LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga.- The commissioners discussed making an amendment to the character area map to change land parcel 083-100 from Residential Growth to Gateway Corridor Overlay District.

The commissioners also discussed the three possible options for the transfer station and recycling program contract. Public Works Director Larry Reiter presented the board with the FY23 LMIG road resurfacing list.

At the beginning of the year, the commissioners spent several months going over the chapter 27 land use codes, to review those meetings please visit https://lumpkin.fetchyournews.com/2022/04/06/land-use-talks-continue/. Planning Director Bruce Georgia brought the board a request for an amendment to the character area map.

Planning Director Bruce Georgia while presenting the character area map to the board.

This is the first amendment request since the passing of the new codes. The developer is planning on placing multi-family units on the land which is bordered by both the Residential Growth and Gateway Corridor Overlay District.

There was some initial concern among the commissioners about the buffers and setbacks between the two character area maps, Georiga was able to explain that due to the strict conditions placed on residential growth the buffers and setbacks create enough space between the two.

Heard in the clip above is Georgia explaining the buffers and setbacks as well as the layout of the area. For reference on the map, purple is the gateway corridor and brown is residential growth, which can be found http://lumpkincountyga.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1655&Inline=True, begins on page 83.

Steve Sylvester and Robin Hall were both present at the meeting to voice their concerns about changing the character area map. Sylvester felt that the rules for making an amendment were too subjective and should be an objective process with refined reasons put in place.

To look through the land use code revisions and better understand the different character areas please visit https://www.lumpkincounty.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2249/BOC-Update-to-Lumpkin-County-Land-Use-Revisionsa-2022?bidId=. The board will be voting on this at their regular meeting on Sept. 20 at 6:00 p.m. before that though there will be a public hearing at 5:15 p.m. to give the public one more opportunity to comment on this matter.

The commissioners have three options for the contracts for the transfer station and recycling program contract. Two of the options come from Mark Robinson who currently holds the contract until the end of Nov. and the other is from BFI Waste Systems of Georgia.

BFI’s contract did not address operating the transfer facility or anything to do with the recycling program. Going this way with the contract would raise the disposal fee from $56 per ton to $59.25 per ton plus any additional cost if staff is able to negotiate the transfer facility and recycling program into the contract.

The first of Mark Robinson’s two proposals is to continue the operation at no additional cost to the county. The second option would be to continue the operation of the transfer station with no change but to implement a fee of either per bag or per ton to the recycling program. The fee would be the same as the waste fee.

If the commissioners go with the second option then it will save the county $72,000 per year. This route would help weed out the people that are throwing their trash in the recycling bins because it’s free, it would also bring in a need to help educate those that do actually wish to recycle.

There is an option for the commissioners to reject all the contract options if that happens then the county will have to take over the operations. At this time no decision has been made.

Public Works Director Larry Reiter while presenting to the board.

Reiter brought the board the list of the proposed LMIG FY23 road resurfacing projects. Those roads are Little Mountain Rd., Ben Higgins, and Anderson Dr. The reason Ben Higgins has been chosen when there are worse roads is due to a $440,000 DOT project that if the repaving is completed after their done will cover up the DOT’s work.

The funds for the LMIG project are $600,382.15 from the DOT grant. There will also be $1,200,000 in TSPLOST funds towards Mill Creek Rd., Robinson Rd., Rockcreek Rd., and Sheep Wallow Rd. As the year progress, if more funds become available Reiter will come before the board again for approval of adding more projects to the list.