BUTTS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
124th Session Covering Calendar Year 2022
2021-2022 Biennium
Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for August 22, 2022

Commissioners:
☐ Ken Rivers, District 1
☐ Robert Henderson, District 2
☐ Joe Brown, District 3
☐ Keith Douglas, District 4
☐ Russ Crumbley, District 5

Staff:
☐ Brad Johnson, County Manager
☐ Tina Lunsford for Michael Brewer
☐ Rhonda Blissit, Chief Financial Officer

The Butts County Board of Commissioners held a Public Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 22, 2022 in the Butts County Administration Building, 625 West Third St., Jackson, Georgia. Notice of this meeting was posted in the entrance foyer of the Administration Building.

Chairman Brown called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. Also in attendance was Commissioners Russ Crumbley, Keith Douglas, Robert Henderson, and Ken Rivers.

Item 2022-08-144 Adoption of the Docket
Brad Johnson added Executive Session to the Docket. Mr. Henderson moved to approve the docket. Mr. Rivers seconded with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-08-145 Consent Agenda
A- Letter of Support for GSDA-EDGE Application
Brad Johnson presented. He advised the Board the letter is on behalf of the Griffin-Spalding Development Authority seeking a One Georgia Edge Application and they asked Butts County to write a letter in support on their behalf. Mr. Henderson moved to approve signing the letter. Mr. Rivers seconded with unanimous consent.
B- Appeal Sales Ratio Study
Brad Johnson presented. He informed the Board the Sales Ratio Study came in low and that 60% of the counties within the State did also. Mr. Johnson recommend the Board appeal the Study to the Department of Audits. Mr. Crumbley moved to appeal the Study. Mr. Henderson seconded with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-08-146 Public Hearing on Special Use for Farmer’s Market
Channing Ferguson presented. Ferguson informed the Board the Request is for a Special Use Permit for 113 Barnes Rd. The permit is for an open market to sell fruits, vegetables, and nuts to the Public. The property is zoned A-R Agricultural-Residential and there will be no adverse effects on traffic and there is a pond on the property to help with stormwater. Staff recommends approval with following conditions:
1.) Outside employees limited to two employees,
2.) A maximum of 25 on-site parking spaces,
3.) Vehicle access limited to Barnes Rd.
4.) All operations will be conducted between 8:00am and 5:00 pm.
5.) Annual business license required.
6.) Special Use Permit is not transferrable if property is sold.

Chair Brown opened public hearing.

Chair Brown asked if anyone in favor of proposed Special Use Permit. Jerome Brown, owner spoke in favor. Mr. Brown said he saw a need in the community after people would stop and ask questions about his grapevines. He said it would be a UPick. Mr. Brown said sales would happen in the shop/barn and a handicapped bathroom would be added. Mr. Brown said he has 6.5 acres and a pond for irrigation.
No one spoke in opposition to the Special Use Permit. With no further public comment, Chair Brown closed public hearing. Mr. Rivers moved to approve the Special Use Permit and Mr. Henderson seconded with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-08-147 Public Hearing on Special Use for Solar Farm
Brad Vaughan presented. Vaughan informed the Board the Request is for a Special Use Permit for approximately 1100 acres on Hwy 87 for a solar farm. The property is zoned A-R Agricultural-Residential. There will be a 150’ buffer around the entire property as well as a fence inside the buffer. Mr. Vaughan advised there will be a $180M construction permit and no impact fees as the solar farm is considered a utility. There will be one main entrance from Hwy 42 with an emergency a road at rear of property. Staff recommends approval with following conditions:
1.) Landscaped buffer maintained in perpetuity around the perimeter of the property.
2.) Vehicle access limited to Hwy 42.
3.) A 24-hour contact person available during and after construction for any emergencies.
4.) Emergency access via gate/lock box for Fire Department.
5.) There will be a removal bond of 50% for lifetime of the property.
6.) Stream crossings shall be governed by Army Corps and EPD standards.

Chair Brown opened public hearing for 10 minutes.

