Land Use Ordinance to return in March alongside ongoing agenda items

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ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer has published its agenda for this week’s Board of Commissioners Meeting including a return to several ongoing issues including the Land Use Ordinance, the River Ordinance, a major donation to the Animal Shelter, and an alcohol license for the county’s Golf Course.

Each of these items have been in the commissioners, making progress through the long process for changes and finalizations. While the Golf Course’s license this month is a simple final formality, it was a discussed issue in November. This approval for a license will be the final step in the ongoing process of allowing golfers to order alcoholic drinks like Beer and Wine at the clubhouse.

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Gilmer Commissioners, from left to right, Post 2 Commissioner Karleen Ferguson, Chairman Charlie Paris, and Post 1 Commissioner Hubert Parker.

In November, the commissioners indicated the wanted to allow for the sale when people ask without making any major notice or advertisements visible from the street or parking lot for the change.

While the river ordinance seemingly came to a consensus on moving forward during their special meeting, the Land Use Ordinance is still addressing issues and changing. In the old business portion of the agenda, the county could make a final decision this week, though most of the Commissioners have indicated a desire to go slow with these changes. However the county still could see action to possibly begin advertising the final changes before adopting a first reader in April further addressing the ending of the moratorium on certain developments. The board spoke about breaking the ordinance into sections and addressing them one at a time.

With changes still being addressed and some portions even being taken out after their February Special Called meeting, the BOC has the ordinance and its current state of changes available for public viewing, but until officially advertised as the final draft the BOC continues discussing, researching, and amending these changes in attempts to support citizens wishing to end major developments in the county while not encroaching on the private businesses of developers who are behind those projects.

Finally, with no major new information since the announcement of the donation and discussion of plans for the county’s Animal Shelter, citizens are commenting online and addressing commissioners to find a way forward in accepting the donations and expanding the facility. The commissioners did discuss ramifications of expansion and the increasing costs of moving forward on that project addressing management of the facility and its financial requirements, but never said they were considering rejecting the donation.

Addressing that note, the commissioners’ agenda does host the agenda item for a “Resolution to approve Donation to the Animal Shelter.” The official motion, if made, will come during the March Regular Meeting on Thursday, March 11, 2021, beginning at 6 p.m.

County discusses details approving Alcohol at Golf Course

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Golf Course

ELLIJAY, Ga. – Attempting to set details down as they move through the three month process, the county discussed details and plans for the first reader of their change to the alcohol ordinance allowing for the sale of beer and wine at the county’s golf course.

To the best of his knowledge, Golf Course Manager Mike Brumby has previously said that Gilmer was the only one he knew that still doesn’t sell drinks in the lodge.

Golf Course

Whitepath Golf Course

But that is set to change in the coming months as the commissioners spoke about signage, management, and allowances during a special called meeting before the December First Reading.

The Golf Course will likely have something inside the shop showing prices for drinks, but Chairman Charlie Paris said he did not want any advertisements of the alcohol outside the building. The ordinance, according to County Attorney David Clark, will allow them to put signage as the wish. Clark also noted that the golf course is likely to require its own license and “point of contact,” meaning someone responsible for the operation.

Paris asserted that he wanted the operation to basically allow for the sale when people ask without making any major notice or advertisements anywhere. Brumby has also started looking at other courses in their management of alcohol sales and advertisements as well, according to Post 2 Commissioner Karleen Ferguson.

Another note brought up in the meeting came as Post 1 Commissioner Hubert Parker publicly noted that the county deleted something in its changes removing requirements regarding state roads.

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Clark stated, “The reason that was deleted is that there may be other facilities in the county that may qualify from the distance requirements that aren’t necessarily located on state roads. Nothing in particular at this point in time, but it’s just that that’s been a bone of contention with some of these [stores].”

Parker replied, “I’m just saying, we are opening it up… We have to recognize that. That’s all I’m saying.”

Paris noted that many places not on state roads have licenses as they were “grandfathered in.”

Parker replied, “The current policy is anti-competitive. I agree.” He said that his approach understanding the anti-competitive nature is that the county was trying to keep from being anti-competitive.

The board also discussed adding allowances for special use permits for events in area such as River Park. However, upon discussing details for an idea like a “Wine Walk” allowing local vineyards, each of the commissioners agreed that they wanted to address changes to the ordinance in steps and not add any additional ideas along with the Golf Course. As per the specific location of River Park, some debate came from who owns or leases different areas of the park. Ultimately, the board didn’t go into depth on the idea as they decided to focus on the Golf Course now and address other ideas separately.

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