UPSON P&Z DENIES ZONING

MONDAY BEFORE A STANDING ROOM ONLY CROWD—MOSTLY FROM THE POTATO CREEK HEIGHTS COMMUNITY, THE UPSON COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY PASSED A MOTION TO DENY A REZONING FROM A-R TO MANUFACTURING FOR JAMES FORTNER/JMF TRUCKING COMPANY AT 1409 COUNTY ROAD—AND SEND THAT RECOMMENDATION TO THE UPSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR A FINAL DECISION.

HOWEVER, MANY IN THE CROWD HELD THE OPINION THAT UPSON COUNTY GOVERNMENT GOOFED-UP AT SOME POINT PROBABLY WHEN IT IMPLIMENTED ZONING IN 1995.

FORTNER WANTED TO ADD A STRUCTURE TO HIS COMPLEX BUT WHEN HE CAME TO APPLY FOR A BUILDING PERMIT HE WAS TOLD IT WAS IN AN AGRICULTURAL-RESIDENTIAL ZONE, NOT IN A COMMERICAL ZONE. BUT MOST FOLKS IN THE COUNTY ALWAYS CONSIDERED THOSE SITES COMMERCIAL .

FORTNER WHO CLAIMS HE HAS A MILLION DOLLAR A YEAR PAYROLL WITH 23 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES ,RUNS A TOWING, DIESEL REPAIR AND TRUCK TERMINAL ON THE SITE ON THE BANKS OF POTATO CREEK, THE WATER SOURCE FOR THE CITY OF THOMASTON. FORTNER SAID FLYERS DISTRIBUTED TO NEAR-BY RESIDENTS ARE FALSE CLAIMING HE WANTED THE REZONING FOR A JUNK YARD AND DEBRIS SITE.

HIS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORS CALLED HIS SITE JUNKY AND A BLIGHT ON THEIR PROPERTY—AND HE GENERALLY AGREED WITH THEM AND CONCEDED HE WOULD AGREE TO PUT UP A PRIVACY FENCE -IF NEED BE. THE JUNK TRUCKS ARE USED FOR PARTS SALES, FORTNER TOLD THE ZONING BOARD—BUT PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR DOUG CURRIER SAID EPD WAS CALLED IN A WHILE BACK DUE TO ILLEGAL DUMPING CLOSE TO THE CREEK.

CURRIER SAID APPARENTLY WHEN UPSON COUNTY PASSED A ZONING LAW IN 1995 MOST PROPERTY WAS ZONED A-R AND THAT INCLUDED FORTNER'S PROPERTY , ALTHOUGH THE COUNTY NEVER QUESTIONED THE EXISTANCE OF BUSINESSES THERE UNTIL NOW. FORTNER SAID WHEN HE CLOSED ON THE PROPERTY 6 YEARS AGO HIS ATTORNEY TOLD HIM IT WAS COMMERCIAL.

PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBER SAM BAITY MADE THE MOTION TO DENY THE REZONING, WITH HIS MAJOR CONCERN TRUCK REPAIR WITH POSSIBLE OIL AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS LEAKING INTO THE SOIL SO CLOSE TO POTATO CREEK, THE CITY OF THOMASTON'S WATER SOURCE .