On Nov. 20 the Spalding County Board of Commissioners approved a package of zoning text amendments and second readings intended to update procedures and establish baseline standards for emerging land uses.

Key actions included: reconstituting the Board of Appeals into a Planning & Appeals Commission (transferring certain duties and variance procedures consistent with House Bill 1405); amendments to Article 4 clarifying general procedures and urban proximity overlay standards that govern development adjacent to Griffin; adoption of a noise‑abatement ordinance amendment tightening amplification rules for event centers; and a baseline data‑center ordinance that adds requirements such as a closed‑loop water system, utility‑availability letters and an acoustic noise study where applicable.

Planning staff briefed the board on how the changes align with recent state law, the transfer of quasi‑judicial variance review and the mapping of the urban proximity overlay. Commissioners debated whether standalone variances should continue to come to elected officials or be handled by the new commission; the board opted to adopt the reorganization while retaining the option to refine the appeals/variance pipeline on subsequent ordinance revisions.

All text amendments presented for second reading carried on voice/hand votes recorded as unanimous (5–0). Staff said additional housekeeping amendments in the code will follow to update references to the Board of Appeals across the ordinances.