Pickens County planning commission approves four rezoning requests for residences, daycare and a small lodging project

The Pickens County Planning Commission approved four rezoning requests at its meeting, endorsing staff recommendations for low‑density residential and community‑serving uses.

In separate votes the commission approved RZ191144 (an intra‑family split creating a 1.5‑acre rural residential lot and a 6‑acre estate residential portion to enable buildable lots), RZ191152 (a 3.64‑acre estate residential lot from a larger parcel to allow a single‑family residence), RZ191161 (rezoning a 1.04‑acre lot to highway business to permit a private Christian daycare at 5051 Highway 136 West) and RZ191162 (rezoning approximately 11.56 acres to highway business to allow small‑scale short‑term rental cabins and an accessory coffee shop).

Applicants described modest, site‑specific plans. Lisa Quint said the RZ191144 request formalizes a 1.5‑acre split so her sister’s lot is separate; she told the commission she ‘‘inherited the land’’ and that the change would let family members manage holdings. Tiana Law said her RZ191152 request would let her move closer to aging parents and build a single‑family residence. Leah McMillan described a faith‑based daycare that will follow state licensing rules and operate weekdays with capacity constrained by septic capacity; she told commissioners the center would serve infants and preschool‑age children and that she plans staffing above the state minimums. Staff described RZ191162 as permitting a small lodging destination with cabins and a coffee shop; applicant Dan Greenberg outlined a concept of roughly ten small cabins and accessory activities and said RVs and large trailer sites would not be allowed.

Commissioners asked technical questions about septic, access, parking and compatibility with character areas; staff concluded impacts would be minimal and consistent with the comprehensive plan’s guidance for the respective character areas. Each item passed by voice vote; specific roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the transcript, and each motion was described in the minutes as "motion carries." The approved actions are advisory and will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for final action.

The commission then held a contested hearing on a separate 17‑acre request at 3418 Refuge Road that drew extended public comment and was denied by a 4–1 vote (recorded later in the meeting).