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BZA recommends guest-house acreage variance at 344 Bill Hart Road for family care
Summary
The BZA recommended approval May 21, 2026 of Variance Petition 26-11 to reduce the minimum acreage for a guest house from 10 acres to about 7.63 acres at 344 Bill Hart Road, subject to deed-of-use restrictions and department review before recording.
The Coweta County Board of Zoning Appeals on May 21 recommended approval of Variance Petition 26-11, which would reduce the minimum acreage requirement to allow a guest house on a 7.63-acre property at 344 Bill Hart Road in Newnan. The board's recommendation will be sent to the Board of Commissioners for final action on June 16, 2026.
Zoning coordinator Nicole Blackwell told the board the applicant requests a variance under Article 7, Section 72, Item 11B of the Coweta County Zoning and Development Ordinance to reduce the minimum acreage requirement from 10 acres to approximately 7.63 acres so a guest house may be built. Staff materials describe the proposed unit as approximately 896 square feet located toward the rear of the property and about 115 feet from the principal dwelling.
Applicant Jeffrey Grubbs said the guest house is intended to house his mother-in-law, who is 82 and has medical needs; he said the unit would allow the family to better care for her. "This is for my mother-in-law. She is 82 years old and my wife... we take care of her and, with medical issues that she has... this would give us an opportunity to have her on our property, to be able to better care for her," Grubbs told the board.
Staff reminded the board that, if the variance is recommended, two conditions should apply: the guest house must be maintained according to ordinance requirements and a deed-of-use restriction must be reviewed and approved by Community Development prior to recording with the clerk of superior court, to ensure the structure is not used as an independent residence outside the guest-house ordinance.
No members of the public signed up in support or opposition. A motion to recommend approval with the staff conditions was made and seconded; the chair called the vote and members voiced approval. The recommendation is advisory ahead of the County Commission hearing on June 16, 2026.
Notes: staff materials list the guest house size as 896 square feet and the separation from the principal dwelling as approximately 115 feet; the board discussed precedent for similar variances and emphasized the deed restriction and review requirement.
