There was opposition to rezoning from residential to heavy industrial to permit the portable crusher's operation at the intersection of West Ridge Road and Benson Drive.
James Cantrell said there are 12 homes near the site; he rents property nearby and is worried about traffic and noise.
"I just want you consider all those people that's living over there," Cantrell said. "If it's portable I don't know why it has to be over there, I know some of these people work at night and sleep during day time."
Attorney Steve Gilliam, representing A & T Enterprise Inc. the crusher operator, promised minimal impact to the area and added that the Comprehensive Land Use Plan has designated the area for industrial use.
Commissioner Frank Sosebee's motion to follow planning staff's denial recommendation failed for lack of a second; Commissioners voted yes 4-1 on Jones Cottrell's motion to approve it.
ALMONDS ONLY, PLEASE
Planning Commissioners approved a Planned Commercial Development application to grow almonds near Gillsville on Bryant Quarter Road.
Commissioner Don Smallwood said at first it was not clear to him what the applicant wanted to do on the 25-acre site.
"There's two or three wrinkles in this whole thing," Smallwood said. "It's too vague, they might do this, and they might do that."
Commissioners approved the request from Vivienne Speer with 'Grow Georgia, LLC' for growing almonds and seasonal almond sales during specified hours.
Robert Luse, Speer's spokesman, said Speer and 'Grow Georgia' also wanted to encourage growers to bring in organic vegetables for packing and in the future planned to go into fish production with three ponds proposed on the site, but agreed to limit production and sales to almonds only.
The site plan also included a 12,000 square foot building to house an office, seasonal sales, a caretaker residence, equipment shed and a packing barn.
Nearby property owners opposed to the rezoning expressed concern about impact on roads and property values.
In other action the Planning Commission approved a Highway Business rezoning application from Greg Langford for self-storage warehouses on Crescent Drive but denied his request to vary the buffer from the required 25 feet down to five feet; the 25-foot buffer is required under the Gateway Corridors Overlay District.
They also approved a property owners application for a road acceptance of .58 of a mile to extend Lotheridge Road.
James Cantrell said there are 12 homes near the site; he rents property nearby and is worried about traffic and noise
http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/12/216102