NEWTON COUNTY – Land rezonings and 4-H acknowledgement were among the topics of discussion at the first regular Newton County Board of Commissioners meeting of the month on Oct. 3.

During the chairman’s report, Marcello Banes called for the reading of a National 4-H Week  proclamation, where he declared the week of Oct. 1 through Oct. 7 to be Newton County 4-H Week. The proclamation acknowledged the growth and development seen throughout the state and county as a result of 4-H initiatives.

Several agents, volunteers and children involved with the county’s 4-H program through the University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension were present at the meeting. Agent Charlene Scott shared achievements and updates on the county’s program followed by Banes presenting the group with the proclamation displayed on a plaque.

County manager Harold Cooper was absent from last Tuesday’s meeting, however, Jason Johnson presented the county manager report. Johnson highlighted each entity that comprises the government relations workforce team and explained that the goal is to improve communication with the outlying offices and agencies to “ensure collaboration and continu[e] to meet the needs of [our] citizens.”

The meeting’s consent agenda was passed unanimously, which approved the Newton County Sheriff’s Office’s (NCSO) request to accept the fiscal year 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. Additionally, the board voted unanimously to cancel their second meeting in November (Nov. 21) and their second meeting in December (Dec. 19). 

Sheriff Ezell Brown presented NCSO’s request for a budget amendment to use remaining funds from fiscal year 2023’s student resource officer (SRO) budget to support various needs of the Sheriff’s Office, which was the first topic of the items for consideration and discussion portion of the meeting. The board approved the request in a 3-1 vote, with commissioner Ronnie Cowan absent.

At 7:30 p.m., the board transitioned into the meeting’s zoning/public hearing. The applicant for the first item, which was unanimously recommended for denial by the Planning Commission, requested that the petition be tabled for 60 days, which was granted with a 4-0 vote by the board.

Greg Osbourne of Longleaf Commercial, LLC, was present at the meeting as an applicant for two, companion case applications requesting parcel rezonings for a warehouse. Both applications were unanimously recommended for denial by the Planning Commission on Sept 26.

Osbourne requested that the first petition be tabled for 60 days. The board denied the tabling of the petition in a 3-2 vote with Chairman Banes breaking the tie. 

The first petition requested the rezoning of the parcel, located at the corner of Hwy 278 and Social Circle Road, from agricultural to light industrial to locate the Newton County Logistics Center, an industrial warehouse. 

Findings in development services planner Shena Applewhaite’s report presented include the applicant stating the project would likely affect water supply watersheds, with its proposed watershed being the Little River Watershed. The transportation director indicated that “the proposed warehouse will be required to limit all access points to SR 12 or upgrade Social Circle Road and the Social Circle Road intersection with SR 12.” The traffic study, conducted by A&R Engineering Inc., projected 1,411 new daily trips with 128 A.M. peak hour trips and 131 P.M. peak hour trips from the proposed development. 

During the public hearing, seven citizens expressed their opposition to the application, with concerns including congestive traffic in the area, pollution, a potential increase in taxes and safety for children who play in the area.

Osbourne refuted citizen concerns by explaining that the proposed “class A logistics distribution facility is not a warehouse,” adding that “your Amazon package shows up on your front porch – it stayed in that building at least one night.” He cleared up claims of high volume traffic, saying only nine trucks in the A.M. and 14 trucks in the P.M. and night would be added to the traffic count, according to professional consultants on the matter.

The application failed following a 3-1 vote by the board.

Osbourne’s second companion case application requested the rezoning of the parcel located on Social Circle Road from single-family residential to light industrial for the warehouse. 

Osbourne and one citizen spoke in favor during the public hearing. 

“I did request a 60-day deferral for this hearing, so that I would have time to have town hall meetings with the public and try to come to some common ground,” Osbourne said. “I am totally in favor of compromise, we think we’ve done the best we could to protect the community from this development – light pollution, noise pollution… I just wanted to point that out. I don’t know if that was proposed earlier in the night. If it was, that’s extremely disappointing.”

Eight citizens voiced their opposition to the project with similar concerns to the application’s companion case.

The board unanimously denied the application.  

The board passed two more rezonings unanimously without opposition being presented during the public hearings before reaching their final item in the meeting’s zoning section.

The final zoning application requested expanding the use to add truck parking and an auto body shop on Hwy 11. The Planning Commission recommended denial of this petition on Sept. 26. The applicant was not present at the meeting.

There were no speakers in favor of the application. Two citizens spoke in opposition, with one saying that she “found it hard to offer anyone an approval when they don’t currently have a business license and have been operating without a business license.” According to commissioner Alana Sanders, businesses in Georgia do not have to have a license, however, Newton County has an ordinance requiring businesses to have a license.

The board voted 3-2 to deny the application, with chairman Banes breaking the tie in support of the Planning Commission.

Moving back into the items for discussion and consideration, the board unanimously passed the remaining four items, which included:

Human Resources’ request of approval of the Defined Benefits Plan Contact between Newton County and the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia

Public Works’ request of approval for the chairman to execute a contract with Newton Trails for the restoration of the Cricket Frog Trestle over the Alcovy River Project 

BOC/purchasing request of approval of contract – Sunbelt Builders for design of administrative building renovations and centralized storage facility

BOC/purchasing request of approval of contract – Sunbelt Builders for design of RL Cousins Center renovations 

The next regular board of commissioners meeting will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Historic Courthouse in Covington.