Commissioners approve rezoning 34.74 acres to permit 5-acre home lots

Pickens County commissioners approved a rezoning request to change a 34.74‑acre tract from Agricultural to Small Agricultural to permit the creation of lots of about 5 to 9 acres.

The application, presented as RZ190932 and represented by Billy Lamb on behalf of owner David Gaddis, concerns a property on Big Ridge Road identified as parcel 016019. Planning staff recommended approval to allow a small subdivision with lot sizes of five acres or larger. The applicants described proposed homes as "modern cabins," about 2,000 square feet, and said the intent is sale (not rental).

During the hearing, board members asked about road frontage and driveway access; the applicants said each proposed lot would have its own frontage on Big Ridge Road and that wells are likely to be used because county water lines end roughly half a mile away in Damascus. The applicants gave a cost range of $12,000 to $20,000 for a typical well based on prior work, and staff and other participants discussed potential well depth and local groundwater variability.

Staff noted the site is in the rural residential character area and that the rezoning aligns with county guidance for preserving agricultural and low‑intensity rural character. The board accepted staff’s recommendation and approved the rezoning; the chair announced the motion carried. Any subdivision, well drilling or construction will require compliance with county subdivision, water-supply and building requirements.