NEWTON COUNTY – The Newton County Board of Commissioners and the Planning Commissioners gathered at the historic courthouse Tuesday night. In their respective meetings, the committees discussed the new millage rate and the rezoning of land.
Board of Commissioners approves new millage rate
After three hearings, the board finalized fiscal year 2024’s millage rate as 8.439 mills in a 4-0 vote with the absence of district 4 board member, J.C. Henderson. The new millage rate is a slight decrease from fiscal year 2023’s rate of 9.454 mills.
Planning Commissioners approve three petitions, table two at final agenda
Following the adjournment of the Board of Commissioners meeting regarding millage rate, the Planning Commissioners held a public hearing at 7 p.m., where they were presented with five petitions for the rezoning of land and future land use map amendments.
The committee tabled two petitions for up to 60 days and approved of three in front of a sizable crowd.
The meeting began with the first petition entailing a proposal of a high density, mixed use development spanning 159 acres on Hwy 278 and 142, across from Eastside High School. The proposal was presented by Randy Vinson, president of Live/Work Building Co. and former planning director of the City of Covington.
“Our proposal is to build a complete neighborhood with a full mix of housing types and a mix of uses for businesses as well,” Vinson said.
Vinson, who helped develop the Clark’s Grove neighborhood off the Square, notes the proposal is a method to address housing needs for the “thousands of jobs” coming to the area with the influx of companies such as Rivian, Archer Aviation and Meta.
Vinson’s vision for the mixed use development is to create a place where residents’ daily needs can be met within walking distance, reducing car trips and enabling the concept of “aging in place” – an effort to prevent the isolation of the elderly. Small businesses such as restaurants, a small market, a pharmacy, an ice cream shop and medical offices were listed by Vinson as potential retailers in addition to the proposal’s housing.
“Our proposal is to create or duplicate the small town characteristics we do love,” Vinson said. “Following the same sort of principals that are pedestrian friendly, mixed use and compact.”
Audible disapproval was heard from the crowd when the proposal’s concept map was shown, followed by 10 citizens providing their rebuttal in the 10 minutes allotted for further discussion.
“With all the development going on, it seems to be a big circle,” the first participant said. “We bring in development, therefore we need to increase police, fire, utilities, that sort of thing. To do that we need a tax increase. To do the tax increase, we’re bringing in development to increase the tax base. It’s just a circle. And eventually the circle will look like Gwinnett County.”
“I am totally against [the proposal], especially from the standpoint of .10 of an acre,” the fourth citizen said. “That is absolutely heinous. This will completely change what’s going on down there. It’s basically doing to the east side of Newton County what’s happened already to the west side of Newton County.”
“My biggest concern about this is the precedent it’s going to set for future developments,” the fifth citizen said. “Covington already allowed a precedent to be set and they can’t stop it now, no matter what the citizens do. This is about the citizens. It’s about the people who live here, work here, pay taxes…work really hard to have what they have and I just don’t want to see it get ruined.”
“We relocated here from California for exactly what Covington offers,” the seventh citizen said. “What we’re getting ready to experience right now would be heinous. It would be heinous on the traffic, it would increase the crime level – all of the things we’re concerned about that keeps our community safe and we are definitely opposed.”
The Planning Commissioners decided to table the mixed use development proposal for up to 60 days. A mass exit of meeting attendees occurred following the evening’s first decision.
The second petition, presented by Michael Allen Jr., proposed the rezoning of the 2.10 acre property on 6580 Hwy 212 to a 5000 square foot two-story commercial neighborhood, complete with a gentlemen’s club, boutiques and apartment spaces.
Allen Jr., a barber shop owner in Porterdale, intends to move his business to the area in order to fulfill his wish of “bring[ing] [his] rendition of higher grooming services to the neighborhood in which [he] live[s] in.”
The proposal was met with the rebuttals of two citizens who reside in the area – one of which expressed that the proposal was not “conducive.”
“I bought the property for the agricultural zoning and the actual peace and tranquility we have,” the citizen said. “There are no other businesses in that area within 1.8 miles. This, I feel, is going to bring aggravation to the area. Highway 212 is already saturated with traffic now. The building and the composition of what Mr. Allen is describing bringing to the area is not consistent with what we already have there. I don’t believe this is going to stimulate any other growth in the area, this is actually going to cause problems for us who are living there and wish to continue to live there.”
The Planning Commission approved Allen Jr.’s request to rezone the property.
The third petition of the meeting involved the rezoning of 4548 Salem Road from residential to general commercial in order for Claudia Williams to expand her medical aesthetic practice that opened last fall. The Planning Commision approved Williams’ request.
The fourth petition was tabled for 60 days at the request of the applicants due to a current ligation on the land that needs to be cleared.
The final petition of the meeting assessed the request for four solar panels applied for by different addresses. The Planning Commision approved of the request.
The next Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. The Planning Committee meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month.
