BY J. TODD TRUELOVE
THE TOCCOA RECORD
A 24-home subdivision planned off of Nub Garland Road was among land use requests heard Tuesday by the Stephens County Planning Commission.
Howington Farms applied to rezone some 46 acres of property on Nub Garland Road from agricultural intensive to residential single family.
“The submitted concept plan indicates lot sizes generally exceeding 1 acre in size and an internal roadway access,” said county planner Jeanne Pauley.
Pauley was recently promoted to the position of county planner.
She said the property neighbored agricultural land, rural residential development, and existing residential zoning classifications.
“Adjacent properties include AI (agricultural intensive), AR (residential agricultural), RS (residential single), and RM (residential multi),” Pauley said.
She said the proposed lot configuration and density appeared consistent with nearby residential single patterns.
“The proposed rezoning would increase residential development potential on the property and may contribute to future housing opportunities in the county which falls in line with the comprehensive plan and long term development objectives of Stephens County,” Pauley said.
The proposal was recommended by county staff.
No one spoke in opposition to the rezoning request for the new subdivision.
Planning commissioners questioned road access.
“Their goal would be to put in a public road, or to put in a road that would be deeded to the county,” responded county administrator Christian Hamilton.
For a moment, it appeared that the planning commission would recommend county commissioners deny the proposal, with new planning commissioner Clay Black motioning to recommend denial.
His motion died for lack of a second with a final vote of 2-1 — with Scott Stroud and Brett Ivester in favor, and Black in opposition.
Planning commissioners Cody Cobb and Mark Randall were not present for the vote.
Three other applications were unanimously recommended for approval at Tuesday’s planning commission meeting.
All three had no opposition.
Those were:
• A request from Venson D. Martin to rezone 3.3 acres on Defoor Road from agricultural residential to residential single.
• Two requests from Matthew and Tara Mudge to rezone property at 520 North Avenue from residential single to agricultural residential, and rezone 30 acres at 1200 Shady Lane from agricultural intensive to agricultural residential for property combination.
