Commissioners consider quitclaim of 72 acres to development authority with callback option
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Summary
Staff proposed quitclaiming a 72‑acre parcel (partly wetlands) to the development authority for marketing and industrial recruitment; commissioners discussed callback timelines and agreed a 3–5 year development window was reasonable, with several requests to include a five‑year reversion clause if undeveloped.
Appling County staff briefed commissioners on a 72‑acre tract that could be quitclaimed to the local development authority to market for industrial development.
Staff said portions of the tract include wetlands but that roughly 48 acres are dry and potentially usable for industrial access. Commissioners asked whether the county could include a callback provision if the development authority failed to secure a tenant; staff recommended a development horizon of three years but said some industrial projects can take three to five years to materialize.
One staff speaker proposed transferring the property to the development authority "with a callback of 5 years with no development or project." Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to authorize the transfer with that callback provision. The motion was made on the floor; the transcript captures the motion and seconds but does not include a roll‑call tally in the recorded segments.
Why it matters: transferring county‑owned land to the development authority could accelerate marketing to prospective employers and enable use of rail access options, but it reduces direct county control and requires clear reversion language if development does not follow.
Next steps: Staff to prepare the formal quitclaim instrument with the callback language and present it for final action at a subsequent meeting.