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Spalding County approves FLUM change and rezoning for 1135 Baptist Camp Road with conditions
Summary
The county approved a FLUM amendment and rezoning for 1135 Baptist Camp Road to allow a small commercial conversion to office suites and a coffee shop. Variances for front/side parking and permeable gravel were approved subject to the updated site plan and night‑sky friendly lighting.
The Spalding County Board of Commissioners on May 28 approved a future‑land‑use map (FLUM) amendment and rezoning that will allow a one‑acre parcel at 1135 Baptist Camp Road to convert from single‑family residential (R1) to neighborhood commercial (C1A).
Staff said the FLUM amendment was needed because the Sun City/Heron Bay character area previously limited that location to Village Node (VN) zoning. County planning staff recommended the change so the board could consider commercial categories besides VN. The board voted 5‑0 to change the FLUM designation to Community Crossroads Commercial and to direct staff to initiate advertisement for FLUM amendments for adjacent parcels.
Chris Edwards, speaking for applicant Alfred Jingler, said consultant Brian Upson had addressed earlier concerns about stormwater and impervious surface by specifying a supervised gravel/permeable surface and adjusting driveway and parking areas. "Brian's engineering recommendations have resolved those concerns," Edwards said, asking the board to approve the applications.
The board then voted 5‑0 to rezone the parcel from R1 to C1A, permitting conversion of the existing residence to office suites and a coffee shop. Commissioners also approved the remaining variances—primarily to allow some parking in the front/side and to permit decorative red‑rock gravel rather than full asphalt or concrete—subject to two conditions: the project must adhere to the most updated site plan and the property must use night‑sky friendly lighting to reduce off‑site impacts. The chair confirmed the approval would be conditioned on the revised staff recommendations agreed in the meeting.
Why it matters: the parcel sits at an edge of the Sun City/Heron Bay character area near a larger residential neighborhood. Commissioners said they wanted to avoid "spot zoning" without considering nearby parcels, so they simultaneously approved staff direction to initiate a broader FLUM review for the corner while allowing the applicant to proceed.
Next steps: staff will process the site‑plan conditions and the applicant may move forward with required permits under the approved C1A zoning and the variance conditions. The board set advertisement and follow‑up for any board‑initiated FLUM changes on adjacent parcels.