Chair Brown asked if anyone in favor of the proposed Special Use Permit. Mr. Eddie Walker, 230 Harris Rd, Jackson spoke in favor of the Special Use Permit. Mr. Walker said the project would be built on demand and would take 5-10 years. The project would have no adverse effects to surrounding environments or county services. There would be a 150’ buffer around the property and only be visible by helicopter. Mr. Walker said there would be one entrance from Hwy 42, and they were putting in a bridge and 300 acres were being mitigated due to streams. He said the project would be a tax benefit to the County as it would increase tax revenue and equipment would be taxed.

When questioned by members of the Board, Mr. Walker said he owned the site as an LLC, and the panels had a life span of 40 years. He said the equipment would be maintained by satellite.
Roger McDaniel spoke in favor of the proposed Special Use Permit with the following stipulations:
1.) Verification that solar farms are a utility and exempt from impact fees.
2.) Assurances that the zoning signs were properly in place.
3.) That a 150’ buffer would be maintained over lifespan.

No one spoke in opposition to the Special Use Permit. With no further public comment, Chair Brown closed public hearing.
Mr. Henderson moved to postpone the matter until the September 26, 2022 to give the County Attorney time to verify on whether the solar farm is subject to impact fees. Mr. Douglas seconded with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-08-148 Public Hearing on Rezoning for River Park Phase 3

Brad Vaughan presented. Vaughan informed the Board the Request is for a Rezoning from A-R Agricultural Residential to P-M Planned Development- Mixed Use for phase 3 of River Park Industrial. Phase 3 will have additional 4,000,000 SF of warehousing and will be mixed use with manufacturing, industrial, and commercial with no residential. The site involves two crossings of the Towaliga River and will require permits from Army Corps of Engineers. Staff recommends approval of the rezoning with the following conditions:

1.) Findings and determinations of the DRI.
2.) Provisions of the Development Agreement between Butts County and River Park controlling development and use of the property.
3.) The site plan submitted with the rezoning application guides the development of the property.

Mr. John Palmer of Falcon Design spoke to the Board. Mr. Palmer said the River Park project was 15 years ahead of schedule due to COVID and online commerce. He said 8 and 11 are vacant and the other building are sold. Mr. Palmer said most traffic would be from the site to I-75 and cut-through traffic not anticipated. He advised updated traffic studies were being done. On Hwy 16 there will be entrance for the hospital site with two signals. In addition, there would be three access points to the hospital. The site was planned with inner parcel access with no tractor truck access.

• Chair Brown expressed concerns of mixed traffic—trucks, hospital and retail traffic intermingled, and Hwy 16 would become bunched up with car traffic.
• Doug Adams with River Park said they had the same concerns. Truck traffic would be on signalized roads and would use main entrance.
• Mr. Crumbley expressed concerns over county taking over road with maintaining and upkeep and public safety concerns with one way in and out street access.
Mr. Welch informed the Board he would need time to integrate the old agreement with the mixed- use agreement. With no further public comment, Chair Brown closed public hearing. Mr. Rivers moved to postpone a vote on Rezoning for River Park Phase 3 and vote on the matter at the October 24, 2022 meeting. Mr. Henderson seconded with unanimous consent.

Item 2022-08-149 Executive Session
With the conclusion of the items listed on the Docket, Chair Brown asked for a motion to move to Executive Session with Mr. Rivers making the motion and Mr. Crumbley seconded with unanimous consent. The Board convened into Executive Session at 7:19 pm. The Board reconvened the meeting at 7:37 pm. Mr. Welch said during Executive Session a condemnation matter was discussed and no personnel matters.

Item 2022-08-150 Adjournment
Without further business, Mr. Rivers moved to adjourn, seconded by Mr. Crumbley with unanimous consent. The meeting adjourned at 7:38 pm.

Ratified this 12th Day of September, 2022

___________________________________________
On behalf of the Board of Commissioners
Joe Brown, Chairman, Presiding

CERTIFICATION & ATTESTATION

I do hereby attest by my signature and seal below that the aforementioned minutes of the Butts County Board of Commissioners are an accurate representation of the official actions undertaken by the Board during the open meeting designated for the date and times stated herein. I further affirm that the Board did enter upon an Executive Session for the purposes covered under Georgia Law and stated herein above.

J. Michael Brewer, Deputy County Manager
Attesting as Clerk of the 124th Session