CANTON, GA (Aug. 3, 2023) – The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously lowered the overall BOC-controlled millage rate from the 2022 rates.

At its Aug. 1 meeting, the Board approved, 5-0, setting the Maintenance & Operations rate at 4.954 mills, the Fire District rate at 2.764 mills and the Parks Bond at 0.319 mills, for a total BOC-controlled rate of 8.037 mills. District 1 Commissioner Steve West made the motion, which was seconded by District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter.

The approval also included ratifying the rates set by the Board of Education, which were 16.45 mills for the School Board M&O rate and 1.5 mills for the School Board Bond rate. 

More than 60 percent of residential property owners in Cherokee County will see lower tax bills this fall due to lower BOC-controlled rates and a one-time state rebate. In addition to the $5,000 standard homestead exemptions, homesteaded properties values are frozen for the county maintenance and operations tax when homestead applications are filed. The state of Georgia is using excess funds in state coffers to provide property tax relief to homesteaded property owners, equaling to a reduction of $18,000 on the property’s assessed value. 

The two final public hearings for the BOC-controlled rates were held at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Aug. 1. A total of 12 people spoke during both hearings, focusing on the senior tax exemption threshold for school taxes, property assessment values and the overall taxation methods, but nothing specifically related to the millage rates under consideration. 

A home valued at the median home value of $475,000 with the standard $5,000 homestead exemption and homestead freeze filed in 2015 would pay $614 in county M&O tax, $525 in Fire Tax and $60 for the parks bond, for a total BOC-controlled tax bill of $1,199. The tax bill for this example property would additionally be reduced by $435.02, as homesteaded properties will receive the same state rebate amount. For those who get the Senior Exemption, the rebate amount will vary depending on their situation.

During its Aug. 1 meeting, the Board also:

