[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6090623,"mediaKeyId","2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95","parentId",2866168,"title","Commission approves several routine rezonings and administrative items; summary of votes","audioSeconds",2051,"startMs",3710000,"endMs",5761000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95&start=3710&end=5761","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95/thumbnail_3710000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6090623/Walton-County/Georgia/Commission-approves-several-routine-rezonings-and-administrative-items-summary-of-votes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090623-98a5d7ef2247329b30b7044abe01c2ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1771014547&Signature=AwH4mhrM1cG7kL2zO8dtpDL0GmRmbTsqrR1FbLwIFGUO70En-vG-TpanaGRQdp9HwUEYM~CjUh8igiyG1mqzVC8T18ZxA2aoN5r65nBJKzW1VT-jIwifXttt-k2CGpb4~1VP2G7M5qxJQ~YUYOKsbNIp2CdtEXRUmQgh9yvJDr9lIwhxyaXb3JqvzoGnjuL0hUS-nvNAuPAHTc6Z8Cn9tDn4zYcM0vLXfaVxZ~RjZgxm84zwtmTdGtGvCSCqwXx1bTNTgAqy31-izlB71XV4oUaqf-sv~6~olcWf7Vo5PlXhUV9GC2Jm37m6PHbVGzcx2P8wEXv1nk9yjuBISfBm5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-03T21:36:00.147Z","article","Several matters on the agenda were approved with limited public debate. Commissioners approved the following items after short public hearings or staff presentations:

Motivate Martial Arts (Z250028) — Rezoning approved
Jeremy White, owner of Motivate Martial Arts, requested rezoning of 2.6 acres at 2069 Highway 11 and Mountain Creek Church Road to B1 for a martial‑arts studio. Planning commission recommended approval and there was no public opposition at the county hearing; the board approved the rezoning. The applicant said the new facility would accommodate current and new members and enable business growth.

Fabricated‑metal manufacturing (Z250064) — Rezoning approved with planning conditions
Tip Nguyen presented a request to rezone roughly 48.66 acres (site plan changed in materials) on Highway 20 and Center Hill Church Road to M1 for a metal fabrication/welding facility. The applicant told the board the facility would operate largely inside a building with limited outside storage, expect roughly 20 employees initially, and seek to minimize noise and light impacts; the planning commission recommended approval with conditions. The board approved the request.

Residential subdivision (Z25‑0055) — 26 lots approved
Ned Butler presented a proposal to develop approximately 54.76 acres into a 26‑lot subdivision with open‑space buffers and a homeowners association to maintain transition buffers; the planning commission recommended approval and there was no public opposition. The board approved the rezone/OS zoning consistent with the county’s watershed protection rules (one lot per two acres where applicable).

Administrative and budget items
The commission approved the annual Capital Improvements Element (impact fee annual report) after a public‑hearing notice and no public comments at the hearing. Several budget amendments and small purchases were approved as part of the consent/administrative agenda, including a Walnut Grove Park contract change order and equipment/vehicle items for the sheriff and public works departments. The board also authorized two property purchases (a small parcel on Whitney Road and a tract adjacent to a fire station on HDAtha Road) and awarded bids for athletic flooring and deep‑patching/resurfacing projects; staff said these were within previously approved project budgets.

Why this matters: the routine approvals clear the way for private investment (studio, manufacturing, subdivision) while administrative approvals fund capital projects and maintain county operations. The planning commission had reviewed each land‑use application and forwarded recommendations to the board.

Ending: Staff will follow up on permit issuance, building‑permit reviews, and capital project procurement in accordance with procurement rules and project budgets.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Commissioners Meeting April 1st, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission approved three relatively uncontroversial rezones — a martial arts studio, a fabrication/welding facility and a 26‑lot subdivision — and passed the annual capital improvements element and several budget amendments and purchases; votes were unanimous or recorded in the minutes.","taxTitle","Walton County, Georgia","taxId",28682,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6090626,"Bio‑digester discussion draws dozens to Walton County meeting; no application yet but residents urge ordinance change",2954,1133000,4087000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95&start=1133&end=4087","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95/thumbnail_1133000.jpg","/articles/6090626/Walton-County/Georgia/Biodigester-discussion-draws-dozens-to-Walton-County-meeting-no-application-yet-but-residents-urge-ordinance-change","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090626-2ac20b13faacafe3655e23879b142767/orig.mp4?Expires=1771014547&Signature=bBUYAUocybi5de4ClE1rEB8pNE89DGt8yaVih3FfdkrkqPKPB1HqAiEmZpF-xklo~W1sbyZFCa1cR5vkzPhL0B0~HjaXYZgsDwpsUej72aZCneNT8lpw5SwClydV~nUcgvgk8G33hRcie4M~B54GEkls5Mbw4hdiC7auRMSEE1~1Ifq4-J0mQKXIEEyaRlyHpVuRYbxZbvNpAvD0yxt2GwoMd3oBQ-UxjxX9WSWVpyKr-h15HbMfYp5D7IoA9DdfNst0JLOICmlif9PHKxzT1d36u1c31w1Qx8MAGJVaAebKxIdXHavEfVeHmax2nTnCJZsijeKroGBJ-y5uP80tvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County planning staff and the county manager told the Walton County Board of Commissioners that, as of the meeting, no formal application had been filed for a proposed anaerobic biodigester (sometimes referred to in public comments as a “biogas” plant) near Marlowe Farms, but residents used the meeting’s public‑comment period to press the board to act preemptively.

