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Planning staff reviews multiple rezoning and conditional‑use requests; several recommended for approval
Summary
Pickens County planning staff presented a slate of rezoning and conditional‑use applications — including small parcel ER conversions, event‑space uses and a proposed 7‑lot estate residential subdivision — giving staff recommendations and reporting planning commission votes.
Planning staff presented six applications in a work‑session overview; the board reviewed staff recommendations and the planning commission’s prior votes.
The cases included small rezones to estate residential (ER), a requested rezone from rural residential (RR) to suburban residential (SR) that staff recommended denying, two conditional‑use applications for event venues, and a re‑submission seeking estate residential for a combined parcel to allow a seven‑lot subdivision.
Staff summarized each application and the planning commission recommendation as follows:
- RZ190909 (parcel 002001007, 119 Inland Drive): Applicant sought to rezone a 1‑acre portion from AG to ER to combine with an adjoining ER parcel; staff recommended approval with the condition that the 1‑acre be combined with parcel 002001013; the planning commission recommended approval 6–0.
- Parcel 034084204 (Grace Padgett on behalf of James Dean): Staff recommended denial of rezoning 2.2 acres from RR to SR because staff said approval would conflict with the comprehensive plan and the area’s rural residential character; the planning commission vote was recorded as 4–2 in favor of the planning commission’s recommendation to deny (transcript phrasing: “4 in favor to oppose to recommend denial”).
- Conditional Use 190908 (Poole’s Farm LLC, parcels 051003 and related): Applicant requested conditional‑use approval to use ~367 acres for events including Jeepfest, paintball and model‑airplane events; staff recommended approval with conditions requiring coordination on safety protocols, parking requirements and applicable code compliance; the planning commission recommended approval 6–0.
- Kevin and Karen Smith (parcel 065010, 20 acres): Applicant requested a conditional‑use permit for a small event venue (farm tours, cooking classes, yoga, limited special events). Staff recommended approval with detailed conditions that included specific hours, participant limits, a cap on farm tours and special‑event scheduling (for example, cooking classes Saturdays 11 a.m.–1 p.m., max 12 participants, twice a month; yoga 5:30–6:45 p.m., max 20 attendees, once a month; vintage market days in October on a single Thursday–Saturday weekend); the planning commission recommended approval 6–0.
- RZ190911 (Brandon and Brett Rollin, parcels 018030 and 018030004): Applicant requested combining roughly 36.6 acres, rezoning from AG/RR to ER to permit a seven‑lot subdivision; staff recommended approval and cited consistency with the future land‑use map and the comprehensive plan’s encouragement of low‑density development; planning commission recommendation was recorded in staff comments and no opposition was reported.
Staff said applicants provided many of the proposed conditions (for example the Smith family’s hours and participant limits were self‑imposed) and noted that neighbors who supported or opposed each application had opportunity to appear before the planning commission; staff reported that no opposition was registered at the commission hearing for the Smith property.
Several commissioners asked clarifying questions about access and road condition for event uses; staff said access was by easement and deemed sufficient by site visits. The items are scheduled to return as voting items at the commission’s May 22 meeting.
