Residents raise flooding, utility‑pole signs, zoning and commercial moratorium requests during public comment

At the Jan. 7 Clayton County Board of Commissioners meeting, several residents used the public‑comment period to raise local problems and policy requests for the new board.

Key themes raised by speakers:

- Flooding and property damage: Terry Far (resides off Briar Bay Loop) said her property has flooded repeatedly since she bought it in 2017, that manholes and local infrastructure are causing the problem and that she has been in contact with the Clayton County Water Authority and state elected officials. She said the house remains damp, that three trees have been struck by lightning and that she cannot live in the house in its current condition; she asked county staff to follow up. The chair directed staff (the county COO/COO designee) to have staff speak with her and said the county’s COO team would follow up.

- Illegal signs on utility poles and enforcement: Teresa Talley urged enforcement of laws against placing advertisements on utility poles and utility boxes, describing repeated instances in which signs are posted and code enforcement had previously asked a sign owner to remove them but the signs were replaced. County staff and a commissioner said contractors have been working to remove signs, and staff were asked to follow up with Talley.

- Zoning and moratorium requests: Darlene Johnson asked the board to consider moratoriums on new gas stations, additional car washes, and the expansion of trailer parks countywide. She asked the board to uphold existing moratoriums on certain dollar‑store expansions.

- Concerns about county spending and transparency: Several speakers urged accountability on county spending. Orlando Gooding praised Police Chief Kevin Roberts and credited the department for a reported 23% decrease in crime while also criticizing perceived cronyism and calling for transparency on use of taxpayer dollars. Carol Yancey described an uncomfortable encounter with Commissioner Reed and said she will not be intimidated in making public comments; she also proposed a transportation payroll subsidy concept as a budget‑saving measure.

- Zoning, housing and redevelopment ideas: Mickey Garber urged the board to pursue higher‑density housing and renovation of abandoned properties, arguing that the county should create opportunities to expand its tax base and improve curb appeal.

- Trail maintenance and dog control: Chris Gallagher raised concerns about dog feces and aggressive dogs near a new trail at River’s Edge, and asked for code enforcement involvement.

Ending: Board members and staff responded during and after public comment by directing staff to follow up on individual complaints (flooding, sign removal, trail/dog issues) and by noting which departments would be assigned to respond. Several residents asked for policy changes that would require future agenda items or staff reports (for example, moratoriums on commercial uses), and the board did not take immediate legislative action during public comment.