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Ben Hill County adopts zoning updates, approves rezoning and one-chair home salon exception
Summary
After a public hearing, the Ben Hill County Commission on Oct. 5 adopted an updated zoning ordinance, approved rezoning of 3 acres at 147 Camp Brooklyn Road to Wholesale Light Industrial, and granted a special exception to allow a one-chair salon at 143 Duke Drive; all motions passed unanimously.
The Ben Hill County Commission adopted updates to the county zoning ordinance and approved two land-use requests during a public hearing on Oct. 5.
Zoning Administrator Lawton Lovett introduced the ordinance revisions, saying the update was prepared with assistance from the South Georgia Regional Commission, the county administrator and other local zoning experts and that the document should be reviewed regularly and updated as legal needs dictate. "This document is not static and we hope moving forward it would be reviewed regularly and updated as needs dictated a legal change," Lovett said.
Resident Diana Pate spoke during public comment seeking clarification and expressing a broader concern: "The Federal Government wants to take control of what they can or cannot do on their property," she said. That concern was recorded in the hearing; the transcript shows no formal rebuttal or policy change tied to her comment.
The commission approved a rezoning application filed for property at 147 Camp Brooklyn Road (Tract A). Lovett told the board that applicant W. L. Patterson had operated an auto surplus business on the site for almost 40 years, sold the property, and later reacquired it and cleaned the site with plans to reopen an automotive repair business. Commissioner Daniel Cowan moved to rezone the three-acre tract from G-F to Wholesale Light Industrial (WLI); Vice-Chair Hope Harmon seconded and the motion passed with all five commissioners voting in favor.
The board also approved a special exception that will allow Cierra Youngblood to operate a single-chair salon in an accessory building at her home at 143 Duke Drive. Lovett said notices were posted and adjacent landowners were notified. Lovett explained that rural home occupations with accessory structures are allowed under the county's special-exception process; Cowan moved to approve the request, Harmon seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
The Zoning Administrator reiterated that the ordinance updates are intended to be living documents and that any legal changes or future needs would prompt further review. The meeting record does not specify effective dates or implementation steps for the ordinance updates beyond formal adoption.
The commission returned to regular business after closing the public hearing and proceeded with other agenda items.
