Planning commission postpones rezoning request for proposed 20‑dog boarding operation after neighbor objections

The Columbia County Planning Commission postponed a rezoning request to allow a dog‑boarding business to increase its capacity from the five dogs permitted under county code to 20 dogs, after multiple neighbors testified that restrictive covenants and noise concerns make the change inappropriate.

Owner Daniel Boyd Frazier Zayed told the commission he owns the property at 5594 Harlem Grove Town Road and that renovations and a blacktop driveway are in place. “We essentially already have the facilities necessary to facilitate the 20 dog boarding business,” he said, adding that “everything is cleaned up by hand, and it's routinely picked up throughout the day.” He said inspections had been “super clean” and that waste was collected and disposed in a dedicated trash container rather than drained onto the property.

Several nearby property owners urged denial. Ben Blevins, who said he is an owner within the Uchee Creek development and lives next door, told the commission he had reviewed the recorded declaration of protective covenants (book 4160, pages 276–277) and argued they restrict the subdivision to residential uses and bar “noxious or offensive” activities. “Therefore, even if the county were to approve the rezoning, the recorded covenants remain a binding restriction on the property,” Blevins said, and said he had photographs showing 15–20 dogs at the site and had reported noise to code enforcement.

Paula Bowyer, who said she has owned her home in the development since 2004, recounted earlier covenant enforcement efforts and urged commissioners to deny the rezoning: “Covenant rules matter. We bought our property with the understanding no businesses allowed,” she said, adding that neighbors had previously sued to enforce covenant restrictions against nonconforming uses.

A commission member noted that planning staff do not enforce private restrictive covenants and questioned whether residents had legal counsel or would pursue civil remedies. Blevins said covenant enforcement would likely require civil litigation and contended the covenants automatically renew unless rescinded by a majority of plat holders.

After the public comments, a commissioner moved to postpone file RZ260703 (rezoning of the Harlem Grove Town Road parcel to allow the boarding business) to the August 20 planning commission meeting so parties could address the covenant issues; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice/hand vote as recorded in the meeting. The postponement means no rezoning decision was made and any legal questions about private covenants would remain for property owners to pursue in court or other forums.

The commission did not take a roll‑call vote on the record in the transcript; the recorded action was a postponement to a future meeting.