A public hearing was held by the Spalding County Board of Commissioners in their office in the Courthouse Annex, Thursday, October 26, 2000 beginning at 6:00 o’clock p.m. with Commissioners, Michael Kendall, Martha McDaniel, Merrill Massengale, Johnie McDaniel and Earle Childres present. Also present were County Manager Mike Ruffin, Community Development Director Michael Sabine, Zoning Attorney Newton Galloway and Executive Secretary Phyllis Doane. GIS Administrator Nancy Moon was also present.

There was no one else signed up to speak on this application.

Application #00-53S: John N. and Audrey N. Holden, Owner – Debra A. Cooper, Agent – 836 N. Pomona Road – requesting a Special Exception to allow a Class A Manufactured Home in the AR-1 District. Ms. Debra Cooper, Agent gave her address as 31 Sabon Drive, Brooks, GA spoke on behalf of this application. She said that they were requesting to place a manufactured home on the property they will be purchasing from John and Audrey Holden as part of a land/home package through Dynasty Homes in Jonesboro, GA. This will be a first-time home purchase for her and her family. She said there were mobile homes in the area and should be compatible as to what is in the area.

There was no one else signed up to speak.

Application #00-55S: Grady & Inez H. Strickland, Owner – GeoTrans Wireless, Agent – 2371 Highway 16 West – requesting a Special Exception to add additional height to existing tower. Mr. Allen Richardson, Geo Trans Wireless spoke on behalf of this Application. He gave his address as 1050 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, GA. He said they were asking for a Special Exception to collate Sprint on an existing tower belonging to Tower Com to increase the height from 150-foot monopole to 190 feet

Amendment to UDO #A-00-10: Article 2. Definitions of Terms Used – Section 202:R’ – amend definition of campground, religious for allowance of a church.

There was no one signed up to speak on this Amendment to the UDO.

Commissioner Johnie McDaniel commented that the reason this came up in the first place was there was an activity going on with good intention where churches are allowed to be seated at some of the campgrounds using their facilities. He said that we are trying to allow them an opportunity to do that but should stop short of allowing a permanent church at a religious campground. He said by permanent, he is referring to regular scheduled services.

Community Development Director Michael Sabine stated that it should read "an itinerate church may be included within the use, incidental to the primary function of said property as a campground". He said this way you can have an itinerate church there for a period of time as defined by the Board of Commissioners and then if you want to put a permanent church there, then you go through the Special Exception if approved. This gives the Board a measure of control.

Chairman Kendall asked were we trying to regulate the activity, which is the services, or the building. Mr. Sabine said that Commissioner Johnie McDaniel’s concern is of a group assembling in perpetuity on the property week after week and Sunday after Sunday without any sort of mechanism and how that may be compatible with some of the surrounding properties adjacent to a campground setting.

Commissioner Johnie McDaniel suggested this wording to come immediately after the word campground as written in the code, "In no event shall a permanent church, congregation or other religious assembly be allowed to establish itself at a religious campground unless permission is granted by means of a separate and distinct Special Exception application as provided for in Section 413 of this Ordinance. The purposes of this section any church congregation or religious assembly meeting at the same religious campground more than ____times or _____months with regular scheduled services and any calendar year shall be deemed to be a permanent church, congregation or religious assembly".

Chairman Kendall commented that this sounds like you are trying to regulate the use as opposed to the building.

Commissioner Johnie McDaniel asked Dr. Swayne Poole, Director of the Flint River Baptist Association, who is having regular scheduled services at the Baptist Campground, what he thought is a reasonable amount of time to allow a church group to meet at a campground before being defined as a permanent church and having to come and get a permit.

Dr. Swayne Poole commented that the length of time is hard to determine as some churches can get out on their own quicker than others. He said that one at the campground now has been there almost a year and some have been there seven weeks and moved out. He said at least a twelve-month period is needed for the group to decide if they wish to move to another location or purchase a permanent building known as a church.

Commissioner Johnie McDaniel commented that we are dealing with a religious campground, not a church and we don’t want it to become a church instead of a campground. He said that you could keep the distinction by regulating the time.

Chairman Kendall commented that he feels the problem will be resolved if we define how many times any group can meet on a regular scheduled basis on a campground.

There was no one signed up to speak on this Amendment.

There was a discussion about Article 17, Section 1703, subsection A:5 which states in the last sentence: "Indoor shooting ranges may also be included as a Principal Use allowed under Section 1703(A)(1), provided that the design and features of said indoor shooting range must be approved by the Board of Commissioners as a separate and distinct action subsequent to a review by the Planning Commission."

Commissioner Johnie McDaniel suggested that if we do allow for this that the Board moves very quickly to establish requirements for this.

Other Business

 

Adjournment.

 

County Clerk/County Manager Chairman

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