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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2017
Jefferson denies storage building variance
By Ben Munro
A variance request from a business
wanting to build a climate-controlled
self-storage facility in Jefferson has
been nixed.
With a 4-1 vote, the Jefferson City
Council on Monday denied a request
from Sunshine Company, LLC, to
reduce the minimum lot size for
self-storage facilities from two acres
to one acre for property the company
owns on Storey Lane.
Councilman Steve Kinney voted
against the denial.
Attorney Rob Alexander, on behalf
of Jackson Land Properties (owned by
Alexander's mother and uncle), spoke
in opposition of the request earlier this
month, saying a deed restriction exists
that mandates the property only be
used for an office building.
In other business, the council:
•approved with a 4-1 vote a request
to modify the city’s home occupation
requirements to allow for sign shop on
Winder Highway. Councilman Don
Kupis voted against the request.
•approved a variance request to
increase the maximum parking spaces
for a warehouse and office on Hog
Mountain Road from 703 to 753. The
council also unanimously approved a
variance to landscape island require
ments within a parking lot. Since most
of the parking spaces will be located
in a truck court, the applicant asked to
plant trees along Hog Mountain Road
instead.
•approved an ordinance amendment
to address demolition-by-neglect
issues in historic districts. Demoli-
tion-by-neglect is a method used by
property owners to get rid of histor
ic structures prohibited from being
razed, basically by allowing buildings
to deteriorate until they fall. If prop
erty owners do not remedy a situa
tion in which neglected is determined,
the city could eventually negotiate to
acquire neglected property, or place a
lien on that property to assume main
tenance.
•approved a proposal to adopt a new
landscape planting list.
•approved budget adjustments to put
SPLOST money toward remodeling a
bedroom in the downtown fire station
and to allot money earned through the
fire department's surplus sales into the
department’s small equipment budget.
•approved a resolution supporting
a Jackson County College and Career
Center.
Planners vote ‘no ’ on post office parking request
By Alex Pace
Jefferson planners denied a request
last week to expand employee parking
at the Jefferson Post Office.
The Jefferson-Talmo Planning Com
mission unanimously voted to deny
five variances that would allow the
post office to expand its employee-only
parking area. The Jefferson City Coun
cil will hold a second public hearing
on the items June 12 with a possible
vote June 19.
The United States Post Office is
seeking a reduction in the minimum-al
lowed parking space rules. It plans to
create one space per 107 square feet
(versus 150 sq. ft.) at its site on Lee
Street.
While the customer area is often
congested, this request wouldn’t allevi
ate that. The additional parking would
be located behind the post office in the
employee-only area.
Increasing the number of parking
spaces would also require the post
office to create two more handicap
spots, which would have to be in the
customer area. Those spots would like
ly be created by converting existing
spots in the front into handicap park
ing.
The other variances would allow the
post office to develop on the required
50-foot stream buffer; eliminate the
need for detention of surface water for
land development; reduce the mini
mum required landscape strip on Lee
Street; and waive the requirement for
landscape islands.
OTHER BUSINESS
Also at its meeting, the planning
commission approved:
•a request for annexation and zoning
from Charles D. Sanderson for 2.72
acres at 1144 Brockton Road, Jeffer
son, so the residence will be within the
Jefferson City School System district.
•a request for annexation and zoning
from James T. Stovall and Julia S.
Howard for 3.6 acres at 760 Hwy. 82.
Jefferson. The property is completely
surrounded by land within the Jeffer
son city limits.
Collins ’ call-in brings strong views on both sides
By Ron Bridgeman
Strong support and equally strong
opposition were voiced during a
call-in “town hall” that U.S. Rep.
Doug Collins, R-Ninth District,
held last week.
Health care, Donald Trump and
the current political climate were
among the topics callers asked Rep.
Collins.
Collins answered questions for
about an hour. He exchanged views
with 12 callers and made comments
about a number of others at the end
of the event. He said he had 43
questions during the call-in.
It was the fifth call-in event Col
lins has held, he said.
One man challenged him for not
holding “face-to-face” meetings.
Two of the first callers urged
Collins to back President Donald
Trump. One woman from Flowery
Branch said Republicans should
“quit being wimps” and “back the
president in his agenda.” The sec
ond woman, who was from Gaines
ville, said she wanted to see tax
reform passed and not be “derailed
by all this other talk going on” in
Washington.
Four callers raised the issue of
health care and three criticized Col
lins for his recent vote in favor
of the American Health Care Act
of 2017, which would replace the
Affordable Care Act, also known as
Obamacare.
One woman cited her experience.
She said she had a gastrointestinal
illness when she was 19 and could
not afford to go to the emergency
room. All she needed was a IV, the
woman said, to provide fluids for
her.
She called Collins’ vote “to strip
Obamacare . . . really heartless.”
Collins said she had bad infor
mation. He said “nothing in our
bill” would cause her insurance to
go up in price, if she already had
insurance coverage. He also said
Medicare is not affected by the bill.
