited vinyl siding. Maybe separate individual homes from subdivisions with design standards. We can mandate an HOA, but we can’t make sure that they hold our ordinances. We have to go by our ordinances. We can put conditions that will be enforced. It has to be in there so the criteria is written with a county plan.

67.3% houses in the county are under $200,000 right now. Reevaluation will affect this. Even if it drops to 40%, are we providing affordable housing?

Morton. Issues of subdivision under AR. Shouldn’t have them under AR. This would distinguish subdivisions from AR. Gilbert. This will allow people to have an option for people 95% is zoned AR today. ½ acre, 1 and 2 acre lots. Trying to protect the agriculture uses in the AR now by not allowing 3 acre lots around those.

Discussion. How do we move forward without eroding AR property? 5 acre minimums and 10 acres for subdivisions. RR 3 acre and taking out agricultural use. Could change subdivisions to 5 acres. RR. 1800 square foot minimum. Taking out agricultural use. Maybe require interior roads.

How do you keep RR from allowing Adams Road from being all over the county? They will have a public hearing. This will provide guidelines. The minimum for Pike County today is 3 acres. Talking about farms being sold and what happens.

3 acres. 1800 square foot house. Require an interior road. Maybe have house requirements. If water available, make them tie into it? Currently have a 3 acre minimum in AR.

Discussion of roads and road maintenance in subdivisions. If turned down in a public hearing, can they still sue us? Yes, but if we’re following our objective criteria, we can stand.

Looking at the sheet. Discussion of the blue for AR. Could we require them to tie into water if 2,500 feet from the system? How about if interior road and require subdivisions to tie into the water if they are within 2,500 feet or a mile? Advantages versus disadvantages. Concerns about wells heard from citizens already. Water is an issue, and the more subdivisions there are, the more citizens are going to have with their water. If they have an interior street, they will have to have a paved road come off of a paved road so dirt roads will have to be paved. Consensus on tying into county water if water is available.

RR. 3 acres. Internal streets. Tie into water if it’s available.

AR. Under 5 acres be a non-conforming use for gardens? Not tied to the acreage. No livestock without 5 acres. If less than 5 acres and you don’t have livestock, then it isn’t allowed. If they had it at the time of the requirement, they would be allowed to continue as a lawful non-confirming use. Will address on a complaint basis.

Pet rabbits. Made a note in the definitions to change pet rabbits to not being livestock.

What about chickens? 4 is not enough. It doesn’t take as much space as livestock. AR with 5 acres. Livestock over 5 acres no limit. Same for chickens. 10 as an accessory use. Maybe adapt UGA guidelines. There are already parameters in place on this. Why should we limit someone with 4 ½ acres with 10 chickens? Doesn’t think that there should be a limit. Can put that livestock is permitted in AR and not have the acreage requirement. [Note from the Editor: There are chicken discussions in each of the following residential categories.]

Livestock can be allowed on AR. However, can we define that it doesn’t create a nuisance? Asked Morton about specifics on this. We can’t regulate a nuisance. Without the number, we can’t regulate. With a number of livestock, we can grant a variance. What about increasing the limit to 25 or 30? Livestock permitted 5 acres or more. Under 5 acres, need to get a special use permit for livestock but will allow 25 fowl which does not exclude roosters. Can also include guineas, etc.

Can’t be over 500 feet with a roadside stand. If you have a farm, you have to meet commercial farming regulations. If in AR, primary use is the home. They can sell them if it’s not bigger than 500 feet for a stand if with 2 and 3 acres.

Home occupation, event center, rural. 25 acres. Do we want to keep it 25 or lower it? Many are less now. Leave it in place so they can ask for it if they want less. Wedding venues on 5 acre tracts in town? Yes, they can ask for a variance.

Why are we worried about campfires being extinguished by 10 p.m.? Will get to this a little later.

#17 on page 9 of 13 on section 5. Difference between a subdivision and anywhere else. Can add something saying that this doesn’t apply on tracts greater than 5 acres or not in a major subdivision.

Barndominium. Lots of discussion.

Article 6. RR. Rural Residential.

3 acres. 1800 square feet. Barndominiums and Class A and B manufactured homes are allowed under a special use.

