Columbia County planning panel backs two massage licenses, a provisional home occupation and two temporary housing authorizations for disaster-relief volunteers

The Columbia County Planning Commission on an evening meeting recommended approval of two massage-operator licenses, a provisional home-occupation permit for Haffec LLC at 555 Catherine Place and two temporary use authorizations to place travel trailers on church property to house disaster-relief volunteers. The commission’s recommendations will be forwarded to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners for final action on Feb. 18, 2025.

The actions center on short-term housing for volunteers helping with disaster recovery and on a small business storage request. Planning staff told the commission both massage-license applicants met the requirements of the county ordinance governing such permits and recommended approval. For the home-occupation request staff said the applicant proposed to use about 40% of an accessory barn for equipment storage, which staff said complies with the square-footage limit for provisional accessory-building storage. Staff recommended approval of the temporary use requests for four travel trailers at each site, noting trailers would be connected to power and to the existing septic systems and that each authorization would be valid for up to one year though the applicants expect to need them roughly five to six months.

The two massage licenses were for Massage Server LLC, listed at 4408 Columbia Road, Suite 106, and Restorative Path Therapy LLC doing business as Solar Therapy at the same address; both were described as providing on-premise and mobile massage services. Planning staff said both applicants met the ordinance requirements for massage operators and recommended the commission approve the licenses.

The provisional home-occupation application was for Haffec LLC at 555 Catherine Place, a property zoned RA (residential). Planning staff described the site layout and said the business would perform property and home-improvement services off site while using part of an existing accessory building to store equipment. Staff said the applicant proposed using approximately 40% of the barn for storage, which keeps the accessory building within the county’s square-footage allowance for provisional home occupations; staff recommended approval and the commission approved the request.

The two temporary use authorizations were separate requests at existing church properties. One parcel at 630 Gibbs Road, zoned S-1, was approved for placement of four travel trailers in the parking area to house volunteers assisting with reconstruction and disaster relief. The second parcel at 5587 Wrightsboro Road, also an S-1 church site, received a similar approval for four travel trailers. Planning staff said each trailer installation would be connected to electric service and the existing septic system; staff described the authorizations as valid for up to one year but noted applicants expect to need them for about five to six months. A representative who spoke for one applicant identified himself as David Burley and said he was representing the applicant who could not attend in person.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes from the Jan. 16, 2025 meeting — approved (motion and second; vote counts not specified in the transcript). - Approval of the meeting agenda — approved (motion and second; vote counts not specified in the transcript). - Massage-operator licenses: Massage Server LLC (4408 Columbia Road, Suite 106) and Restorative Path Therapy LLC d/b/a Solar Therapy (4408 Columbia Road, Suite 106) — recommended for approval to the Board of Commissioners (motion and second; vote counts not specified in the transcript). - Provisional home-occupation: Haffec LLC, 555 Catherine Place — approved by the commission; staff noted ~40% of an accessory barn would be used for equipment storage and recommended approval (motion and second; vote counts not specified in the transcript). - Temporary use authorization: 630 Gibbs Road — approved for placement of four travel trailers for volunteer housing; authorization valid up to one year, applicants expect ~5–6 months on site (motion and second; vote counts not specified in the transcript). - Temporary use authorization: 5587 Wrightsboro Road — approved for placement of four travel trailers for volunteer housing; authorization valid up to one year, applicants expect ~5–6 months on site (motion and second; vote counts not specified in the transcript).

All of the commission’s approvals were recorded with the formula used during the meeting: a motion, a second and the chair saying “All those in favor” before stating the motion carried; the transcript does not record individual board members’ votes or numeric tallies. The commission reminded members of the public that it is a recommending body: final decisions on rezoning and variance requests will be made by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 18, 2025, and those wishing to speak to the board must contact Miss Stoller for a request-to-speak form.

Planning staff characterized anticipated neighborhood impacts as limited; staff noted the home-occupation storage would be internal to the accessory building and that temporary trailer placements would be in parking areas and tied into existing utilities. No members of the public spoke against any of the items during the meeting. The commission adjourned after completing the scheduled items.