Planning commission approves rezoning request for properties on Carl Bethlehem Road

The Barrow County Planning Commission voted Dec. 19 to approve a rezoning request for parcels on Carl Bethlehem Road, moving the properties from agricultural designations toward low-density single-family residential zoning ahead of a ratification hearing scheduled for Jan. 14, 2025 before the Board of Commissioners.

Staff introduced the item as “a request to rezone, plus or minus 5.22 acres from agricultural to AR, agricultural residential Or excuse me, from AG and AG residential to R1's low density single family residential.” The staff presentation listed parcel addresses in the record as “1481 And 1495 Carl Bethlehem Road.” The applicant, James Pepper, identified himself and said he was representing his daughter, Stacy Pepper Reinhardt: “I'm the applicant, and I'm representing my daughter, Stacy Pepper Reinhardt.”

No members of the public spoke in opposition during the hearing. A motion to approve the staff recommendation was made by the District 2 commissioner and seconded by the District 4 commissioner; the presiding officer called for those in favor, recorded no opposition, and stated the motion passes. The commission noted the approved action will be presented to the Board of Commissioners for ratification on 01/14/2025 at 6 PM in the same room.

The transcript contains inconsistent address references: staff read “1481 And 1495 Carl Bethlehem Road” while the applicant gave 1482 (and elsewhere the record includes the variant 14895). The record therefore lists the subject parcels and acreage but includes differing numeric transcriptions for the street numbers; the commission's approval in the meeting transcript does not resolve that discrepancy.