The Baldwin City Council heard a request last week for a one-day business license for an auction to be held in a building in the industrial park.
Kurt Kilgore, Rockabilly Auctions, Commerce, asked the council to issue him a business license or permit to hold a one-day auction on Jan. 12 in the industrial park building owned by Doug Michael and located at 230 Industrial Park Boulevard.
City attorney David Syfan explained that a business license would be needed.
“Arguably, they are operating a business within the city,” Syfan said. “He’s in the business of selling items … not his items.”
Syfan asked Kilgore several times if he was asking for permission to hold a one-time event.
Kilgore said, “I am only asking for the one-time event.”
The permitted use of Michael’s building has been the topic of discussion at several Baldwin City Council meetings in recent months.
The council was first approached about the possibility of the building being used as an event center. However, Habersham County officials want the building to be used for industrial purposes and they feel opening the building up for any other use could deter industrial clients from coming into the industrial park.
The council failed to vote on the auction request so therefore no business license will be issued until a vote is taken.
Attorney Gary Thornton, who is also an associate of Michaels, encouraged the council to allow Michael to hold events at the building.
“No uses are planned that would be disruptive,” Thornton said.
Thornton referred to the city’s zoning ordinance for allowed uses in light industrial zoning, saying a carnival, rodeo, horse show, athletic event, tent revival, community fair or other event of interest to the public, not to exceed 30 days, is allowed.
Thornton said, “Doug has been very successful. With his hard work he has built a substantial real estate portfolio. But he can’t put the property to its best use.”
Thornton also questioned the former use of the building as a church. Syfan explained that the church was allowed by a special use permit.
