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Planning commission approves country‑inn special use permit at 4965 Butner Road
Summary
The South Fulton Planning Commission approved a special‑use permit and related findings of fact for a country inn and agritourism operation at 4965 Butner Road after the applicant described retreat programming, lodging and vineyard plans; one commissioner recused from a findings vote.
The South Fulton Planning Commission voted June 17 to recommend approval of a special‑use permit for a proposed country inn and agritourism operation at 4965 Butner Road, following a presentation by applicant Brian Marks.
Marks told the commission he and his family live on the property and plan a retreat and training venue branded as the Kimble Estate Vineyard. “We are residents…just a black family, black‑owned business trying to do some things,” Marks said, describing the venue as a small‑scale retreat space with 11 rooms on site and nine guest rooms available for visits and multi‑day trainings.
Staff recommended approval with two routine conditions: that the special‑use permit be nontransferable and that the operator maintain a valid City of South Fulton business license. Commissioners voted first to approve staff findings of fact and then to recommend approval of the special‑use permit to the city council. On one findings vote a commissioner recused; on the final recommendation the roll call shows Commissioners Washington, Jefferson, Leverett and Dunn voting to approve and the motion carried.
During questions, commissioners pressed the applicant on living arrangements, room counts and operations. Marks said the family currently lives in about 4,000 square feet of the 26‑acre property and expects overnight retreat groups of roughly eight to 16 people, up to a maximum of about 20. He said the operation will focus on small groups and that staff had confirmed sufficient parking. Marks also described plans for muscadine vineyards, limited on‑site tastings and an agritourism “fall fest” targeted at South Fulton residents.
Commissioners raised tax and classification concerns about a business operating on a residential property. One commissioner noted the Fulton County tax assessor, not the city, will determine property tax treatment; staff and other commissioners said rezoning to AG‑1 and maintaining the operation as owner‑occupied would not automatically convert the parcel to a commercial tax classification.
The commission’s recommendation now goes to the City Council for its public hearing July 14 and subsequent action, per the staff timeline.
