Longtime Planning Manager Margaret Stallings has been named Cherokee County’s director of Planning and Zoning.
Stallings was promoted to the director position on Feb. 7, following the retirement of former Planning and Zoning Director Jeff Watkins last summer. She brings more than 21 years of experience in community planning and architectural design.
“This is an exciting opportunity to lead our outstanding Planning and Zoning staff. My goal is to use my experience to make stronger connections between the long-term plans developed by the community and the zoning decisions and regulations that will shape the county’s future,” said Stallings.
The Planning and Zoning director is responsible for overseeing of all of the long-range planning efforts and public hearings processes for zoning actions, as well as appeals and variance requests while managing the Planning and Zoning staff. The director also works closely with the Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Board of Commissioners, municipal elected boards and county residents to oversee the growth and planning in the county.
“We are extremely pleased that Margaret was selected to serve as the Planning and Zoning Director,” said Community Development Agency Director Brantley Day. “Margaret is a well-respected and highly skilled planning professional. She is extremely dedicated, and she’s continually worked closely with the cities and the community, always with the objective of achieving the highest quality of life attainable for Cherokee County.”
Stallings had previously served as the county’s planning manager and principal planner since 2005. She holds a Master of City and Regional Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as a Bachelor of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. She is credentialed as a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners of the American Planning Association, as well as a Registered Architect in the state of Georgia.
Since Stallings has begun her new role, some additional changes have been made to the Planning and Zoning Department. Kevin Turner was selected as the department’s new deputy director. Turner’s previous experience includes 14 years with the City of Roswell as senior planner and planner. Dana Spayde was hired as the department’s new senior planner. Her work history also includes almost five years with the City of Roswell as a planner.
Additional promotions include, Thomas Trawick, who was named as the department’s new Zoning Division Manager and David Greenburg, who was promoted to the senior planner position. Trawick had previously served as the county’s senior planner since 2018, and Greenburg had served has a planner since 2016.
