Cusseta‑Chattahoochee commissioners deny Conditional Use Permit for manufactured home at 105 Mustang Drive

Chairman Charles Coffey and the Cusseta‑Chattahoochee County Board of Commissioners denied a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for 105 Mustang Dr. at their Dec. 3 public hearing and regular meeting, rejecting a request from the Lopez family to replace a 1990 manufactured home on a 1‑acre parcel.

The applicant, Janet Lopez, told commissioners she purchased the lot to be near family, that she has a teenager and a newborn, and that the existing 1990 unit contained black mold. Planning & Zoning had recommended approval and Brent Ingersoll, planning & zoning chair, attended the hearing.

Several nearby residents opposed the permit during the public hearing. Kitara Wilson (108 Mustang Ct.) said the neighborhood’s ordinance envisions stick‑built homes and warned that new manufactured homes would lower property values. Resident Matt McAdams (128 Mustang Dr.) distributed the county ordinance (citing Appendix A.3 and section 11) and argued the request did not meet the conditional‑use criteria. Neighbors presented a petition and, according to meeting records, 44 signatures were submitted opposing the request. One resident said a local builder could construct a stick‑built house for about $112,000.

Commissioners acknowledged the competing concerns. Commissioner Jason Frost said the CUP process applies countywide and that the ordinance “is not perfect”; Commissioner Timothy Biddle and others said the conditional‑use standards should be revisited to avoid recurring disputes. County Attorney Bin Minter told the board the public‑hearing step is required under current rules.

Ultimately Commissioner Biddle moved to deny the permit; Commissioner Gerald Douglas seconded. The board voted unanimously to deny the CUP. Chairman Coffey and Commissioner Biddle offered apologies to the Lopez family while explaining the board’s decision was driven by ordinance interpretation and neighborhood opposition.

What happens next: the denial closes this CUP request under the board’s recorded action. Commissioners suggested reviewing the county’s conditional‑use rules to clarify when manufactured homes may be allowed in residential zones and to add clearer review criteria.

Votes at a glance - Conditional Use Permit — 105 Mustang Dr.: Motion to deny by Commissioner Timothy Biddle; seconded by Commissioner Gerald Douglas; vote: unanimous (denied).

Context and why it matters The decision highlights tension between property owners seeking to update marginal housing (the applicant cited black mold and family needs) and neighbors seeking to preserve neighborhood character. Commissioners noted that a prior 5‑acre threshold had been removed from county practice, which now requires CUP review when a new manufactured home is proposed on smaller lots. The meeting record also notes the county is involved in litigation tied to a prior land‑use decision, a factor commissioners said weighs on careful application of zoning rules.

Sources and attribution Direct quotes and paraphrases in this article are drawn from the meeting’s public hearing and the board’s Dec. 3, 2024 minutes. Speakers quoted or paraphrased include Chairman Charles Coffey, Commissioners Jason Frost and Timothy Biddle, applicant Janet Lopez, planning & zoning chair Brent Ingersoll, and residents Matt McAdams, Kitara Wilson and Sheila Wilson.

Next steps Commissioners recommended staff and the planning commission revisit the CUP language and conditional‑use criteria; the board did not adopt a replacement policy at the Dec. 3 meeting and did not indicate a formal appeal by the applicant in the record.