“It’s going to be the biggest thing you all have done yet”

The Isaiah House filed an application with the Gilmer County Planning and Zoning department recently. The application requests to change zoning from a residential designation to commercial for a new location near Greenfield Road in Ellijay. During a planning and zoning meeting Thursday night, Planning and Zoning Director Brian Jones explained the situation.

“They are looking to move to a new location,”

he said,

“With that, comes a laundry list of rules and regulations, not only for zoning, but from the state of Georgia.”

Currently located on old highway five, the Isaiah House is a half-way house for men with drug and alcohol addictions. The Isaiah program rehabilitates these men and returns them to the workforce. According to Jones, the new location may prove precarious, though, placing the half-way house in a residential subdivision, Jones said.

“How can you run a half-way house in a subdivision?”

one board member asked. Although he couldn’t answer, Jones explained that Isaiah plans to renovate a house to suit its needs. The Isaiah House currently rents it facility and the operators of the house cannot find any property that is currently zoned commercial.

“The current owner wants to sell,” Jones said, “and they (operators of Isaiah House) want to purchase and (want) a place to possibly expand.”

But, moving the house to a residential zoning area and re-classifying the property as commercial has deeper implications.

“If the property gets zoned commercial,”

Jones said,

“they could put a 7-Eleven up there…So, it’s not what they want to do, it’s what could possibly happen if it gets zoned commercial.”

The process, though, is still in its infancy. Jones said the issue first must go before the board of commissioners (BOC) in a town hall meeting. After hearing comments from neighbors in the town hall, the applicant can decide whether or not to continue the process.

Jones is now discussing the issue with County Attorney David Clark about the legalities of the process. Since Clark has little experience with this type of request, Jones emphasized the county is proceeding cautiously. He also mentioned the precise dimensions required for the advertisement, which must be advertised in the legal organ. He said he wants to make sure the process is followed to the letter of the law. After delivering his talk on the situation, Jones underscored he wanted to give the board a “heads-up” before the process went any further.

“It’s going to be the biggest thing you all have done yet,”

he said.

Towards the end of the discussion, Board Chairman Phil Forest asked when the application would officially come before the board. Given the required time for advertising, Jones said November or December of this year. Public reaction to the request, though, is the impending variable which may alter the fate of the process.

“We’re not moving on it,”

Jones said,

“until we know a legal and definitive way on how we’re going to run everything.”

During Thursday’s meeting, the planning and zoning board also approved recommendations to rezone three properties. One parcel was rezoned from agricultural to residential, and two rezoned from residential to hobby livestock.

Additionally, Mr. Jones announced a public hearing for the Cherry Log Christian Church. The church is requesting a commercial use classification in order to teach Sunday school and conduct church youth groups. The church is currently working out of a residential house. The hearing will be held October 18th at 5:00 P.M.