Commissioners approve rezoning, conditional use permit, park design amendment, water procurement and accountability court grant applications

Newton County commissioners voted unanimously on multiple items Feb. 4, approving a conditional use permit for an adult day center, rezoning a property on Access Road to light industrial, authorizing long-lead-item purchases tied to Cornish Creek upgrades, approving a park design amendment, and authorizing grant applications for accountability courts.

Votes at a glance

- Conditional use permit CUP24-000012 (adult day care at 3615 Salem Road, units 1-3): Motion to approve by Commissioner Kevin Mason; second by Commissioner Edwards. Vote: 5-0. Staff recommended conditions include fire inspections and state licensing prior to business license release and compliance with Section 5-10-220 of the Newton County zoning ordinance.

- Rezoning REZ24-000010 (1575 Access Road, 2.83 acres, from General Commercial to M-1 Light Industrial): Motion to approve by Commissioner Henderson; second by Commissioner Long. Vote: 5-0. The applicant previously obtained a future land use map amendment (FLU24-000003) and the planning commission recommended approval.

- Cornish Creek WTB upgrades (long-lead procurement items; project phase 3; ARPA funding): Motion to authorize purchases presented by James Brown; motion by Commissioner Mason; second by Commissioner Edwards. Vote: 5-0. County staff described the project as an upgrade of the Cornish Creek facility from 25 million to approximately 39.5 million gallons per day capacity and requested advance procurement of long-lead equipment to keep the project on schedule. Staff said using the county to purchase some items could produce about $1.3 million in tax savings and that the phase 3 contract is roughly $29 million (verbal description: "a little over $29,000,000"). ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds were cited as the intended source for the work.

- Southside Park design amendment (Lowe's design amendment / contract amendment to complete park design): Motion by Commissioner Edwards; second by Commissioner Henderson. Vote: 5-0. Staff described the amendment as advancing the project to full design so the county can advertise for construction contracts.

- Accountability court grant applications (Newton County Adult Felony Drug Court and Veterans Court): Judge Ken Wynne presented on behalf of Judge McKamey; motion to authorize applications by Commissioner Edwards; second by Commissioner Mason for item 10 (and seconded by Commissioner Henderson for item 11). Vote on each: 5-0. Commissioners heard that the adult felony drug court and related courts have been designated as model courts and requested permission to apply for FY26 state accountability court grants through the Council of Accountability Court Judges and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council; matching local funds will be required if awarded.

What the board said and staff recommended

Planning staff had recommended approval of the adult day center CUP subject to enumerated conditions including occupancy loads set by the Newton County Fire Marshal, annual fire inspections, proof of state licensing and a disaster preparedness plan, and a requirement that the applicant obtain any required building permits prior to interior construction. The CUP applicant, Kawana Robinson, described the center as offering daytime respite, meals, activities and rehabilitative services for older adults and said the center would operate approximately 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Rezoning applicant John Michael Busch (representing Hickory Real Estate Partners) said the parcel is surrounded by commercial and light industrial uses and that zoning to M-1 would be consistent with adjacent properties. An opponent questioned wetlands and floodplain impacts; the applicant responded the parcel is outside the floodplain and wetlands mitigation bank areas to the south.

Several votes were made with explicit motions and seconders recorded in the transcript; all motions listed above passed unanimously, 5-0.

Formal actions (for the record)

See the actions[] array for motion text, mover/second, and vote tallies for each formal action approved at the meeting.