Commission approves rural-business rezoning for Lumber Company Road property, adds conditions and buffer recommendation

The Pickens County Planning Commission approved RZ191051 on [date not specified], a rezoning request to bring a long-standing business on Lumber Company Road into conformance with current zoning by classifying a 2.98-acre parcel as Rural Business.

Staff explained the parcel had been operating as a grandfathered commercial use and recommended approval with three primary conditions: (1) maintain operational continuity consistent with existing schedules (staff cited Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.), (2) subdivide the lot to separate the business parcel from two rental mobile homes so residential units remain on a rural-residential parcel, and (3) require ongoing collaboration with county staff to ensure compliance and to enable enforcement actions as needed. Charles, the planner, said rezoning would give planning staff "more teeth" to enforce code where issues arise.

The hearing drew significant public opposition focused on noise, traffic safety and the scale of operations. Neighbor Jimmy Keith Moore testified the facility had grown into a manufacturing operation with heavy equipment, loud metal shears and frequent large trucks, calling it "a nuisance to our neighborhood." Other residents described years of intrusive noise and difficulty with 18-wheelers turning onto Lumber Company Road. The applicants and their buyer (Tom Heizer) disputed those characterizations, saying manufacturing has largely decreased in recent years, the business has active licenses, and deliveries are now less frequent; owner John Alco said current operations are primarily assembly and that previously used heavy manufacturing equipment was mostly retired.

After hearing both sides, commissioners voted to approve the rezoning with staff-recommended conditions and additionally recommended the Board of Commissioners consider a landscaping/buffering standard to mitigate noise impacts. The motion and second carried by voice vote.

Next steps: RZ191051 will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners as the Planning Commission's recommendation. Staff will monitor compliance under the attached conditions; neighbors and the applicants were counseled that grandfathered uses cannot be expanded by rezoning but that rezoning provides additional regulatory leverage for enforcement and screening.

Quote: "By going through this process, now we can get involved... and have more teeth to enforce our code," Charles said during discussion of enforcement and buffering.

Ending: The commission closed the hearing and moved on; the Board of Commissioners will receive the recommendation and may accept, modify or deny it per county procedures.