The idea behind the AHCA, he
said, was “to make sure we have
affordable insurance for everyone.”
He said individuals would not be
required to buy insurance and “can
go out and buy the insurance that
affects them.”
He said deductibles and premi
ums under Obamacare were so high
people could not use their insur
ance.
A woman from Dawsonville chal
lenged Collins’ information. She
cited the Kaiser Family Foundation
and said people who were 60 or
older would see much higher prices
for insurance.
Collins also cited Kaiser infor
mation.
“You believe, frankly, in a more
government controlled system, and
I don't,” he said. The AHCA would
“provide health insurance so they
can actually use it.”
The man who said Collins should
hold “face-to-face” meetings was
from Lake Burton. He said Collins
could “quote any kind of bogus
facts you want to,” but he said,
“I'm not going to take what you say
seriously.”
The man said the country is “in
critical times” and “a tax cut for the
rich is not important.”
He also said Collins is not repre
senting the people.
Collins objected, saying “just
because I disagree with you doesn’t
mean I don't represent you.”
The congressman added, “Gov
ernment has a role, but it should not
be an overbearing role.”
On a different subject, a man
urged action against “sanctuary”
cities. He urged the Congress to
“follow Trump’s agenda” and “quit
giving in to the Democrats.”
Collins said he agreed. He said
“sanctuary” cities are cities “that
decide to break the law.”
One man from Bowman called for
concealed carry permits for guns so
“I can protect myself if we’re out
away from home.”
A woman from Gainesville said
she would feel safer in public if he
did not carry a gun. She also said
she bought insurance on the gov
ernment exchanges and it was “very
efficient.”
She asked if Collins wants to
“dismantle” the Environmental
Protection Agency.
He said the agency has “out
grown its original intent and needs
to be brought in.” The EPA “needs
to be reined in,” he said.
One man asked about internet
access in North Georgia and anoth
er asked if Collins “was OK” with
having Christian and Muslim char
ter schools.
Collins did not speak directly
about investigations into Russia
interfering in the U.S. election,
or about contacts between Trump
campaign officials and Russian rep
resentatives.
He said he believes “the president
is being scrutinized because people
don’t like that he got elected.” In a
later part of the event, he said he
thinks “Congress is speaking up on
Russia.” Five committees are inves
tigating that, he said.
Collins also said he expects tax
reform to be passed “by the end of
this year.”
LIGHTNING STRIKES TREE
Saturday evening lightning struck a tree on
Highway 15 near Jackson EMC causing a road
block as crews worked to remove it from the
roadway. Photo by Wesleigh Sagon
Commerce City Hall
closed Monday,
trash pickup delayed
The City of Commerce trash and recycle pickup will
be delayed until Tuesday, May 30, due to the Memo
rial Day holiday.
Residents should have trash and recycle bins at the
curb by 6 a.m. Tuesday for pickup.
For more information, call 706-336-3288.
Commerce City Hall will also be closed on Monday
May 29, in observance of Memorial Day.
If you have an utility emergency, call 706-335-3164
for the after-hours service.
For all other emergencies, call 9-1-1.
Services held for
Hoschton man
killed in crash
Services were held Tuesday for a Hoschton man
who was killed in a crash on Hwy. 332.
Robert Hughle Thompson, 82, of Hoschton. died
in a three-vehicle crash last Thursday afternoon near
Stone Creek Drive.
Thompson, the driver of a gold Ford Taurus, report
edly left his lane on Hwy. 332 and side-swept a black
Toyota Tundra driven by Conner Meyers, 18, of
Hoschton. Thompson's vehicle then struck a blue Jeep
Patriot driven by Allie Holder, 17, of Hoschton.
Holder was transported to Piedmont Athens Region
al Medical Center with serious injuries. Meyers had
minor injuries.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, the investiga
tion will continue until a toxicology report is complet
ed. The GSP noted no charges are expected.
It’s not clear why Thompson’s vehicle failed to
maintain lane.
SR 11 road
closure delayed
Contractors have delayed the closing of SR 11 in
Jefferson.
E.R. Snell Contractor. Inc., recently announced
the road will not be closed on May 30 as originally
planned. The group plans to replace the culvert over
the Mulberry River tributary.
The Georgia Department of Transportation will
announced the rescheduled closure date when it is
determined.
Leia Marie Brown
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brad T. Brown
of Commerce is finishing another section
of her life. Leia has received numerous
awards in Math, Science, Reading, and
Art. She is also active in the Little Play
House Theatre in Athens, her picture has
been in magazines as a model and some
commercials. We love her so much and we
are very proud of her accomplishments.
Love, Mom and Dad, Skyler and all of your
Grandparents and Great-Grandparents
in us as tue cedelotiate the
opening outi neui p/tope/tfy
The officers and staff of Olympia Construction &
Olympia Management cordially invite yon to attend
The Grand Opening & IZihhon Cutting Ceremony of
Mason Manor
300 Mason Manor Place
Commerce, GA 30530
CD L_YTV/1RIA (706) 336-5943
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