Commission tables county-initiated return of East Griffin property to Mill Village overlay after owner cites health, requests time

The Planning Commission voted to table a county-initiated proposal to restore the Mill Village Overlay (MVO) designation to a former industrial/tire-sales property in East Griffin that had previously been removed from the overlay.

Background and owner’s account Staff said the Board of Commissioners had previously conveyed an intent that the overlay be restored to the property if the development approved in 2023 did not proceed. Marshall Lucas, who owns the parcel, told the commission he has spent roughly $403,000 trying to prepare the site and that a series of health setbacks — he described multiple strokes — prevented him from completing required improvements. Lucas said he would like more time and assistance to finish the project; he told the commission he will work with prospective partners to complete work if given a chance.

Public concerns and legal questions A number of community members and prospective partners spoke. Randall Kane and others said they would help finish site cleanup and asked the commission for eight months to a year to complete the promised improvements, including a sprinkler system and building rehabilitation. Opponents and observers raised legal and procedural questions. Stefan Paulhus, who said he owns property in the overlay and reviewed county code, asked why certain map changes and the official map entry described in Article 23 of the Spalding County Code were not publicly available or signed and sealed for the period after 2021; he urged the commission to ensure the record and maps are complete before any action affecting other property owners.

Staff position and commission action Planning staff reported conversations with Lucas's representatives and the county fire marshal that indicated Lucas is ill and that a prospective sale might be forthcoming. Staff recommended returning the parcel to the Mill Village Overlay per the Board of Commissioners’ previously stated preference. Commissioners and staff discussed the long history of the site — including prior conditions placed on the property when it was previously removed from the overlay, the presence of tires and code-enforcement actions, and the practical difficulties of converting the structure to residential use.

After discussion the commission voted to table the overlay-restoration item and gave the applicant, prospective partners and county staff time to pursue cleanup, clarify the project timeline and provide additional documentation; the item was set to return to the commission in October. Commissioners said they want to see a clearer plan and timeline from prospective purchasers or partners and directed staff to provide historical documentation about the map and Ordinance actions as requested by public commenters.

Next steps The item will be continued to the October meeting so the applicant, prospective buyers and staff can coordinate a proposed timeline for construction, safety improvements (including sprinkler system work) and any transfer of ownership. If the commission later recommends the overlay be restored, that recommendation would go to the Board of Commissioners for final action; if the overlay is restored, the site’s allowable uses would be substantially more residential and limited compared with the underlying C-2 commercial/industrial zoning the site currently carries.