Screven County adopts regional solid waste plan and updates zoning codes

The Screven County Board of Commissioners on April 13 adopted the 2019–2029 Regional Solid Waste Management Plan and approved zoning amendments to align the county code with the new plan.

The board opened two public hearings — one on the Solid Waste Management Plan and one on amendments to Appendix A (the zoning ordinance) tied to the plan — and received no public comment before moving to adoption. Vice-Chairman J.C. Warren moved to adopt the resolution approving the regional plan; the motion passed by unanimous vote. The board also voted unanimously to adopt a separate amendment to Chapter 66 to conform the code to the revised plan.

Why it matters: the plan sets county-level guidance on solid waste handling and the code amendments change local zoning provisions affected by that plan. Commissioners said the actions are intended to bring the county’s zoning and waste-management rules into alignment with the regional plan adopted for 2019–2029.

Commissioner Allison Willis raised procurement questions tied to the county’s trash-hauling contract with Allgreen, asking whether the current contract had been publicly advertised for bids. Commissioner John O. Triplett responded that the existing deal with Allgreen was an extension of an earlier contract; Willis said she would like the county to solicit bids for hauling county trash. The board did not make a procurement decision during the meeting.

There were no public comments opposing or supporting the plan during the hearings. At the public comment portion of the meeting, Michael Newton asked when adopted codes would be enforced; Chairman Will Boyd said they would be enforced "immediately."

Next steps: the code amendments are in effect per the board’s votes; the board discussed procurement for trash hauling but did not set a timetable for soliciting bids during this meeting.