Planning commission OKs provisional home occupations for a home bakery and contractor storage

The Columbia County Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 7 recommended approval of two provisional home occupations: a home bakery operating as Augusta's Best Cakes at 5256 Woodland Road and CNS Site Solutions, a contractor storage use at 285 Canterbury Drive.

Planning staff presenter Danielle described the Augusta's Best Cakes proposal as a customary home bakery that requires review because pickups will occur from a trailer adjacent to the house rather than from the house itself. Applicant Erica Caesar told the commission the operation will be by appointment only on Saturdays, with an expectation of three to six pickups per week. Staff recommended approval, and the commission carried the motion to approve the provisional home occupation.

For CNS Site Solutions, Danielle said the business would store equipment such as a skid steer and tractor near the existing residence on a 15-acre parcel; the immediate adjacent parcel is open space and flood plain, and the applicant said business operations would occur off-site. Applicant Caleb Higgins explained that stored equipment would be kept in a pole barn roughly 200 yards from the nearest neighbor and that equipment would be stored on-site only when not in use at a job. Staff recommended approval, and the commission carried the motion.

The commission recorded no substantive public opposition to either item. Both approvals were recommendations to the Board of Commissioners, per the commission's role; the board will consider final action on Aug. 19, 2025.