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Commission approves rezoning and conditional-use for contractor yard on Leroy Cofer Highway
Summary
The Liberty County Board of Commissioners approved rezoning and a conditional-use permit allowing a contractor's yard and vehicle storage for College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving on 5.29 acres of Leroy Cofer Highway, with required vegetative buffers and an opaque fence to limit visual impacts.
The Liberty County Board of Commissioners voted to rezone 5.29 acres on Leroy Cofer Highway from AR‑1 to C‑3 and to approve a conditional‑use permit that allows a contractor's yard, including truck and equipment storage for moving and hauling services.
Planning staff summarized the application (2026‑25LC and 2026‑26LC), saying the parcel is part of a subdivision north of Fleming Loop and that the county's future land‑use map lists the corridor as mixed‑use rural. Planning recommended approval with special conditions: a 20‑foot vegetative buffer and a 6‑foot opaque fence along property lines. Planning staff also noted a nearby parcel already zoned C‑3 and a proposed concrete plant to the north, which factored into compatibility findings.
Applicant Zachary Gilstrap introduced himself and the business, saying, “My name's Zachary Gilstrap. I'm the owner of College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving,” and described the site's intended use as a truck and equipment staging area rather than a transfer station or waste storage site. He told commissioners the operation would not store combustibles, hazardous materials or tires on site and that porta‑potties would be provided as needed.
Commissioners pressed the applicant on stormwater and drainage concerns for the mostly flat tract. Gilstrap said retention and stormwater measures would be addressed during GDOT review and later engineering submittals, and he agreed that a retention solution would be part of any construction plan. Planning staff noted the rezoning recommendation included screening along the sides and rear and that the conditional‑use would require screening on all sides to minimize visibility from Leroy Cofer Highway.
After discussion, a motion to accept the planning commission's recommendations carried on a show‑of‑hands vote. The board approved the rezoning and separately approved the conditional‑use permit with the recommended special conditions.
Commissioners said the special conditions were intended to reduce visual impacts and guard against a domino effect of strip development along the corridor while allowing economic development at this gateway into Liberty County. The applicant said he expects to operate a modest yard initially and may later submit site plans if he pursues buildings or expanded operations.
