Residents press county on odors and drainage; Prater's Mill preservation concerns raised
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Summary
Residents from Carbondale and nearby neighborhoods raised sustained complaints about foul odors they attribute to industrial operations at the Carbondale Business Park and about county drainage work allegedly redirecting stormwater onto private property; a local descendant also asked the county to support historic-preservation work at Prater’s Mill.
Multiple residents used the meeting's public-comment periods to press the county on environmental and property impacts.
Richard Holland of Tilton Road told commissioners he continues to smell strong, unpleasant odors he attributes to operations at the Carbondale Business Park (the transcript named Essentia and a related wastewater treatment facility). Holland cited the park27s covenants—specifically provisions he says bar production of odors—and urged the county and the park27s managers to enforce those agreements. He said the odors have caused nausea and affected neighbors' quality of life.
Karen Rolark (Crow Road) presented a lengthy account alleging that county right-of-way work and installation of larger tiles/culverts has redirected stormwater onto her property, creating new ponds and causing damage. She said she had repeatedly reported the issue to public works, requested ditch cleaning, and sought an explanation and corrective action; she produced photographs during her remarks and asked the county to remove or remedy tiles that cross private land.
Sandra Ellis (Camden Way) raised similar odor concerns and asked about the status of the Carbondale Clubhouse (a county-owned property); she said she had contacted the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) about odors and would continue to pursue regulatory engagement.
Teresa Prater Burse, a descendant of the families who built Prater's Mill, presented a copy of Old Mill News featuring Prater's Mill and said that a memorandum of agreement between U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Whitfield County concerning a planned creek realignment may have adverse effects on the historic mill site. She asked for review by the Whitfield County Historic Preservation Commission and further examination of the Historic American Buildings Survey documentation.
County leaders said they have visited the Carbondale Business Park and engaged with the company, and commissioners asked staff to continue outreach and to monitor stormwater concerns; no enforcement action or regulatory determination was announced at the meeting.