The county manager explained the procedural path that any application would follow: if a firm submits an application it must appear first before the planning and zoning (planning) commission, after proper public notice required by Georgia planning and zoning law, and only later would the planning commission’s recommendation come to the county commission. Staff said the earliest possible county commission decision on a first application would be June if an applicant made the May planning calendar; no application had been submitted for the March meeting.

Residents who live adjacent to Marlowe Farms and nearby roads delivered sustained public comment opposing the concept, citing truck traffic, groundwater and creek contamination, odor, methane safety concerns and the operator’s track record. A speaker who identified herself as a resident and local butcher read proposed ordinance language and urged the board to prohibit industrial feedstock transport to biodigesters in the county and to place NAICS 325120 (industrial gas manufacturing/biogas) in the county’s M2/industrial category rather than leaving it eligible under agricultural allowances.

Dr. Barbara McKee, a biologist who lives on George Williams Road, told the board she is adjacent to the proposed site and emphasized safety and environmental risks. “A biodigester produces natural gas, which is methane gas. It is highly volatile. It smells. It's toxic. It's flammable, and it's explosive,” Dr. McKee said, listing state and national incidents and saying a biodigester does not fit the county’s neighborhood character. Another resident, Corey Arnold, also said an increase in truck traffic would endanger children who use local roads and asked the board to stand by its earlier opposition.

Speakers identified Vanguard Renewables (referred to in public comment) as the firm associated with previous submissions; speakers cited press reports and alleged permit violations in other jurisdictions and urged the board to require industry‑level zoning and explicit limits on off‑site waste transport if a project is proposed.

County staff reiterated there had been prior requests to change local code to accommodate a biodigester and that, if a company applies, the process requires planning commission review, public notice, signage and a public hearing before the planning commission and then a public hearing before the county commission. The manager said the planning commission and county commission each meet once per month, which sets the realistic earliest review dates.

Why this matters: residents living near the proposed site argue that the county’s current code and the agricultural zoning category could be interpreted in ways that allow industrial‑scale biogas operations and the transport of organic waste from elsewhere. They requested specific, preemptive ordinance changes to keep industrial biogas manufacturing in an M2 industrial category and to restrict interstate or in‑state transport of municipal/organic wastes for fuel production on agricultural parcels.

Next steps: staff said they will accept any draft ordinance language from citizens and will follow normal application procedures if an applicant files; residents asked the county to draft and consider amendments to the zoning and solid‑waste transport sections of county code prior to any permit application.

Ending: The board did not vote on any changes at the meeting; staff said any formal application for a biodigester would be processed under existing planning and zoning procedures and return to the planning commission and county commission for public hearings.","County staff told the commission no formal biodigester application has been filed; residents near Marlowe Farms and speakers urged the board to amend zoning and waste transport rules to prevent industrial‑scale biogas facilities on agricultural land.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6090632,"Commission approves small used‑car lot along Gum Creek Church Road with conditions after heavy neighborhood opposition",2438,3669000,6107000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95&start=3669&end=6107","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95/thumbnail_3669000.jpg","/articles/6090632/Walton-County/Georgia/Commission-approves-small-usedcar-lot-along-Gum-Creek-Church-Road-with-conditions-after-heavy-neighborhood-opposition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090632-b8938831e8152d20bf6735de9ce4f99c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771014547&Signature=OcqGOUJtIY1m9o2laKpwRZMo3n4-drNSSDNVOAOMYAGF6ks8iLHIz7oL5pl8TVNf3Et4Ht55wL1HfuqzhtwiYMhEhCjQI1pieVtVfid16cxxe6DBEAA70BUoglmnqkyTF4rXKfKI-AG-D3uNrUUe~oNv0sHcOzL5qDEFz-7of7skZyQ8snKWD9sPx0tDtj25SlL6gYe~pFxCkszR1DuQwqGJJorvnYdLspdKVXufa0Iz6aGoM5uPcWKoyxVlmJcuaD6WvsI8MikF6v0QWsNf8z-77qPFo6-3A6-X8hn8Wwz2qyVVqO05ydIQ~hwWWvXuIdh8nEgiMwKO1w018XhEZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walton County commissioners approved a rezone request to allow a small motor vehicle sales lot on a 0.63‑acre parcel at the Highway 81 and Gum Creek Church Road intersection, subject to several conditions intended to limit traffic, environmental risks and visual impacts.

