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Page 2— Wednesday, February 2, 2022, The True Citizen
Panel to discuss shed house ordinance
Planning Director Scott Lee has devised some tentative
requirements for a potential ordinance that will allow for the
conversion of storage shed units into tiny homes.
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The Burke County Plan
ning Commission intends to
discuss a potential ordinance
that would allow residents to
convert storage shed units into
tiny homes.
The topic was briefly dis
cussed during the panel’s
monthly meeting Jan. 25,
however, because of member
absence, a work session, open
to the public, will soon be an
nounced.
Director Scott Lee has in
cluded some tentative require
ments which the panel will
consider. Currently, his rec
ommendations include that
the ordinance allow for shed
houses to be placed in ap
plicable zones where single
family dwellings are currently
allowed. He suggests that
lot size requirements should
be the same as a site built or
manufactured single family
dwelling. Exterior design stan
dards must be met, including
materials that meet the speci
fications of the state minimum
building standards. Interior
framing, electrical, mechanical,
plumbing, insulation and finish
materials shall conform and be
installed per the state minimum
standards. The shed houses
would likely have to include
emergency escape/rescue open
ings and smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors.
Lee’s recommendations in
clude that prior to permitting, a
registered architect or licensed
professional engineer perform
an independent evaluation
of the storage structure/shed
house and provide certifica
tion that the unit’s construction
meets or exceeds the state’s
minimum standards. Also, that
a plan package provides the
details for anchoring the unit to
a permanent foundation.
Lee is also recommending
that those applying for per
mitting must provide written
certification of on-site sewage
disposal by a county health
inspector, a copy of a recorded
plat and deed, proof of current
year’s paid taxes and notarized
affidavits of sub-contractors
for work not performed by the
owner.
This is good news for resi
dents interested in pursuing a
tiny house for home owner
ship. However, the panel is not
ready to vote on a completed
ordinance yet, leaving time
for interested members of the
public to voice their input.
Lee has pointed out numerous
times that he receives a lot of
calls inquiring into the subject
and that there are instances in
the county where people are
already living in converted
storage sheds illegally. The
concept has gained popularity
throughout the country as a
remedy for unaffordable hous
ing and stagnant wages.
Connecting with county services: Vidette
Odette
c Clty ‘park
HO ALCOHOL I
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NO LOUD MUSIC 1
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
This is part 3 of a 4- part
series examining the need
for county services in Burke
County’s outlying cities. Local
government authorities were
asked to define their city’s
relationship with the county
government and to express
their thoughts on how the
county can better service them.
Vidette Mayor Rosemary
Baughman says things run
differently in her community
of approximately 100 people.
The city does not hold regular
elections because of its small
status, but she expects to an
nounce qualifying dates for her
position later this year.
“When you accept a posi
tion in Vidette, it’s usually
permanent until you decide to
give it up,” she said laughing.
“Vidette really can’t afford to
have an election. We qualify
and if somebody wants the
position, they take it and you
retire. We just step aside and
let that person that qualified
take over.”
Currently, the council con
sists of three members, Mon-
alisa and Michael Pollex and
Samantha Williams. How
ever, Baughman said there is
a need for a fourth person on
the panel. She’s looking for a
volunteer.
Everything runs a bit atypi-
cally in Vidette compared to
the county’s other outlying cit
ies. Council meetings are often
held at the mayor’s house dur
ing the winter months because
the city hall is not well heated.
The panel meets on Saturday
mornings.
“If it is really cold, my dining
room is our meeting place,”
Baughman said.
The size of the city also
affects the need for county
services.
“I think we have a good
relationship with the county,”
she said. “We kind of maintain
ourselves but if problems do
come up, we can contact the
county and get assistance.”
Baughman credits the county
for sanitation, EM A/fire de
partment and law enforcement
services. The mayor said the
county does a good job of
maintaining its roads. She
singled out Commissioner
Lucious Abrams for assisting
in securing payment from the
county to cover the cost of
removing a tree.
