Planning commission recommends denial of rezoning and conditional use for vegetative debris processing site on Highway 119

Bullock County planning commissioners on Aug. — recommended denial of an application by Jason Dunn to rezone 23.78 acres at 276 Highway 119 North from AG-5 (agriculture) to heavy industrial and separately recommended denial of a conditional-use permit to operate a vegetative-debris processing facility on the same site. The planning commission vote was 2-1 to recommend denial on both items; the requests will be considered by the Board of Commissioners on Sept. 2 at 5:30 p.m. in this room at 115 North Main Street.

Why it mattered: The applicant said the site would be used to temporarily store tree and vegetative debris until a horizontal grinder is brought to the property to process material, then remove the resulting mulch. Neighbors and county staff expressed concern about increased truck traffic, noise, odors, runoff into the Black Creek watershed and limited local fire protection. The fire department told the commission the area lacks pressurized water and is a “class 10” zone, outside five…