[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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],{"_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",6170679,"mediaKeyId","5397363-715803e4253b005cfffb718e9cf4e6de","parentId",5397363,"title","Planning commission continues subdivision-code overhaul; schedules Aug. 12 work session","audioSeconds",805,"startMs",2350000,"endMs",3155000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5397363-715803e4253b005cfffb718e9cf4e6de&start=2350&end=3155","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5397363-715803e4253b005cfffb718e9cf4e6de/thumbnail_2350000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6170679/Upson-County/Georgia/Planning-commission-continues-subdivision-code-overhaul-schedules-Aug-12-work-session","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170679-7ea7ed59d9fd4f4ceccae8de91bf7bf4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773304787&Signature=gwn7uZnyBwLZnzc8xCeFeTtI7iCQ69BZzi0ehDOEgJqQ~EX-pVkTdE8~7IAd3UrL9NmiBxtUIg4EyR8E6SgaA3vjHdWJJ~a9s3BL9kwF7J3MzzkOw-~7pIeH6gUj3xfJoO99tiJyAOzex83bholOru9Ic7s8UI1twQFKmGsv0Q9zFuRBZNxwgfaAaVuu7QlveTjZqJhSaiMRfptUhzUTGw-VfmjNaVf-4TPWGvHinNNdlBEqHrWCMwH-xt~DL1ozhG7~2763MA3TTYDiv-ay4CpDLxVdSWNwXdxDWUXC9AS7TpCrbZFGy1Atp~TaMADbwLucQ1EFVOQTOXvR1uT9QQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-15T10:29:59Z","article","The Upson County Planning and Zoning Commission continued its public hearing on broad proposed amendments to the subdivision ordinance and scheduled a work session for 9 a.m. on Aug. 12 to advance the draft.

Commissioners spent substantial time discussing accessory dwelling units (ADUs), lot-size thresholds for AR and other residential zones, and how ADU rules differ across district types. A resident raised concerns that proposed ADU language would remove a prior prohibition on renting ADUs and noted that the draft treated AR (agriculture/residential) differently from R-1 and R-2 districts — for example, the existing code roofed guest-quarters distance of 200 feet in AR was under review for reduction to 20–40 feet in some proposed edits.

Planning staff said the 200-foot provision for guest quarters in AR had produced significant public pushback and that the current draft aims to set nearer distances to make ADUs usable for elder-care or family purposes; staff also said the rental prohibition in earlier drafts was struck because enforcing a no-rent restriction is difficult in practice. Commissioners discussed other potential changes raised during a county-commission meeting, including increasing minimum lot size in AR to two to five acres, raising ADU maximum square footage to about 1,400 square feet in some cases, and linking ADU size to the principal house size.

The commission also discussed proposed changes regarding private/internal roads for subdivisions, flag lots (with the group generally favoring removing flag lots except by special exception for hardship cases), water access requirements for larger subdivisions, and limits on serial lot splits. Commissioners said they plan an in-depth work session — open to the public but with the county commission members able to attend only as audience members if a quorum is present — to refine the draft ordinance text.

The commission set a work session for Aug. 12 at 9 a.m., preferably at the New Justice Center; staff will confirm room availability and notify the public. The public hearing remains open.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Upson County Planning Commission - 07/14/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The commission continued a multi-session public hearing on proposed subdivision ordinance amendments, discussed accessory-dwelling-unit (ADU) rules, lot-size and private-road changes, and set a public work session for Aug. 12 at 9 a.m. to continue drafting revisions.","taxTitle","Upson County, Georgia","taxId",28667,"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},6170682,"Planning commission approves Clark Chapel’s multipurpose building request with conditions",828,1462000,2290000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5397363-715803e4253b005cfffb718e9cf4e6de&start=1462&end=2290","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5397363-715803e4253b005cfffb718e9cf4e6de/thumbnail_1462000.jpg","/articles/6170682/Upson-County/Georgia/Planning-commission-approves-Clark-Chapels-multipurpose-building-request-with-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170682-312da2b8a35326b9f0687d1f12512b3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773304787&Signature=cmzxdpf~fqxF-zxqgDRDX5bESrCU-6W6WetiYoBDMBMy4P8kA05oxNY1GDuhAVowg47zGIEwSIch~DE8GFkw2wQi5UWF7SZ1q6z~S-Ol8UFU2YBJQJuECfOEksGTTqfRrqvyaLhKzT5~-bHyc8leStGM9mvloo8L2qaGdVKaC~yJPpKPb4ymOLNX9KhG2LJEv-jSs0OpOoiz9GtkVi01uX2b5A~ZJzB4SA5nTxvub8pUNtrJUlZM18GirOMbNxxo8Xjo~S2xhlVl52-a3CnFcfmE8OYbkimuh5A1M8R1hb5~0PAiMMWlbC~uhW-RQinfo6w9nqKewnOB8hJ6dtKfjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Upson County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval, with conditions, of a special-exception request from Clark Chapel Baptist Church to construct a multipurpose building at 176 Mathis Lake Road.

Staff told the commission that the 2.8-acre parcel is zoned AR and not in a special flood hazard area. Bill Seram Asama, the planning department intern who presented the staff report, said the structure would support youth programs, church events and homecomings and that setbacks, parking and traffic controls were included in the submitted materials. Staff recommended conditions including site-plan approval, maximum occupancy limits, parking calculations, ingress/egress plans, noise and hours-of-operation restrictions, compliance with applicable codes, prohibiting commercial use and requiring a building permit within six months of Board of Commissioners approval and certificate of occupancy within 36 months.

