Commission hears forceful opposition to Parker's Kitchen rezoning near Burnt Church Cemetery; vote deferred 30 days

Chair (Speaker 1) opened a public hearing on a second-reading rezoning request for roughly 3.83 acres at Highway 144 and Belfast River Road, described by staff as a proposal to rezone the parcel from A-5 agricultural to B-2 general commercial for a Parker's Kitchen convenience store. Planning staff reported the planning commission had recommended denial while county staff recommended approval with conditions including payment for a traffic impact study, a requirement to provide onsite septic plans if public sewer is not currently viable, mandatory future connection to county sewer when available, and a 15-foot undisturbed vegetative buffer along the driveway adjacent to Burnt Church Cemetery.

The meeting drew extensive public comment from long-time residents, members of Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church and cemetery caretakers. Sue Turner, clerk of session for Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church, said the congregation did not learn of the rezoning until after the planning commission review and asked the board to deny the request to protect the cemetery. Rodney Denmark raised safety and environmental worries, citing the roundabout's traffic, possible vibrations and flooding risks and the potential for spills and vandalism. Hugh Hardy, who helps operate the cemetery committee, said the cemetery is 195 years old and described roughly 1,117 lots currently laid out and available for sale; he said the cemetery is funded by lot sales and warned rezoning would “destroy our cemetery.” Deanna (Diana) Hardy read a prepared statement calling the cemetery a sacred place and said noise and commercial activity would permanently harm its quiet and value for the grieving.

Daniel Ben Israel, real-estate development manager for Parker's Kitchen, acknowledged community concerns and said the company would work to address them. He told the board Parker's would accept the staff conditions, install the proposed vegetative buffer, consider a privacy fence along the cemetery line and evaluate archaeological or ground-penetrating-radar surveys if needed. On technical points, company representatives said the site’s traffic impact analysis estimated roughly 1,283 daily trips and that GDOT approvals for driveway location would be required; they also described options to redesign detention (including underground detention) to free area for a septic drain field if sewer is not available.

Speakers who asked the board to deny or delay approval emphasized three recurring themes: the cemetery’s historic and emotional significance to local families, existing drainage and flooding problems that they say could worsen with new pavement, and public-safety concerns for access into and out of the roundabout area. Several speakers asked the board to require additional studies before approving any rezoning, including a current traffic study, stormwater/drainage analysis and a ground-penetrating radar archeological survey.

After public comment concluded and the board returned to regular session, a commissioner moved to defer the Drake/Drayton Parker rezoning item for 30 days to gather additional information and respond to public concerns. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote, making the deferral the board’s formal action on the item. The board did not adopt or deny the rezoning at this meeting; staff and applicants are expected to work with stakeholders and produce any requested studies or revisions ahead of the next hearing.

Why it matters: The Burnt Church Cemetery is a historic, active burial ground maintained by the Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church committee. Residents and caretakers stressed the cemetery’s age, the number of graves and lots, and the special value of the site for mourning and remembrance. Commissioners framed the deferral as an opportunity to gather information and to balance property-rights considerations with neighborhood preservation and public-safety obligations.

The board deferred the item for 30 days; the commission will revisit the rezoning when additional information requested by public speakers and the board is available.