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Tift County staff seek zoning change to allow private schools in most districts
Summary
Community Development Services Director Chris Davis told the Tift County Board on Jan. 2 that staff recommends amending county zoning to allow private schools in the same districts as public schools — excluding CA (Commercial Adult) — and the Planning Commission has recommended the change. The board directed staff to place the amendment on the Jan. 8 regular agenda.
Community Development Services Director Chris Davis told the Tift County Board of Commissioners at its Jan. 2 workshop that staff is proposing a text amendment to allow private schools in the same zoning classifications as public schools, with the exception of the CA (Commercial Adult) district.
Davis said current county rules allow public schools in all zoning districts except CA, while private schools are permitted only in GB (General Business) and WLI (Wholesale Light Industrial). "Staff has reviewed the zoning classifications that allow for a private school compared to those allowed for a public school," Davis said, and recommended aligning private-school allowances with those for public schools. He added that staff consulted several peer counties and found they allow public and private schools the same zoning access. The Greater Tift County Planning Commission considered the amendment on Dec. 14, 2023 and recommended approval.
If adopted, the change would broaden where private schools may locate within Tift County, potentially affecting property owners, developers and neighborhood compatibility rules. The amendment is filed in the record as TC-TA-23-06 and is associated with Resolution No. 2024-02.
At the workshop the board indicated a desire to place the amendment on the Jan. 8 regular meeting agenda for further consideration. The county did not take a formal vote at the workshop; the regular meeting will be the next opportunity for official action and public comment.
Background: County staff described the proposed text amendment as a zoning map/regulatory change rather than a site-specific approval; any individual private school proposal would still require site-review approvals and applicable permits under county regulations.
