In a split vote Tuesday night, a request for a conditional use permit to operate a trucking transportation business was denied by the Banks County Board of Commissioners.
John T. Seigler had originally requested that five acres located at 2603 Yonah-Homer Road be rezoned from agricultural/rural residential to general commercial. Seigler wants to continue to operate his business on the site. He has been unable to get his business license renewed because of the zoning.
The BOC first heard the rezoning request in June and, instead of acting on it, voted to send the request back to the county planning commission to consider a conditional use permit.
The business is an agribusiness transportation company that has Fieldale Farms in Baldwin as its primary customer. Ten trucks are parked at the site at night and on weekends.
The county planning commission recommended denial of the permit at its meeting last week.
At Tuesday’s meeting, commissioner Rickey Cain made a motion to approve the conditional use request. Cain’s motion died for lack of a second.
BOC chairman Milton Dalton then made the motion to deny the request. Commissioner Joe barefoot seconded this motion.
Jane Seigler spoke to the BOC in favor of the request. She told the commissioners the business conforms to the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The business is allowable under ARR and Rural Corridor, Seigler stated.
Four Banks County residents spoke in opposition to the request.
Gloria Kinsey, next door neighbor to the Seigler’s, said, “Our wish is for our neighborhood to remain as it has been ever since I can remember.”
Kinsey told the board the area where the trucks enter the road in a dangerous place.
Amos Smith, Yonah-Homer Road, said, “My property adjoins Mr. Seigler’s property. My problem is I have added onto my house to make my property better. My main concern is am I going to be able to get this money back out of my property.”
Smith told the board he has three daughters and one of them reported seeing one of the truck drivers urinating at the truck parking lot.
Smith added, “My wife and I had a truck driver make some comments to us after the first hearing on this. I am not trying to hurt anybody’s living or take anybody’s job away from them.”
Realtor Nancy Hobbs, Highway 51 North, Homer, said, “I think we have a land use map and we have zoning and we need to keep commercial in the areas that are zoned commercial. People don’t want to purchase a piece of property in a residential area and have commercial move in on them.”
L.C. Parks, Yonah-Homer Road, told the board Mr. Seigler knew what the zoning was on the property when he bought it. “Whether we like it or not, zoning is here,” he said. “I believe people should be comfortable when they buy a piece of property and know what the zoning is and know that the zoning is going to stand.”
Cain said, after the meeting, “I want everyone to know why I voted in favor of the request. We are trying to attract businesses to Banks County and here we are putting a business that has been in operation for four years out of business. I could not go home tonight and lay down and go to sleep knowing I had caused 10 people to lose their jobs.”
In the other item of zoning business, the BOC unanimously approved a request from Vicki Harris for a conditional use permit to operate a pain management clinic on 1.04 acres located at 416 Pottery Factory Drive. The property is currently zoned C-2 and is vacant retail space.
When is the recall for Margaret Ausburn going to start?????
Jobs - Minimum wage (Banks Crossing) or lavish income (schools)
Drive to nearest market from Homer - 15 miles (round trip)
People with brains - priceless -
Welcome to Banks County!!!
I disagree with all the beer stores, I had one located near my home and all the trash it brought and the drunks along with it.
FYI to everyone, he has 60 days to move these trucks out!!
It should give these people enough time to help his business out on where to park the "10" trucks.
He should've invested in some land that was commercialized instead of investing in another house.
You also claim, along with others, these people are out of a job. How? The trucks are still going in and out.
And as far as "answering my own question", no I didn't. You couldn't give me an answer as far as why all of the "homeowners" never said a word to the previous owner or the planning commision, etc... about his trucks coming up and down Yonah-Homer Rd all hours of the night,afraid of their kids, etc.. being ran over or the sound of the jake brakes keeping them up all night long, so why now?
And as far as location, it wasn't that far away from where Mr. Seigler has it now was it?
Instead of having a trucking company, Mr. Siegler should go ahead and relocate. Then he should take what land he owns, buy as many mobile homes as his residential zoning will allow him and create a mobile home park.
"answering my own question" that post was for ABL.
FYI, it was brought up at the commissioners meeting. All 4 times.
"And as far as location...." Its still about location. He has relocated. He moved down the street. At least tell the truth or get your facts straight if you're going to post!!
Decisions about new business? Banks County and Homer has no clue as to the concept of new business much less working for a decent wage. They assume everyone works in the school system -
Learn to use spell check!!
Its like the comment above stated. They didn't want the people to loose their jobs they just wanted them to relocate. IF they wanted to live in that type of environment they would have moved in next to that in the beginning.
So why pray tell are these concerned people any better than anyone else...maybe I should ask granny ,Ellie Mae,Jethro or Barney,,,,I love you'al.