The city’s revenue is mainly
generated from water bills;
however, SPLOST funds en
abled the city to install a sec
ond well and new water lines.
The majority of the city’s
population consists of elderly
residents; although,its younger
generation is growing.
“We have 20 children in
Vidette now,” Baughman ex
claimed and pointed out that
her vision for the city includes
planning more family ori
ented activities to take place at
the city’s park. Last year, the
county assisted in purchasing
and installing new playground
equipment. Still, the park is in
need of a new slide and a new
swing set. The merry-go-round
and the seesaw are the same
amenities that existed in the
park when the mayor was a
child.
“We are trying to handle it
ourselves but if we have to, we
will go to the county,” she said
and pointed out her hesitancy
to request county assistance.
“With the economy the way
it is now, it is kind of hard to
expect one entity to do every
thing, at least that is the way I
feel about it.”
Baughman said it would be
“nice” to see the recreation de
partment implementing some
structured sports activities in
Vidette. However, she realizes
the population doesn’t support
organizing a baseball team, for
example. Even the senior popu
lation is too small to justify the
implementation of structured
senior programming, Baugh
man said.
“Most of the senior people
stick to themselves because
they can’t get out and do
things,” she said.
The mayor said she does not
attend BOC meetings, although
she has watched them on live
stream.
“I haven’t done it regularly
like I should,” she said.
Baughman said she antici
pates the next city council
meeting will be the morning
ofLeb.5.
Zittrouer participates in
Area Four FFA Quiz CDE
Burke County Middle School FFA member Madalynn
Zittrouer recently competed in the Area Four FFA Quiz
Career Development Event (CDE), held at Southeast
Technical College in Swainsboro. The FFA Quiz CDE is
designed to develop personal growth and premier lead
ership in younger members as they gain recognition for
their efforts in learning FFA history and facts as well as
parliamentary procedure
Burke native serves
on university board
Burke County native Bettye
Saxon, a Regional Manager
of AT&T, is featured in the
2021 Foundation Annual Re
port Magazine published by
California State University,
Monterey Bay. She also serves
as CSUMB Foundation Board
Director.
“This was a dream come
true,” Saxon said in the article.
“I had to call everybody back
in Georgia and let them know
I was serving on a board of a
major university.”
Saxon graduated from Boggs
Academy in 1969. After high
school, she briefly attended
Arizona State University. Dur
ing her late 20s, she enrolled
in a Sacramento-based cohort
program offered by the Uni-
Bettye Saxon
versity of San Francisco. She
earned a bachelor’s degree in
information systems manage
ment, a master’s degree in
counseling and a doctorate in
organizational leadership.
County looks
at permit fees
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
As requested by citizens,
the Burke County Planning
Commission is looking at its
permit fees.
The recently increased costs
of building houses causes per
mit fees to rise, since they are
based on the total construction
value of the home. When the
market increases, in turn the
costs and permit fees increase
as well.
The average price of a sin
gle-family residence in 2013
was $164,000 compared to
$232,000 in 2021, reflective of
a 40% increase in the value of
housing, said Planning Direc
tor Scott Lee.
“In relation to our fees, they
were increased by roughly
40% from 2013 to 2021,” he
said.
Burke County’s permitting
fees are higher than surround
ing counties, approximately
double compared to McDuff
ie, Richmond, Bulloch and
Screven for a $245,000 home.
Jefferson County, still lower
than Burke, is the only other
county that calculates based on
a value-based permit fee.
“It’s something we need to
look at,” Lee said. “I don’t
think we are way out of line, I
think we are a little high.”
Burke County’s permit
ting fees for a single family
home valued at $245,000 total
$1,320. Lee’s recommenda
tions to the board would re
duce that fee amount to $588.
Currently, the fee is calculated
by $100 for the first $1,000
of value and $5 for each ad
ditional $1000 increment.
The panel will discuss the
issue during a future work ses
sion to be announced.
February 5 th
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