Coweta County commissioners approve alcohol licenses, road work supplements and new ordinance on indigent remains

Coweta County Board of Commissioners on March 4 approved multiple business and infrastructure actions, including three alcohol licenses, a supplemental resurfacing addition to the Sullivan Road project, a five-year lease for radio-tower space with Coweta-Fayette EMC and an ordinance adding a new Chapter 27 to the county Code of Ordinances to govern indigent and unclaimed remains.

The board voted unanimously on routine and contractual items that county staff described as necessary to complete ongoing road work, clarify county meeting procedures and codify long-standing coroner practices. Several applicants for alcohol licenses attended the public hearings and the board approved those licenses with the conditions recommended by staff.

Staff business-license associate Joy Thompson told the board that applicants must obtain final approvals from the Georgia Department of Revenue, the Coweta County Fire Marshal, Coweta County Environmental Health and Coweta County Community Development and must open within six months. The board approved: a consumption (distilled spirits, beer and wine) license for Habee's Mexican Restaurants LLC at 34 Cheslehurst Road in the Senoia area; a packaged beer-and-wine license for Publix Super Market #1890 at 4957 E. Highway 34 in Sharpsburg; and a packaged beer-and-wine application for Raymond Express at 2388 E. Highway 16 in Newnan (an ownership change). Each approval carried the staff-recommended conditions and the requirement that final agency signoffs be obtained.

Public works staff said the Sullivan Road project near Oak Hill Boulevard currently leaves an approximately 1,150-foot gap to State Route 34. Public Works Director Mr. Hanley described a supplemental agreement to mill and resurface that gap so the entire corridor would have new pavement at once rather than returning later to rehabilitate a short section. Hanley said the contractor submitted a lower price for thinner milling ($7–$7.35 per square yard) than the contract’s variable-depth milling line item, and that the project is running about $100,000 under budget; adding the work will bring total contract value close to the original estimate. Commissioners approved the supplemental agreement.

County attorney Mr. Fouts outlined a first amendment to a 2022 agreement with the City of Chattahoochee Hills and private developers related to Serenby transportation improvements. Staff said the amendment lets the county contract for both a developer-funded left-turn lane and a county-funded site-distance improvement at the Tommy Lee Cook/Cedar Ridge Road area to avoid overlapping work; the developer will fund the portion of the left-turn lane described in the agreement. The board approved the amendment.

The board approved an intergovernmental agreement with Coweta-Fayette EMC permitting the utility to lease antenna/equipment space on the county’s public safety radio tower in Moreland. County staff said EMC will pay $500 per month to offset tower operations and maintenance, be responsible for installing and maintaining its equipment, and must comply with FCC regulations if any interference occurs. The proposed term is five years with successive five-year renewal options.

On policy, the board adopted an amendment to the county rules governing commission meetings (procedural language about public speakers), and voted to add Chapter 27 to the Coweta County Code of Ordinances to formalize the county’s practice for financial assistance for cremation of indigent decedents and procedures for disposition of unclaimed remains. County staff said the ordinance mostly codifies existing procedures the coroner follows and that there is no new fiscal impact; county staff estimated the county has seen about one indigent-burial or indigent-cremation request per month in recent years as the county has grown.

Other administrative votes included execution of quitclaim deeds to convey previously abandoned right-of-way at East Kimball Street and a small parcel associated with First Street in the East Newnan Cotton Mill area (the First Street parcel is 0.06 acres, per staff), rights-of-entry approvals tied to storm-drain and culvert replacements along Sutton Drive and Winchester Drive, and authorization to set a public hearing in April on a proposed abandonment of a portion of Wood Drive. Public works described the Sutton Drive work as replacing an existing 24-inch crosspipe and possibly upsizing to a 36-inch culvert; the Winchester Drive work will replace corroded corrugated metal with reinforced concrete pipe (a triple arrangement with two 60-inch side pipes and a 72-inch center pipe for the main flow).

The board also approved the fifth annual Tour of Coweta bike ride to use county roads on March 29. Staff said the Newnan Rotary Club filed the application and a certificate of insurance; the event was expected to draw up to 400 participants but was trending closer to 200 at the time of the meeting. Staff said signage and advance notifications to impacted residents and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office will be provided.

A supplemental nonagenda item approved an agreement with Wide Open West (WOW) to provide Ethernet service to county fuel site No. 3 at 609 Corinth Road. Staff said the site is shared with the school system and water authority; the internet connection supports remote pump monitoring and monthly reporting and staff recommends the expense be billed to all three entities. County staff noted the Ethernet/electronics are housed in an equipment building about 30 yards from the pumps.

During the public-comment period Laura Cobb, a resident of District 2 representing the Citizens for Rural Coweta County, spoke about the proposed Atlas data-center project and the regional development-review process. Cobb asked, “How does Atlas guarantee there will be no water contamination to occur, especially with residential wells in danger?” and raised questions about water consumption, zoning changes from conservation land and the project’s capital capacity. County staff clarified that a separate regional methodology meeting (a regional partners’ review) was scheduled to refine the scope of the development-of-regional-impact (DRI) traffic and resource studies and that that process is distinct from a local public hearing.

The meeting concluded with unanimous votes on the listed items and the board adjourned.

Votes at a glance - Approval: Consumption distilled-spirits/beer/wine license — Habee's Mexican Restaurants LLC (34 Cheslehurst Road). Approved with staff conditions (final agency signoffs; open within six months). - Approval: Packaged beer-and-wine license — Publix Super Market #1890 (4957 E. Highway 34). Approved with staff conditions. - Approval: Packaged beer-and-wine license (ownership change) — Raymond Express (2388 E. Highway 16). Approved with staff conditions. - Approval: Supplemental Agreement No. 2 — Sullivan Road resurfacing to close ~1,150-foot gap; includes milling, additional traffic control and paving under existing contract. Approved unanimously. - Approval: First amendment — Serenby transportation improvements agreement (allows county to contract and developer to fund left-turn-lane portion). Approved unanimously. - Approval: Intergovernmental agreement — Coweta-Fayette EMC lease of antenna space on county tower; $500/month, five-year term with renewals. Approved unanimously. - Approval: Ordinance adoption — Add Chapter 27 (Indigent and Unclaimed Remains) to Coweta County Code of Ordinances. Approved unanimously. - Approval: Quitclaim deeds and conveyances — East Kimball Street and First Street (0.06 acres) conveyances to adjoining property owners. Approved unanimously. - Approval: Rights-of-entry and temporary closures — Sutton Drive culvert replacement (24" → 36" potential), Winchester Drive large-pipe replacement (72" center with 60" sides), 290 Richmond Place storm drain maintenance. Approved unanimously. - Approval: Tour of Coweta bike ride — county-road use on March 29; fully supported event; insurance provided. Approved unanimously. - Approval: Agreement with Wide Open West (WOW) — Ethernet service for fuel site No. 3 (609 Corinth Road); expense to be billed to county, school system and water authority. Approved unanimously.

(Staff presented each item with conditions or technical clarifications as noted; where the transcript records only a unanimous voice vote the board recorded the motion as carried unanimously.)

Ending The board scheduled a public hearing in April on the proposed Wood Drive abandonment and adjourned after approving the listed routine and contractual matters.