CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA (April 5, 2024) – Our Lady of LaSalette Catholic Church received rezoning approval Tuesday night that allows the church to relocate to Cumming Highway in the Macedonia community.

AOA Properties Holding Inc. filed a request to rezone 42.59 acres from Agriculture, R-80 and R-20 to Office Institutional for a religious institution. The case was postponed twice as representatives from AOA and the county worked through items, making the development better for surrounding residents.

“A lot of work went into this process. The community felt like the church would be the best use of the property rather than apartments or a high-density development but what we wanted to do was work to ensure it did not interrupt the quality of life for the neighbors around the community,” said District 1 Commissioner Steve West, who represents the area. “Buffering, lighting and traffic were the biggest issues. The church worked with us on all these items and agreed to the conditions that would ensure that the neighbors would still be able to enjoy their good quality of life with the addition of the church.”

Chairman Harry Johnston praised Commissioner West and representatives of the church for working through the process to make the development fitting for the community.

“Thanks to Commissioner West for trying to work all of this out with the community,” Johnston said. “Thanks to the church for working with him and with us to make this mutually workable. We are very welcoming of this. It is by far the best use of the property, and we appreciate everyone helping to make it this way.”

The approval included rezoning 28 acres of the total property to OI and lessen the intensity of the zoning as the property approaches East Cherokee Drive to include R-20 (2.813 acres) near East Cherokee. The property between OI and R-20 will remain Agriculture (11.574 acres). The approval also added 11 conditions to address the concerns highlighted by the community, including that the property is only used as a religious institution and housing for associated clergy (such as a parsonage or rectory), accessory uses for day care, recreation, schools, and cemeteries are not permitted; no organized teams or sports play on the property; no access to Water Tank Road; a 100-foot undisturbed buffer along the southernmost property line and where gaps exist, a year-round vegetative screen must be planted (condition only applies to the areas starting from the westernmost point where the proposed OI and AG zonings connect and east along the remainder of the connector road to the point where AG and R-20 zonings connect); AOA Properties shall dedicate right-of-way and construction easements necessary and contribute $750,000 toward the improvements to East Cherokee Drive at its intersection with Macedonia Elementary School but cannot access East Cherokee Drive until the project is substantially completed (county has 18 months to complete the project); no exterior lighting on the connector road in the AG and R-20 zoning areas; and if there is no closing on the property within 12 months, the entire property reverts back to AG zoning with no conditions.

Commissioner West made the motion to approve the rezoning with the 11 conditions, which was seconded by District 2 Commissioner Richard Weatherby. The vote was 4-0. District 4 Commissioner Corey Ragsdale was on vacation.

Also during the April 2 meeting, the Board:

• Proclaimed April as Child Abuse Prevention Month. Representatives from the Children’s Haven and the Department of Family and Children’s Services were present to accept the proclamation.
• Proclaimed April 2-8, 2024 as International Dark Sky Week. District 3 Commissioner Benny Carter presented the proclamation to Alex Watkins and his mother, Tara Watkins. Alex wants to be an astrophysicist or astronomer and has a passion for promoting dark skies and limiting light pollution. The Cherokee High School sophomore approached Commissioner Carter to issue the proclamation.
• Proclaimed April as Safe Digging Month. Lori Jones, SPLOST Construction Inspection Manager for the county, accepted the proclamation from Chairman Johnston. The proclamation highlights the state law requirement for everyone to call 811 before they dig to check for underground utilities.
• Announced that E 9-1-1 was named Call Center of the Year by the National Emergency Number Association and the Association of Public Safety Communications Professionals at the Georgia Emergency Communications Conference March 27. State Rep. Charlice Byrd and State Rep. Jordan Ridley were in attendance to present E 9-1-1 leadership with a Georgia House of Representatives resolution honoring the accomplishment.
• Approved, 4-0, the minutes from the March 19 work session, executive session and regular meeting. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Held a public hearing on a board-initiated rezoning for 14.26 acres at 3953 Ball Ground Hwy., from R-80 to Light Industrial. The acreage is within the Workplace Center character area and the Board is taking pre-emptive action to rezone the property to what it is slated for on the county’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan. It is one of two designated areas in the county for workplace center. No one spoke. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby. The vote was 4-0.
• Approved, 4-0, Mission Academy’s request for a Special Use Permit to operate a private K-12 school within the existing Waleska First Baptist Church. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 4-0, John Pierce’s request to extend a temporary medical hardship approved in March 2023. The medical hardship allowed for a manufactured home to be placed on the property at 135 Old Federal Road for one year. The applicant is seeking to extend the hardship on behalf of a family member. Commissioner West made the motion to extend the hardship for one year, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 4-0, hearing Lindstrom & Company’s request to appeal of the Zoning Board of Appeals’ denial of its variance requests to property at 8427 Vaughn Road. The applicant’s requests include eliminating the six-foot wide landscape strip along the side lot and reducing the 10-foot wide landscape strip along Hickory Road to seven feet, reducing the setback for exterior play structures to 5 feet, reducing the internal side and rear setbacks to 5 feet, encroaching 5 feet into the 35-foot zoning buffer to allow for grading and installation of a retaining wall; and to reduce the minimum square footage for both overstory and understory trees to 150 square feet. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion to hear the appeal, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter. The appeal and a public hearing are expected during the second meeting in May.
• Approved, 4-0, the consent agenda, which included: a request from Juvenile Court to submit the annual grant application to the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and a Memorandum of Understanding with Evidence Based Associates LLC; a list of surplus county vehicles and miscellaneous equipment and parts for auction by Jeff Dobson and Associates on April 27; final acceptance of all public rights of way, roadways and appurtenant draining structures in the Creekview Falls subdivision; and a resolution and request from Fire & Emergency Services to donate a 2005 Mack MR688P service truck to Pickens County Fire & Rescue. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
• Approved, 4-0, a Memorandum of Understanding with the Cherokee Office of Economic Development for the installation of sanitary sewer to service Technology Ridge Parkway and the airport areas in the amount of $1 million. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner West.
  Approved, 4-0, the purchase of a Ford Explorer for the Marshal’s Office Code Enforcement Unit from Wade Ford for $42,000 and Chevrolet Silverado from Hardy Chevrolet for Animal Control for $48,830. The approval also included a corresponding budget amendment to use insurance recovery funds for the purchase. The purchases replace vehicles that were previously wrecked. Commissioner West made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 4-0, the purchase of 12 ambulances and power load systems from Ten-8 Fire & Safety LLC for Fire & Emergency Services. The cost is $4.9 million. The items were budgeted in the SPLOST 2024 program. The first four ambulances are expected to be delivered within 28 months, the next four within 32 months and the last four within 36 months. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 4-0, an amendment to the design services agreement for Hidden Branches Drainage Improvement Project to Atlas Consulting for additional engineering and environmental permitting. The cost is $54,150. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 4-0, the seconded amendment to the construction agreement for the Hames Road Improvement Project with Bartow Paving Company for installation of a French drain system for the roundabout island. The amount is $55,072. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 4-0, an agreement with North Cherokee Electrical, Inc. to perform traffic signal maintenance and repair countywide as requested and as needed. The initial term of the agreement is one year with two automatic one-year renewals. The annual budget for traffic signal maintenance is $78,000. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 4-0, a request from Radio Technology to upgrade the Motorola software to enhance analytics and historical tracking of existing Motorola radios. The amount is $58,500. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.
• Approved, 4-0, a request from CATS to transmit the FY2025 Department of Human Services contract renewal application. The amount is $410,000 with a maximum county match of $2,605 and authorize the Chairman to execute the agreement if accepted by DHS. Commissioner Carter made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Weatherby.
• Approved, 4-0, a resolution to adopt the recommendation made by the Grand Jury during the September 2023 term to increase the trail juror compensation to $35 per day. Commissioner Weatherby made the motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Carter.