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Wednesday, September 20, 2023 – 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Pike County Parks and Recreation Community Center, 603 Twin Oaks Rd, Williamson, Georgia
Pike County Board of Commissioners and Pike Zoning Board Joint Workshop
ZEBULON - The Pike County Board of Commissioners had a workshop to discuss the proposed changes to the Unified Development Code/County Ordinances on Wednesday, September 20, 20023 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Pike County Parks and Recreation Community Center. Present were the following: County Clerk Angela Blount, County Attorney Rob Morton, Public Works Director Todd Goolsby, Planning and Development Director Jeremy Gilbert, County Manager Brandon Rogers, Commissioners Tim Daniel, Tim Guy, Jason Proctor, James Jenkins, and Chairman Briar Johnson, and Planning and Zoning members Jason Leatherman, Brandy Loggins, Bryan Pate, Ed Pennington, and citizens in the audience. Jim McNair was unable to attend.
Background and Past Meetings
There was an open, overall discussion at the beginning before commissioners began rolling through the code book in order. This is not the first discussion of the ordinances.
Some of Pike's Ordinances will remain the same. Some of the ordinance changes came from other counties including Spalding County. [Note from the Editor: There is a place in the downloads on Pike County Times where the download is blank because it will remain the same as current law.]
The first draft was presented to commissioners and planning and zoning board members to review and make suggestions in meetings that were open to the public. Pike County Times was able to Facebook Live with the help of Commissioner James Jenkins and his hotspot.
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.
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 write up of the 7 to p.m. August 10, 2023 Workshop can be found at: www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOC8.10.23.html.
The write up of the 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, August 29, 2023 Workshop can be found at:
www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/ordinanceworkshop8.29.23.html.
The write up of the 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, September 13, 2023 Workshop can be found at:
www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOCWorkshop9.13.23.html.
September 13, 2023. FB Live Workshop #1.
www.facebook.com/pikecountytimes/videos/1686276692201578
September 13, 2023. FB Live Workshop #2.
www.facebook.com/pikecountytimes/videos/235985046089519
September 13, 2023. FB Live Workshop #3.
www.facebook.com/pikecountytimes/videos/633723358876694
The write up of the 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, September 20, 2023 Workshop will be found at:
www.pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BOCWorkshop9.20.23.html when it is complete.
September 20, 2023. FB Live Workshop #1.
www.facebook.com/pikecountytimes/videos/644100127808689
September 20, 2023. FB Live Workshop #2.
www.facebook.com/pikecountytimes/videos/320817390489749
1. CALL TO ORDER ........ Chairman J. Briar Johnson
2. INVOCATION ........ Silent Invocation
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ........ Chairman J. Briar Johnson
4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. § 50-14-1 (e) (1))
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Discussion of the Pike County Unified Development Code (UDC).
Discussion about the minimum for RR. 4 lots and smaller have a paved road? Future divisions would be based on the new rules. Interior roads only for major subdivisions? What are the unforeseen circumstances? Going to make a minor subdivision of property is now 3. Water is tied to the RR’s? Minor subdivision going from 4 lots every 5 years to 3 lots every 5 years. RR, R1, and R2 going to say that they don’t have to have paved roads if 3 lots.
Modification about drainage and removal of “Spalding County” from Section 2101 E. He used Spalding County’s formatting for the section numbers and brought in our information.
Todd goes out and inspects subdivision roads after they're done. But we have the bond to protect the county. We have 2 years now. Discussion if 3 years should be instead? Todd Goolsby, Public Works. We check everything as it being constructed. The ordinance is vague, but Public Works does the proof rolls to be sure that the county is protected. Suggestion for the attorney to make a change to the ordinances to ensure the integrity of the road. Discussion of recovering the amount of work that Public Works is putting with having equipment and employees who go out there. A lot more discussion including subdivisions that are done over a long period of time. Maybe even bonding existing roads in a subdivision. 3 year bond and language about bonding the route if houses are constructed later than the 3 years. Do we want to keep the current language about not accepting the roads until after the 3 years? Contractor could say, If I own it, why should I put a bond up? What happens if the contractor goes under? What if we have them to convey it to us but put up a bond to cover it for a period of time. 3 years bond, county take ownership at the beginning, and have a construction route bond (for just the road) for extending development with right of way streets like a phase 2 or 3. Do we want something that protects the county with vacant lots in a built-out subdivision?
More discussion. County accepts the road with plat approval. How can we write something in that the county can require a construction bond for future construction of vacant lots to protect county roads? Consensus for Rob and Jeremy to get together to write something for this. More discussion. Do we need to make some changes to the development agreement? Maybe leave as is with a 3 year maintenance bond, take over at plat ok, and add construction route bond… and then discuss some other options later.