Applicant Nathaniel (Nate) Sankar told the board he intends to operate a late‑model used car business and drive vehicles to the site from his existing garage roughly 2.3 miles away. “It's gonna be late model cars... I try to stay above $10,000 and above,” Sankar said, and he told commissioners he expects to keep roughly 15 to 18 vehicles on the lot at any time.

Opposition to the request was broad and organized. Residents and nearby property owners cited concerns about traffic, drainage and a decline in neighborhood character if a car lot occupies the corner. John Swope, who led a neighborhood petition effort, told the board organizers had collected more than 200 signatures against the rezoning. “We went and got 207 signatures of people who live on or around Gum Creek Church Road opposing this rezoning as a car lot,” Swope said.

Other neighbors raised environmental concerns (potential fuel and fluid leaks), crime and nighttime light pollution, and said the small parcel and roadside ditches could complicate drainage. John Wayne McKee, who lives nearby, told the board the tract is small and that he feared a makeshift lot would degrade the rural residential character; Jeff Monk, a nearby landowner who runs a small farm, argued that the isolated rural location could make vehicles on the lot a target for theft and that groundwater and drainage could be affected by vehicle fluids.

Planning staff and commissioners negotiated conditions intended to limit the lot’s impacts. The motion to approve (read into the record by a commissioner) restricted the site to auto sales only (no repair/maintenance on‑site), capped the number of vehicles at 15, required that all parked vehicles be running and in good condition (no junk or run‑down cars), required a hard surface (asphalt or concrete) for all display/parking areas, prohibited on‑site offloading (car carriers must unload off‑site) and prohibited car haulers blocking Gum Creek Church Road or Highway 81. The motion also required underground retention/drainage improvements.

The board voted and the motion passed, recorded in the minutes as a 4–2 result. Commissioners’ public remarks identified two commissioners as voting in opposition during roll call and tally announcement; the board instructed that any future changes to the business or deviations from the conditions must return to planning and the commission.

Why this matters: neighbors said the parcel is within a largely rural/residential corridor and that conversion to an active car lot could increase traffic, change the visual character and introduce stormwater and hazardous‑materials risks. The board’s approval trades an immediate land‑use change for a tighter set of site controls and drainage requirements.

Next steps: the applicant must install the required hard surfacing and underground retention, limit on‑site inventory to the permitted count, and not perform repairs or accept offloading on‑site. Planning staff will treat the approval as conditional and require compliance with the stated restrictions; any change of use or expansion must receive further county approval.

Ending: The board’s conditional approval concluded the public hearing on the item. Residents said they intend to monitor compliance and urged enforcement of the drainage and no‑repair rules.","The commission approved rezoning for roughly 0.63 acres at Highway 81 and Gum Creek Church Road to permit motor vehicle sales, restricting cars to 15, requiring hard surfacing, underground drainage and banning on‑site repairs after neighbors submitted hundreds of signatures opposing the use.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6090637,"Walton County approves rezoning for parrot breeder with conditions after neighbor objections",2243,1331000,3574000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95&start=1331&end=3574","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2866168-b54020f050168060a113425bb53d0b95/thumbnail_1331000.jpg","/articles/6090637/Walton-County/Georgia/Walton-County-approves-rezoning-for-parrot-breeder-with-conditions-after-neighbor-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6090637-228a4e661802e6fb935cf042d79ee6b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771014547&Signature=gywaSE2I8S~iX1x-PsctsWfJSH0Gy0PolTO2Osp3HgaF-3Cl4No~We1jKhtyHuFKAF6~dgYAvLjYbLHdxoXFuJ2tdv3WU0zSyGP~ZUSZqxyVhzFCxPGUx~xuhM9Wb13ifNpYr97QHSqFDEVJn9Ir7tNwJEtUqf30v3NcBVM3Tl-w~yig76uHh0Bf12ceARJXRJEJ3uB4S2pWaAQuwg67RTlSZ65muSUCY8TwN8xCULchH73ZItHXLKWrwKluC6c9Ni0GWfSh8coUUtyG6bsgiAkmz0La4BFj39KmlxEnSTi1X9unSxwdS-Z~-AWk4HxGCTq8aTzeyI4W7lf75HyX3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Walton County commissioners approved a rezoning request for 2435 Daniel Cemetery Road on a motion after a public hearing and discussion, allowing the owner to breed and wholesale small parrots under specific conditions.

