Upson County adopts 180-day moratorium on subdivisions

The Upson County Board of Commissioners on May 27 adopted a 180-day moratorium on “any and all subdivisions of real property in Upson County, Georgia,” the board announced during its regular meeting.

The resolution, which replaces a 100-day moratorium adopted March 11, 2025, bars the submission, county review, or recording of subdivision plats — including simple splits, minor plats and major subdivision plats — for 180 days while staff and commissioners review and consider revisions to the county’s land-use regulations. The moratorium exempts retracement plats and plats that were submitted to the Building and Zoning Department or recorded prior to the adoption date.

Planning staff read the resolution into the record, saying the county wants to “ensure orderly and sustainable development” and to align local rules with the 2023 joint comprehensive plan for Upson County, Thomaston and the city of Graf. The measure establishes a written-exemption process: property owners who claim they will be “severely prejudiced” by the moratorium may file a written application with supporting documentation for the county manager or designee to place on a future board agenda for consideration. The resolution states county staff will provide only current land‑use and zoning facts for any exemption request and will not make a recommendation.

During the public hearing, resident Chuck Thompson told the board he would like an exception to allow giving “3.7 acres of property to build a house” for a family member and asked that the board consider that type of familial transfer when applying the moratorium. Thompson identified his property and said the parcel is used currently as a horse paddock and pecan grove.

The board voted 5‑0 to adopt the resolution. Commissioners who recorded votes during the roll call were Commissioner Ellington, Commissioner Jones, Commissioner Biggs, Commissioner Watson and Chairman Burton (all recorded “yes”).

The resolution directs county staff and the board to review licensing and subdivision procedures during the moratorium period and to return with any proposed ordinance changes. Property owners with pending plats that were submitted or recorded before the adoption date remain eligible for processing under existing procedures, and the resolution provides a mechanism for owners who contend they have been prejudiced to seek lifting of the moratorium for specific parcels.