DAHLONEGA, Ga. — While local government can often seem unsympathetic, even heartless to some, the Lumpkin County Planning Commission proved Monday that is not always the case.

The commission heard a request from Joseph Smeltzer for a variance to the underpinning requirement of the county’s Manufactured and Mobile Home Regulations. Speaking on behalf of Mr. Smeltzer, Anna Brand said their mobile home at 3496 Hwy. 52 West was completely destroyed by fire recently. The home was not insured and the couple lost all their possessions and two of the family’s pets.

Donna Taylor in the Planning Department said area resident William Turner has donated a mobile home for the couple to live in but the county requires a concrete underpinning for the home which, according to Planning Director Larry Reiter, could cost between $3,000 and $4,000. Brand said Mr. Seltzer is a drywall contractor and work is scarce right now so they can’t afford the underpinning at this time.

Asked if the couple might be able to come up with the money in the next two years, Brand said she thought they could. The planning commission then voted unanimously to grant a two-year extension on adding the underpinning.

The commission also approved a variance request by Pedro Roque to allow a parcel of land located at 323 Elliots Lane that is slightly less than two acres to be divided into two parcels of about three-quarters of an acre each.