By DAVE HAMRICK
Staff Writer

Plans for a 178-acre, 49-home subdivision on Ga. Highway 92 south are on hold.

County Commissioners last week tabled owner Addie Oakley's request to change the property's zoning category from A-R, which requires minimum lots of five acres, to R-80, which would allow three-acre lots. Commissioners Greg Dunn and Linda Wells were absent due to illness, and anytime commissioners are absent from zoning hearings, applicants are allowed to postpone until the full board is present.

Commissioners will hear the request at their Thursday, Jan. 13 meeting. Both the county Planning Commission and the Zoning Department staff have recommended denial of the request, saying three-acre lots would not be in character with the surrounding area.

In other zoning matters, commissioners:

Denied a request from Mrs. Chhoun Men and Mr. and Mrs. Lang Oun to change the final plat of Carriage Park subdivision to divide their 2.72-acre lot into two dwelling lots so a family member could build a home. Although the zoning would allow the smaller lots, Commissioner Herb Frady said he opposed the change because the subdivision's lots are larger, and the smaller lots would be out of character. His motion to deny carried unanimously.

Approved Mr. and Mrs. Travis Williamson's request to change a condition of the zoning on their 1.72 acres in Mackenzie Walk subdivision. The condition was that any home on the property be at least 80 feet from Eastin Road. The change reduced the setback to 75 feet, to save a 100-year-old oak tree on the property.

Approved a packaged beer and wine license for St. John's Crossing store on Ga. Highway 85 south at Bernhard Road. Owner Scott St. John replaced the old store there with a new, modern one, requiring the new license.

Approved new rules for temporary classrooms for churches, allowing the churches to use trailers during expansion projects. The old rules allowed temporary classrooms only during original construction.

Tabled until Jan. 13 a spate of amendments to the county's land use plan. Commissioner Herb Frady objected to one of the new paragraphs, which would change the anticipated use of property at Ga. Highway 85 and Bernhard Road from “commercial” to “limited commercial.” Since three commissioners' votes are required to pass such a change, and only three commissioners were present, Frady's objection amounted to a stalemate.