Pickens County commissioners approve Pettit Road abandonment, several rezonings and $878,700 fire-station contract; adopt 2023 electrical code

Pickens County commissioners approved a range of land-use and administrative actions at their April meeting, including a resolution to abandon a portion of Pettit Road, approval of three rezoning requests (one decided by a tie-breaking vote from the chair), award of a construction contract for a new Falcon Rock Fire Station and adoption of the 2023 National Electrical Code.

The board opened and closed public hearings on the Pettit Road abandonment and on several rezoning requests, then moved to formal votes later in the meeting. The Pettit Road resolution — prepared with a quitclaim-style conveyance and showing the county’s mapped portion of Pettit Road adjacent to parcels owned by the Bartellos and Legends of Land LLC — was approved and the chairman was authorized to sign documents to transfer the described portion of road to the adjoining landowners.

Why it matters: the road-abandonment action transfers a mapped stretch of county right-of-way to private owners, which can change access patterns and property maintenance responsibilities; the rezones affect future land use and housing density in named communities; and the fire-station contract moves a capital project into construction planning.

Key actions and context

- Pettit Road abandonment: After a public hearing with no speakers in opposition, commissioners approved a resolution to abandon a highlighted portion of Pettit Road that the county found “ceased to be used by the public.” The resolution includes parcel tax IDs discussed in the packet (041144004, 041144001, 041144002, 041144003) and authorizes the chairman to execute the recorded conveyance documents. Property owners named in the hearing record include Mr. and Mrs. Bartello and Legends of Land LLC. The board also noted that a remaining parcel between the abandonment area and the road’s dead end provides limited access to Salem Church.

- Rezoning decisions: The board handled four zoning items: - RZ190907 (Tim and Tracy Kuleski, 14692 Highway 53 East): Two parcels totaling 17.44 acres were downzoned from Highway Business to Agriculture to permit a single-family dwelling; staff…