Cam Suggs, owner of ACS Home Builders, asks for refund after duplicate traffic-review fee; commission approves his rezoning requests

The Robertson County Commission on March 23 approved two rezoning requests from ACS Home Builders while a company owner told commissioners he was charged twice for the same traffic-study review.

Cam Suggs, who identified himself as owner of ACS Home Builders, told the commission he paid $850 to have a traffic study performed and that when the county2s consultant reviewed that study the review cost $1,320. Because he submitted requests for both R-40 and RP-80 zoning on the same parcel, Suggs said he was billed twice for what he considers a single review and asked to be reimbursed for one $1,320 charge. "I paid $850 for them to come out and do the traffic study... It was $1,320 to review it. And because I did zoning R-40 and then zoning RP-80, but it was the same parcel of land, they charged me 2 times," Suggs said. "I would like to get the $1,320 back." (Cam Suggs, owner, ACS Home Builders)

Hunter, a planning staff member who read the rezoning requests for the record, said the county2s new traffic engineer gave a more detailed review and identified additional items he would have liked to see in the consultant2s submission, but told the commission that "it would not have changed his opinion of it" and that the planning commission moved to recommend approval despite those noted details. "He still would have given a positive recommendation," Hunter said.

Commissioners expressed sympathy for Suggs2s cost concerns and said the county attorney had been consulted; one commissioner urged staff to review the contract language with the engineering vendor. "I think that's who we gotta talk to at that company," one commissioner said.

The commission then voted on the two rezoning resolutions read earlier in the meeting. Resolution 032326020 (ACS Home Builders on behalf of Donna Saad, AG-2 to R-40) was approved by the commission; the clerk announced the tally as 24 yes, 2 no. Resolution 032326021 (same property, AG-2 to RP-80) was approved with the clerk announcing a 21 yes, 4 no, 1 abstain tally.

Suggs told the commission he was not opposed to the county requiring traffic studies for larger developments and said he supports safety reviews, but he pressed for reimbursement of the duplicated review fee and for a county fix so future applicants are not charged twice. The chair said he had spoken with the county attorney and that the county would work to ensure the process is corrected.

The commission2s approvals mean the county will change the official zoning for the described parcels; planning staff and the clerk recorded the ordinance/resolution numbers for the public record. The record does not show any formal motion to reimburse Suggs at the meeting; commissioners asked staff to follow up.