MONROE, Ga. — At the request of the JDA and its four member counties, the state will take the lead on bringing Rivian to the area — and claim title to the land.

This move, first reported by The Walton Tribune, will erase the need for local governments to conduct public hearings on zoning and other controversial measures.

Commissioner Pat Wilson of the Georgia Department of Economic Development wrote Joint Development Chairman Jerry Silvio and the chairmen of the Boards of Commissioners in the four counties that comprise it, saying a “robust public advisory process” would be undertaken.

Wilson proposed four committees: Workforce Development; Local Business Engagement; Site Design and Environmental; and Civic Engagement, Public Benefits and Land Conservation.

Wilson said the state agreed Rivian Inc. must comply with local standards for water quality, groundwater recharge and runoff.

He was responding to a request Friday from Silvio and Chairmen Bruce Henry of Jasper County, Ben Riden of Morgan County, Marcello Banes of Newton County and David Thompson of Walton County.

Gov. Brian Kemp announced Dec. 16 that Rivian had chosen a nearly 2,000-acre site straddling Morgan and Walton counties — with a portion inside the Social Circle city limits — for its next electric vehicle plant.

The company pledged investment of $5 billion and said it would hire about 7,500 people. But from the time word first leaked, opposition sprang up particularly in the Morgan County town of Rutledge. Foes cited the potential impact on the environment and the influx of workers on a small town.

Both the JDA — which is serving as the developer for the project — and an attorney representing the opposition asked the Walton County Planning Commission to delay its Feb. 3 public hearing on rezoning about a dozen properties that would become part of the Rivian project.

Late last week, the JDA said it would ask for delays from the Social Circle and Morgan County planning boards as well.

Now, the JDA will rescind those requests as the state takes over that part of the project.

A spokesman for the JDA issued this statement:

“The JDA is grateful for the state’s partnership on the Rivian project and believes that the path forward will allow for more meaningful public engagement and cohesive regulation of the project. The state’s commitment to create four committees to engage key community stakeholders is a welcome approach that the JDA will assist with as needed.”

In a statement Monday, Wilson said the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the JDA of Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton Counties announced his department would establish “a consolidated approach for environmental compliance, public input and community benefit” on the project.

“By taking these steps together, our goal is to streamline the entire project process,” Wilson said, “giving community members a strong voice throughout.

“We will continuously work with our city and county governments to ensure that every concern is heard and every question answered.

“We will collaborate with local leaders to build out a robust process for structure for local advisory committees to give area residents a voice as plans develop.”

Doing so will eliminate the public hearings — and votes ­­— before local boards and commissions. A JDA official estimated the project would require 17 applications and 34 public hearings before completion.

Construction is scheduled to begin on the Rivian site this summer, with the first vehicles expected to roll off the line in 2024.

Wilson pledged state government resources to support the Rivian project and said his office would announce details and timelines “in the near future.”

However, Chas Moore, spokesman for Our Communities Oppose Rivian Assembly Plant, said in a statement that the state government's involvement appears to be another attempt to "cloak this process."

"We are ecstatic that they heard our concerns about community involvement but we certainly hope they aren’t trading transparency for expediency," Moore said. 

"We were already concerned about the lack of meaningful public input but rather than shedding light on the process, the state’s

actions can be interpreted as further seeking to cloak this process in the darkness of closed conference rooms insulated from public scrutiny.

"The announcement that the state will take title to the property — if true — can only be construed as a cynical attempt to fast track the process by bypassing the normal and customary regulatory processes."

The JDA will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Board of Commissioners meeting room at 150 E. Washington St., Madison.

News Editor Tom Spigolon of The Covington News contributed to this report.