Private streets. Options? County will not accept private roads now unless it is brought up to our standards including being paved. A new private road is being required to meet our county standards.
15 foot wide on an easement. Any problems? No.
Curb and gutter required which will require all subdivisions to have a rollback section. No open ditch sections in subdivisions.
Article 22. Added for sake of Code Enforcement. Makes it easier for them to write citations.
Anything under 5 acres but not necessarily in a subdivision.
Section 2202. In certain zoning districts like subdivisions, there was only one RV in R1 and R2. Not RR.
Section 2203. If the vehicle doesn’t have a tag, it can be labeled an abandoned, wrecked, or junk vehicle. Working farms are exempt from this provision. This isn’t allowed in AR. It’s in the nuisance section under litter now. What about compost piles? This isn’t household garbage. It wouldn’t apply.
Section 2206. 3 acres or smaller only in a platted subdivision.
Section 2207. Have to have identification for public safety. If no mailbox, then there must be an identifier for all new developments. Upson and Lamar require a certain type of identifying sign. Do we want that here with identification by the road?
Section 2208. $1,000 is a bit extreme. This is from state law that says up to $1,000. [Note from the Editor: This was originally left as is and could have be enforced to the letter of the law with a $1,000 per day fine. It got changed with section 2510 later in the meeting. Thank you to Rob Morton for mentioning this and trying to work a compromise that made sense for everyone.]
Discussion about appeals.
Discussion about signs. No pole signs. Go with monument signs. Want to go with uniform materials and go with a maximum footage of 8 feet. Residential subdivision has a size limit of 8 feet. Residential lot over 5 acres can have non-residential signs have a limit of 8 feet whether it is a friend’s business sign, election, etc. It’s a free speech provision. Content can’t be regulated. It’s either a temporary sign or a permanent sign. Discussion about leaving temporary signs at 32 square feet. No time limit on temporary signs in the ordinance besides not permanently affixed. 6 feet tall and 32 square foot regulation. They agreed that they are overthinking this.
Section 2505. Temporary signs are temporary and section j is going to be crossed out because it mentions political signs. We don’t regulate by content but by size and aesthetics.
Rob Morton mentioned 2510. Enforcement. $250 per offense. This provision might be something to put in section 2208 instead of $1,000 per day per offense. With animal control, there are specific amounts even though the max is up to $1,000. Like going to a sheet with a schedule of fines. Rob and Jeremy discussed this and are going to go with something uniform in both sections. The $1000 per day fines should be the same as this section with up to $250 per offense.
Landscaping is in addition to buffers. It is not the same.
Commissioners are concerned about government overreach. There is a section that says you can’t cut but a certain number of trees and you have to add a certain number of trees. Discussion: R1 and R2 need to read the same. 4 trees.
Trying to make the overlay uniform. 12% landscaping in parking lots.
If residential and the use being proposed next to you, there will be a minimum 40 foot buffer off of a residential piece of property.
With parking and landscaping requirements, if you want a variance, you can ask for it.
Option to the builder to screen it or bring the buildings up with the parking in the back.
Trying to get this adopted by the end of this year.
Discussion of Article 27 and anything else.
Paving to be required for future businesses rather than gravel.
When will we have the overlay ordinance to look over? Brandon and Jeremy will make the changes to the proposed ordinances and bring those with it as well. Have an either/or … Give the developer the option to build with a screened parking lot or parking in the back. Discussion about parking lots, berms, landscaping, and screening parking lots.
Question about barndominium watertables. On any side visible from the street, it has to be built, but if it’s hidden, none of it.
500 feet from the right of way increases the overlay requirements. A lot of places require the entire parcel to be subject to the overlay requirements. Consensus that we should have the entire parcel go by the overlay requirements.
A builder talked to Jeremy regarding the changes that are being made to the R districts. This person wanted everyone to understand that if the county makes all of these new requirements including building internal streets in everything but AR subdivisions, a lot of the local builders are not going to be able to continue to build here in Pike County. That will bring the national builders here who don’t care how much it costs and might not build like our local people would. Jeremy told them to keep this in the back of their minds because all of these changes will cost money. Rob said that some of this was addressed when you took out the restrictions and added that “except for minor subdivisions.”
6. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn. 5:10 p.m.
Click here to find out when the public hearings will be: http://pikecountytimes.com/secondary/BREAKINGNEWSpublichearingsUDC2023.html.