• Announced the burn ban has been lifted to allow the burning of storm debris from severe weather that affected Cherokee County last month. The burn ban will be lifted until Oct. 1, when it was already scheduled to expire. Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services and the Cherokee Emergency Management Agency requested and received permission from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. 
• Approved, 5-0, ratifying the declaration of the State of Emergency related to the severe thunderstorms on July 20. District 2 Commissioner Richard Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Heard Chairman Harry Johnston appoint Ken Ball to the Board of Ethics. 
• Approved, 5-0, the minutes from the July 18 work session, executive session and regular meeting. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Held a public hearing related to Bowman Engineering’s request (on behalf of Kevin Williams and Canton Farms) to rezone 2.984 acres at 4563 Hickory Flat Highway from R-80 to Office/Institutional and 11.401 acres from R-80 to Agriculture. Several nearby residents spoke in favor of the project but did not want the O/I zoning. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion to zone the entire property Agriculture with conditions that all new building construction will be limited to 10,000 square feet and access to Pinyan Lane will be limited to emergency vehicles, property maintenance and property owners. The applicant now needs to apply for a Special Use Permit for the property. Commissioner West seconded the motion. The vote was 4-1, with Chairman Johnston dissenting, as he felt the rezoning should have included the O/I. 
• Postponed, 5-0, Barry and Dawn Scott’s request to appeal a business license decision by the zoning manager for Dallas North Lawn Sprinklers, Inc. at 11397 Bells Ferry Road. The case is expected to be heard at the Aug. 15 meeting. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Remanded back to Planning Commission, with a 5-0 vote, Elite Hardscapes LLC’s request to rezone 5.705 acres at 14050 Cumming Highway from Agriculture, General Commercial and R-40 to General Commercial, as well as a concurrent variance to reduce the minimum amount of parking spaces from 32 to 17. Commissioner West said he spoke with the applicant who is developing a new plan. He indicated the process needed to start from the beginning. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Denied, 5-0, Mike Tehrani’s request for a Special Use Permit for a car dealership at 6871 Highway 92. District 4 Commissioner Corey Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, Etowah Land Partners LLC’s request to rezone 1 acre on Teague Drive from R-40 to RZL. The parcel will be added to an already zoned RZL property for a maximum 200-lot residential development. A condition was added that caps the number of lots to 200, the same maximum number from the 2016 rezoning case. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Postponed, 5-0, a request by the Estate of Ovalene Cagle to rezone 7.94 acres at 301 Lower Union Hill Road. The applicant was seeking a rezoning from Agriculture to General Commercial and a concurrent variance to allow an existing telecommunications tower to not be set back from the property lines a distance equal to the height of the tower. The case is postponed until the Sept. 5 meeting. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, Charles Corbin’s request to rezone 35.4 acres at 2250 Jep Wheeler Road from R-80 to General Agriculture, as well as concurrent variances to reduce the 75-foot building setback to 30 feet from Jep Wheeler Road and to remove the required deceleration lane. The property is planned for a riding arena. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Approved, 5-0, a request for an appeal of a Zoning Board of Appeals case. A property owner is appealing a ZBA decision regarding the addition to their neighbor’s property. The BOC approved hearing the case and calling for a public hearing on Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, text amendments related to accessory uses and structures in Article 5. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale. The motion included that staff adjust wording related to an exemption of design standards and the accessory structure’s proximity to the property lines.
• Approved, 5-0, a deannexation request of 55 acres at 1355 Ball Ground Road from the city of Ball Ground. The property is zoned Agriculture and would remain AG in the county. No development is proposed. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, the consent agenda, which included: a second encroachment agreement with Atlanta Gas Light Company for encroachments into an existing AGLC easement for the construction Technology Ridge Parkway Phase I; for the Sheriff’s Office to apply for the FY2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) in the amount of $13,466, authorize the Chairman to executive the Local Chief Executive Certificate, authorize a public comment period of 30 days and authorize a budget amendment of $13,466 to the Multiple Grant Fund; an amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with South Data, Inc. to extend the term for an additional three years in the amount of $85,000 per year; the renewal of a lease agreement with the State Properties Commission for the Department of Juvenile Justice for 220 Brown Industrial Parkway; a resolution in support of the Cherokee County Art Competition; acceptance of a Quitclaim Deed from the Georgia Department of Transportation to transfer side road rights of way back to Cherokee County for maintenance along Highway 92 from I-75 to west of Wade Green Road; calling for a public hearing on Aug. 15 to consider extending the moratorium of the I-575 and Sixes Road interchange area to Oct. 31; calling for a public hearing for Aug. 15 to consider a zoning ordinance amendment concerning C&D Transfer Stations; calling for a public hearing on Aug. 15 to consider a board-initiated rezoning for property at 5385 Drew Road; calling for a public hearing on Sept. 19 to consider a request to modify zoning conditions for BMT JV Owners LLC (Soleil at Belmont); a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cherokee Office of Economic Development in the amount not to exceed $750,000 from County ARPA grant funds for the Workforce Aid Program and an amount not to exceed $750,000 for the Be Pro Be Proud campaign; and calling for a public hearing for a future date concerning an update and potential modification to a project timeline for Blake’s House of Independence. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, the purchase and installation of equipment from ProLogic for two Ford Interceptor Utility vehicles for the Marshal’s Office in the total amount of $27,455.40. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, purchasing equipment to upfit five 2023 Ford Police Interceptors for the Sheriff’s Office. The total cost is $86,046.76. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, a Professional Services Agreement with A Secure Force Inc. for the installation of fire alarms, cameras and an access system for 181 East Main St. The cost is $50,086.15. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 5-0, awarding a Standard Construction Services Agreement to Vertical Earth, Inc., the low bidder, for the construction of the Galts Road at Rocky Lane, Bells Ferry Road and Kingsland Street, North Briar Ridge Road Drainage Improvement Projects in the amount of $888,920.84. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Approved, 5-0, condemnation resolutions authorizing the county to proceed with the condemnation process for Parcels 76 and 78 of the Bells Ferry Road Widening Project. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, a Health Service Agreement with First Class Healthcare for inmate medical services at the Adult Detention Center for a three-year term in the amount of $17.7 million. The cost will be $5.7 million for year one. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, a Professional Services Agreement with Business Information Systems, Inc. dba BIS Digital for the purchase and installation of a Digital Court Recorder System for Superior Court in the amount of $92,500. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.
• Approved, 5-0, improvements to the Justice Center for securing the Jury Assembly Room. The Superior Court Judges’ Office has requested a secure measure to block the windows of the existing Jury Assembly Room at the Justice Center so it can be used as a courtroom for the trying of cases with a large number of defendants. Commissioner Ragsdale made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 5-0, the purchase of drug detection equipment for the Sheriff’s Office. The cost is $67,681.35. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Ragsdale.

ABOUT CHEROKEE COUNTY

Located 30 miles north of downtown Atlanta, Cherokee County is part of the 11-county metro-Atlanta area. Cherokee County boasts a population of more than 281,000, according to the July 2022 Census estimates. It is the one of the fastest growing counties in the metro region and its overall Board of Commissioners-controlled tax burden per capita is one of the lowest in the region.  Cherokee County has award-winning parks and recreational facilities, is a destination for corporate headquarters and is a great place to live, work and play. Cherokee County is the best of both worlds because it’s where “Metro Meets the Mountains.” Learn more at cherokeega.com.