Todd Higdon

The meeting involved several public hearings concerning rezone requests. The commission approved the combined rezone request for Wesley Bridges to change two adjoining parcels totaling 4.25 acres from A1 to AR to achieve compliance. A rezone request for Mark Whitfield to change a 2-acre portion of his property from A2 to AR for sale, while combining the remaining 3 acres with another parcel, was also approved with a condition. For Robert Armour, a request to rezone 17.97 acres from A1 to AR to allow for splitting into two tracts was approved with a condition on further splitting. A second request from Robert Armour to rezone 46.14 acres from A1 to A2 to allow splitting into two tracts was also approved. In Old Business, amendments to the Zoning Ordinance regarding property division (Sections 6.9, 3.1, and 12.1) were postponed until the January 3, 2023, meeting to allow for staff and counsel revisions. Discussion also occurred regarding amending Subdivision Regulations concerning road bond duration (Sections 10.2 and 9.0(d#2)), which was postponed until the January 3, 2023, meeting to allow for proper re-advertisement of the public hearing notice. Finally, the commission discussed proposed 2023 meeting dates and the selection process for a new Chairperson, scheduling votes for these items at the December 6, 2022, meeting.

The meeting addressed numerous zoning applications, including the approval of requests for property rezoning to facilitate family homestead splits and compliance with existing zoning regulations. Several requests involved rezoning from A1 to AR or A2 to A2. Approvals were granted for conditional use requests, such as operating an equine therapy business. One request for rezoning to allow a commercial parking area business was denied. A variance request to allow a stack house to be built closer to the property line than required was approved. A request to rezone a portion to R1 for a son's homesite was denied. The request for an RV Park and campground conditional use was denied. In Old Business, the commission discussed adding setbacks for auction barns and livestock sale pavilions to the Zoning Ordinance, deciding to continue the discussion at a later business meeting.

The meeting commenced with Chairman Scott noting that recommendations from the previous month's zoning applications were upheld by the Board of Commissioners, with one rezone tabled until January 2026. New business focused on the Preliminary Plat for Madison Fields Subdivision, consisting of 588.7 acres rezoned from A1 to A2/R3 for residential development (147 lots) and a golf course. The Board approved the preliminary plat with the condition that a sewage approval/EPD permit documentation and a traffic impact study must be submitted prior to the final plat submission. The Commission also reviewed details for zoning applications scheduled for the December 16, 2025, Public Hearings, which included requests for property splits and boundary rezonings. Additionally, the Board discussed the upcoming appointments for Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson for the Commission and formally approved the 2026 Proposed Meeting Dates. In Old Business, the recommendation regarding text amendments to the Zoning Ordinance requiring setbacks for auction barns and livestock sale pavilions was postponed until the December 16th meeting.

The work session included a Chairman's Report noting a busy 2025 and upcoming challenges for 2026, along with an update on a road closure for a culvert replacement on Sanford Road. The agenda setting portion included tabling a presentation from the Madison County Food Bank to the next regular meeting. Key public hearings and zoning matters involved four related requests concerning rezoning parcels from A2 to R1 and a variance request; all four items were ultimately denied by the Board. Subsequent agenda items addressed rezoning requests for Splits/Compliance for properties belonging to the Francis, Hale, and Wood families, all of which the Planning Commission recommended for approval, and all were subsequently approved by the Board. Another request to rezone a portion of property belonging to James Burkdoll was denied. New business items included the approval of a contract with C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. for FY2025 Off Systems Safety Projects and the approval of a contract with Garrett Paving for the widening of Hope Thompson Lane. The Board also discussed a Beer & Wine License, a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, and an Intergovernmental Agreement for Municipal Court Services with the City of Hull. Finally, the Board approved an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Industrial Development and Building Authority to hire an Economic Development Director. An urgent matter requested a survey and evaluation of Industrial and Business Parks roadways.

The Public Hearing Meeting focused on several agenda items, primarily zoning applications and a request for a private cemetery. The commission approved a request to rezone 7.35 acres from A2 to AR to allow an existing accessory dwelling unit to continue to be lived in by the owner's son. A second approval granted the rezoning of a 5-acre portion of a property from A1 to AR for a homesite split. Additionally, two interconnected rezoning requests involving adjoining properties (0066/054 and 0066/055) were approved to allow for a 3.127-acre split to be combined with an adjacent parcel to form a 4-acre tract. Finally, the board approved the cemetery site plan and perpetual care plan for a private cemetery request on a 28.344-acre property.