Commission O.K.s ‘Subdivision’
The first order of business for the Jasper County Commission at its regular meeting Monday night was a private drive subdivision on Nelson Road, and it was the first contentious discussion of the evening.
A family who does not have enough road frontage for two driveways wants to subdivide the land to qualify for a private drive subdivision. Commissioner Don Jernigan made a motion to allow them to bypass the rule requiring 300 feet of road frontage. Commissioner Sheila Pounds seconded the motion for discussion.
Commissioner Steven Ledford explained how the ordinance came to be and said we must control residential growth. Commission Chairman Bruce Henry said they have spent two years changing the ordinances to control growth and he doesn’t want to make an exception now.
Commissioner Jernigan said he thought they should consider each request on an individual basis. Commissioner Asher Gray said he’s not against the applicant, but his concern is the human element and what happens when things change down the road. Commissioner Jernigan’s motion failed with only he and Ms. Pounds voting in favor.
After much discussion, Commissioner Ledford made the motion to allow the private drive subdivision on Nelson Road. Commissioner Gray seconded it, and it passed.
The next public hearing was on short term rentals, and the Planning & Zoning Commission tabled any action as the commissioners had already agreed to open up the application period for short term rentals. The commissioners went ahead and held the hearing and got much input both for and against short term rentals. They tabled any action as they had the reopening of short term rentals later on the agenda. Commissioner Gray made a motion to reduce to 10 the number of short term rentals in the county, and the motion died for lack of a second.
When it got to that agenda point, the commissioners voted to keep the cap at 30, and open the period from Thursday, Nov. 14 to Friday, Dec. 13.
The third public hearing was mostly to clean up language in the ordinance to make it clear the density, with five acres land required for homes.
During citizen comments, Mary Patrick suggested the county could be more efficient, rather than continuing to hire people. She passed out some handout, but did not share it with the press. She called on Mr. Jernigan for being a lame duck commissioner and trying to exempt people from planning and zoning rules.
Amy Gude spoke to the commissioners about their negativity. She said that their desire to keep things rural creates a perception that is negative to people of color. She encouraged them have an atmosphere of civility. She spoke of the push back she had heard at the meetings against the senior center, recreation center, and Sands Drive park.
Commissioners unanimously approved the low bid from Blount Construction to re-surface Murder Creek Church Road. The road serves Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center and is in great need of repair. The state agreed to pay approximately 70 percent of the project.
Another road project is the Local Maintenance and Improvement grant (LMIG) which the state funds each year. Staff recommended re-surfacing Aikenton Road along with Georgia-Pacific Road and Miss Sarah Road.
Commissioners re-appointed Bill Nash to the Planning & Zoning Board.
Voted to increase the hotel/motel tax to eight percent. It takes legislative action to make the change.
Commissioners reviewed the first quarter financial report which showed revenues at 35.9 percent and expenditures at 26.8 percent with 25 percent of the year expended.