No members of the public signed up to speak for or against the request. Commissioners asked whether an occupancy figure was locked in by the building-permit submittal; staff said the building-permit application had been submitted and would govern some numbers but that a complete site plan and final plans could change occupancy and parking calculations. Commissioners approved the request with the staff’s recommended conditions; the item will move to the Upson County Board of Commissioners for final action and staff asked the applicant to submit final site plans prior to that hearing.

Commissioners emphasized that the approval is a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners and that the applicant must supply a full site plan before the board meeting. Staff noted that the building permit was submitted before planning review, which triggered the special-exception review because the proposed structure is on property separate from the church’s primary parcel.","The commission recommended approval, with conditions, of a special exception for a multipurpose building on 2.8 acres associated with Clark Chapel Baptist Church; no public opposition was recorded and final approval goes to the Board of Commissioners.",{"_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},6170689,"Upson planning panel recommends denying ATVs at private event venue on 10.25-acre property",1331,130000,1461000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5397363-715803e4253b005cfffb718e9cf4e6de&start=130&end=1461","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5397363-715803e4253b005cfffb718e9cf4e6de/thumbnail_130000.jpg","/articles/6170689/Upson-County/Georgia/Upson-planning-panel-recommends-denying-ATVs-at-private-event-venue-on-1025-acre-property","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170689-945c8694f9f18c088821e68947f774fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1773304787&Signature=VsustlBQnngRVeGaBRPxHEjzbnJkO7acX7hG-7W5imEJOHXekD-uyVX8iDvdSTwvdUE5w1QPl3BsTh5Pb8EENWYQXnwbcMf8uBfKGUygNs0a14ziHnbSmH8t80vE~fH~ohdJVlvf9aSlQJthVVG81UGAY3z9qhXEISNG3QTNbOZI5aMJOO4myptyn~zAxX0ScYbDEIg24~T65pBvsvtnLyhx9esu7y9NEWCg1eml-isVkXaMlxPG18kC2effMk80fFc2Rrr7tVbOUMx3xmde0-pNloT~tU~VjaM2NLO4Iaap7xBUfWB89IM3gv~Hx4~lgVyJppGNqsn2HiceNh119A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Upson County Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-0 to recommend denial of a request to add ATV activities to an existing indoor-outdoor special-event venue at 536 Gordon School Road.

The applicant, property owner Willard “Willie” Fuller, asked the commission to modify a previously approved special exception (SPX202503) to allow ATVs on a 10.25-acre parcel zoned AR (agriculture/residential). Bill Seram Asama, an Auburn University graduate student interning with the county building and zoning department, presented the staff analysis and recommended conditions that would apply if the commission approved the change.

Staff told the commission that, under the State of Georgia special-exception criteria, ATV use could be compatible only if carefully limited and enforced; otherwise it could be “contrary to the purpose of the zoning ordinance” because ATVs can produce elevated levels of noise, dust and traffic that conflict with nearby residential and agricultural uses. Seram Asama also reported that staff found a small cemetery on the property during the field inspection.

Seram Asama outlined the staff-recommended conditions that would be required if ATVs were allowed: limiting ATV use to guided recreational riding only (no racing, competitions or exhibitions); a written safety guide requiring helmets and protective gear, age restrictions and basic training; clearly marked riding areas set away from adjacent residential property lines and designed to minimize noise and dust; coordination with the Lincoln Park Volunteer Fire Department and local emergency medical services; and restricted hours of operation (recommended 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.). The staff memo also noted that approval could trigger occupational tax, building and land-disturbance permits.

At the public hearing, Fuller described typical users as neighbors’ children who ride on his land and said he does not intend to operate a commercial ATV park. “Most people come down there just the neighbor’s kid,” Fuller said, adding that he usually stops riders when it gets dark and that he would not charge for casual use. Neighbors and commissioners raised concerns about the potential for open, unscheduled riding versus restricted use during hosted events.

Commissioners questioned whether allowing weekend, open riding would effectively create an ATV park and emphasized the difficulty of enforcing restrictions if the site were open to general public riding. One commissioner said the property is predominantly residential and that the added activity could negatively affect nearby residents. After discussion the commission moved to deny the requested modification; the motion to deny carried 5-0.

The planning commission’s denial is a recommendation to the Upson County Board of Commissioners. Planning staff and the applicant noted the item will appear before the board at a future meeting; the applicant was told the next step is the Board of Commissioners hearing (the applicant was instructed to appear before the board on the scheduled date). The planning commission record states the denial was based on the special-exception criteria and the perceived off-site impacts described by staff and public comment.","The Upson County Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-0 to recommend denial of a request to add all-terrain-vehicle (ATV) activities to an existing special-event venue at 536 Gordon School Road, citing potential noise, dust, traffic and safety impacts. Staff had recommended approval with conditions if the board chose to allow ATVs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning commission continues subdivision-code overhaul; schedules Aug. 12 work session

Planning commission approves Clark Chapel’s multipurpose building request with conditions

Upson planning panel recommends denying ATVs at private event venue on 10.25-acre property