Chickens in a subdivision. Not listed as a permitted used unless given a special exception right now in R1, etc. Proctor. We don’t limit number the number of pets. Gilbert. But this was allowing people to have backyard chickens like other places are doing. RR can be 3 to 8 acres. Allow 10 across the board. Chicken coop in the rear yard. Keep 7 b and change to 10 chickens. Roosters are not outlawed.

Mother in law suites. Variances have been granted for 2,400 foot MIL suites. Don’t want unlimited. 750 may not be adequate. Can’t be rented, etc. We are trying to avoid them ask for a variance because that is constantly changing the rules. Change it to 1,500 square feet across the board regardless of the lot size. Pleasure vehicles and travel trailers. No limit on AR. This is for the future. Leave it and let the HOA handle anything else.

RR will be in a major subdivision. Have to go by the flag lot requirements which includes the minimum distance. No more than 20 flag lots if 100 lots.

Article 7. R-1 Single Family Residential Low Density.

2 acres. 2,000 feet homes. Interior road. 150 feet road frontage.

We can adopt architectural design across the board or we can do this on a case by case basis. There will be a rezoning regardless. If we set it now, it won’t have to be discussed later. Conditions can be placed at the time too. Do this on a case by case basis.

Chickens. Same as the last one. Even on the one acre lots.

Flag lots. Limited to 5%.

Article 8. R-2 Single Family Residential District.

1 acre. 2200 square feet. Requires county water regardless of how far it is from water. 125 feet road frontage.

MIL suites. 1500 square minimum. Has to fit the lot.

Why not have R1 be one acre and R2 by two acres? A lot of discussion about water.

Article 9. Limited Lodging and Vacation Homes.

Limit to being an accessory use by special use permit in AR only for a second structure for short term rental.

Article 10. Professional and Institutional District.

Lower density offices. ½ acre. 1,500 square feet.

This is the same from the old ordinance.

6 stories are allowed in the ordinance and would be required for sprinklers. We are not equipped to handle this. Consensus to go with a 3 story office building. Have to ask for a variance if they want higher. They want this in everything.

Article 11. C1 Neighborhood Commercial.

1 acre unsewered. 2 acres unsewered. 1,000 square feet.

Current code is 15 feet. Gilbert changed this to 20 feet based on what other counties are doing. Consensus was to stay with 20 feet.

20 a. smoking will be allowed but the rest stay. Smoked hams, etc.

C4. Mobile food service. Temporary is not defined. Need to define it? We don’t require a permit. Could be no more than 3 consecutive days.

No special use permits in here. Nothing listed currently.

Article 12. C2 General Commercial.

1 acre unsewered. 2 acres unsewered. 1,000 square feet.

Allows everything from C1 plus some.

Article 13. C3 Heavy Commercial.

1 acre unsewered. 2 acres unsewered. 1,000 square feet.

Allows C1 and C2. Maximum height of 35 feet/3 stories.

RV’s, boats, etc. is addressed in the overlay, but not in C3. Listed in the purpose as neat and orderly storage.

Article 14. M1 Manufacturing Light. (Manufacturing Rural in old code)

1 acre unsewered. Sewered 10,000 square feet. No minimum square footage for heated space.

3 stories.

Article 15. M2 Manufacturing.

1 acre unsewered. Sewered 10,000 square feet. No minimum square footage for heated space.

Maximum height 3 stories.

Article 16. US Highway 19 and US Highway 41 Overlay District

400 feet from the center of the road has been changed to 500 feet from the property line.

Discussion about the differences between Hwy 19 and 41. What do we want them to look like?

Consensus that storage and parking behind buildings with a buffer. Gilbert is going to write something for this for them to review.

Do you want to keep Hwy 41 in the overlay? Only apply to commercial and not industrial? Commercial and retail on Hwy 19. Industrial on Hwy 41.

Articles 17-20. Verbatim what we have now.

Consensus to set this up for another meeting.

The next meeting is set for Wednesday, September 20 from 1- 5 p.m. No location on this yet. It will either be at the courthouse are back at Parks and Rec.

Ended at 4:55 p.m.