Commission approves five conditional-use permits after public hearings, citing zoning and health conditions

The Cusseta-Chattahoochee County Commission approved five conditional-use permits following public hearings Feb. 24 and a called meeting Feb. 27. The permits — for 201 Massey Rd., 711 GA Hwy 26, 109 Nelson St., 136 Patty Dr., and a 1.35-acre carve-out at 454 Old Louvale Rd. — were each approved unanimously at the Feb. 27 called meeting and remain subject to compliance with county building and zoning ordinances and health-department septic approval.

Planning & Zoning recommended approval for each application but repeatedly flagged that county ordinance language has routed applications for manufactured homes and stick-built homes to the commission because of how the conditional-use rules are written. Chairman Charles Coffey told applicants and attendees that the approvals do not waive other permitting requirements and urged consistency, saying, "we are being sued for not being fair." The commission's minutes record that letters notifying neighbors were sent and that planning-and-zoning must sign plat changes where applicable.

The applicants who spoke included Mia and Derico Countryman (201 Massey Rd.), Julie and Jerome Wooten (711 GA Hwy 26), Sierra Smith (109 Nelson St.), Curtis Stroud Jr. (136 Patty Dr.), and Walter Miller (454 Old Louvale Rd.). Commissioners reiterated that final occupancy or installation of manufactured homes depends on passing county inspections and health-department approvals. The Feb. 27 minutes show each motion carried with a second and a unanimous vote; minutes note that some procedural items, such as proof-of-sign posting, were checked during the hearing record.