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Commissioners approve Summit Tree rezoning and allow air‑curtain burning for debris with conditions
Summary
The board rezoned 43.44 acres formerly in the Habersham PUD to AR‑1 for Summit Tree and Land Solutions and approved a conditional use for the tree‑service business with a 50‑foot vegetative buffer and a modified burning condition allowing air‑curtain burners or mulching.
The Liberty County Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 2 to rezone 43.44 acres on Luke Road (former Habersham PUD) to AR‑1 agricultural residential to permit operations for Summit Tree and Land Solutions, a locally owned tree‑service business operated by Dustin Futch. The board also approved a conditional use for on‑site operations and storm‑debris staging subject to conditions recommended by the planning commission and modified by the board.
Jeff Rickerson, Liberty County planning staff, said the parcel’s size and location make AR‑1 compatible with the county comprehensive plan and that LCPC recommended approval with standard conditions and two special conditions for the conditional use: a 50‑foot vegetative buffer around the business perimeter and a prohibition on on‑site burning. Rickerson noted portions of the parcel lie in a flood hazard area but said there is upland ground suitable for the proposed use.
Marcus Saks, representing MSAC Engineering and the applicant, said the on‑site debris is primarily generated by the applicant’s clearing work and is permitted to be burned in some circumstances, while off‑site debris would more appropriately be chipped or converted to firewood for sale. Saks told the board the applicant is willing to accept a 50‑foot buffer and proposed that if burning is allowed it be limited to an air‑curtain burner. “He’s willing to entertain if there needs to be some type of East End storage facility after a storm,” Saks said, and added the applicant could operate the business as a private service or under an agreement with the county.
Commissioners debated the burning restriction and mulching as alternatives. One commissioner moved to follow LCPC’s standard conditions and the recommended special conditions but modified the burning prohibition to allow burning only with an air‑curtain burner or require mulching for debris removal. That motion was seconded and approved by the board.
The conditional use approval includes: a required 50‑foot vegetative buffer around the perimeter of the tree‑service site and an allowance for burning only if it is performed with an approved air‑curtain burner (or if material is mulched) and in compliance with state and local environmental regulations. Planning staff noted additional site‑specific permits and a conditional‑use review will apply to the operation.
What happens next: The applicant will be required to submit site and building plans for review; the conditional‑use conditions and any state permits for burning must be satisfied before expanded operations commence.
