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Commission approves multiple rezones, including church’s request to reclassify parcel as institutional
Summary
The Pickens County commission approved several rezoning requests — including a staff‑recommended down‑zone to institutional for Such a Time as This Ministries at 1649 Bryant Loop — denied one commercial rezoning request, and approved three other minor rezonings after planning commission recommendations.
Pickens County commissioners on April 9 approved several rezoning requests and one denial after staff presentations and, in one case, an on‑record public hearing.
At the start of the public‑hearing block, county planning staff presented case DZ‑19133, a request to reclassify a roughly 2‑acre parcel at 1649 Bryant Loop (parcel 037025003) from agricultural to institutional to reflect its long‑standing use as a church and to allow congregation growth. Staff cited consistency with the county comprehensive plan and with county code sections 67‑685 and 67‑692 and recommended approval. During the hearing, church members including Mike Greenway and Annette Cross spoke in favor, describing space constraints dating to the building’s 1964 construction. The board approved the down‑zone on a motion and second.
In other land‑use actions the board approved RZ1911 (10.44 acres from agricultural to Small A at Hawthorne Hill) and RZ191120 (6.21 acres to rural residential at 662 Keater Road) and approved RZ191121 (1.93 acres to highway business at 1273 Talking Rock Road) following positive planning commission recommendations. The board denied RZ19111, a split planning commission vote request to convert a 0.56‑acre parcel to highway business for a family‑owned vehicle sales business.
Why it matters: Rezoning actions change development potential and permitted uses on private parcels; the approved DZ‑19133 formalizes an existing institutional use and clears the way for church expansion, while the denial of RZ19111 preserves the parcel’s prior zoning and halts the proposed vehicle sales conversion.
Process notes: Staff identified decision criteria from county code and cited compatibility with surrounding land uses and minimal infrastructure impact for the approved items. The transcript records motions, seconds and votes but not detailed roll‑call tallies for each item.
Next steps: The approved rezonings become effective as recorded in county land records and zoning maps; applicants may pursue the land‑use or building approvals permitted under the new zoning classifications.