The applicant, Igor Mitrovic, asked the commission to rezone 6.63 acres from A1 (agricultural) to a use that would permit raising and selling pet parrots wholesale. “I am here tonight to request your approval for my rezoning from A1 to A, so that I can raise pet parrots, for sale for, to obtain a business license from the county,” Mitrovic said during his presentation, and he showed photographs and described climate-controlled housing for many of the birds.

The rezoning matter drew several neighboring residents to speak in opposition, citing noise, light, and water-quality concerns and alleging onsite trash and dead birds near a creek. Robert Connerly, a neighbor, said he had heard birds on his property and worried about property values. Matt Dietzel, who lives roughly 600 feet from the site, told the board he had observed up to 800 birds on-site and alleged animal carcasses and dumped bird food bags near an on-site creek; he asked the commission to investigate potential impacts on downstream water.

Dr. Elizabeth Mackey, the avian veterinarian who inspects the operation for USDA purposes, spoke in support of Mitrovic’s husbandry and clarified the permitted animal count. “His currently licensed number is 1,650,” Dr. Mackey said, describing that USDA-issued limits are species-specific and that inspectors can recommend changes based on species and facility conditions. She also told the board that the birds are diurnal and should not be noisy at night if husbandry practices are proper.

After discussion, the board voted to approve the rezoning subject to a set of conditions derived from the planning commission’s recommendation and additional restrictions spelled out at the meeting. The conditions outlined by the motion (as read into the record) include: approval of the reduced setbacks/variance requested at planning commission; a cap on the number of birds not to exceed 1,650 at any given time (matching the USDA authorization cited by the applicant’s veterinarian); rezoning limited to the specific use requested; removal/cleanup of an on-site dump pile in a timely manner; downward-directed exterior lighting with cut-off hours (lighting off at 8 p.m. during months when it grows dark later and at 6 p.m. when nights are longer, per the board’s readback); installation of additional sound barriers along the side of the property nearest objecting neighbors; and submission of a retroactive building permit for structures already constructed without a permit.

The applicant said many structures are permitted (e.g., Building 6 and the slab were inspected) and that other existing pole-barn–type structures predated his purchase. Mitrovic acknowledged he inherited an old trash pile from the prior owner and said he has bids to haul it away; he also told commissioners he had posted no-dumping signs and offered to provide camera footage to show lights are not on overnight. He said he operates under USDA oversight and that many buildings are climate-controlled to meet animal welfare standards.

The board’s motion added requirements about limiting further development on the parcel and emphasized compliance with county building and zoning permits. The motion carried; the board’s announcement recorded that the item “passes” after the vote.

Why this matters: the decision balances property‑rights and small‑business activity against neighborhood quality‑of‑life and environmental concerns. Commissioners cited the planning commission’s prior review and USDA oversight in framing conditions. The county’s permit and inspection processes will be the primary enforcement path for numerical limits and welfare standards.

Next steps: the applicant must secure any required retroactive permits, comply with the cleanup and lighting conditions, and remain within the authorized bird-count cap. If the USDA permit or species mix changes materially, staff and the board said such changes should be reported to the county and may require follow-up review.

Ending: Staff confirmed the planning commission had recommended approval with conditions; the commission’s action concluded the public hearing and established the listed conditions as part of the rezoning approval.","The Board of Commissioners approved a rezoning request for 2435 Daniel Cemetery Road to permit the commercial breeding and wholesale sale of small parrots, imposing conditions on setbacks, bird counts, lighting, cleanup and retroactive permits after residents raised noise, waste and water concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves several routine rezonings and administrative items; summary of votes

Bio‑digester discussion draws dozens to Walton County meeting; no application yet but residents urge ordinance change

Commission approves small used‑car lot along Gum Creek Church Road with conditions after heavy neighborhood opposition

Walton County approves rezoning for parrot breeder with conditions after neighbor objections