Newspaper Page Text
The Houston Home Journal, Perry, Ga., Thurs., Nov. 2, 1961
What Is Zoning?
Protection of Property Owners Now and
In the Future Is the Aim
The idea of zoning is new in
Houston county, and for anyone to
know how it affects them, he must
know how it operates and what
are some of its intricate charac
teristics.
Why has zoning come up in
Houston county? Houston county
commissioners have observed the
conditions in the county in regard
to the potentional urban growth
connected with the location of In
terstate 75 and have decided that
something should be done to pre-1
vent a haphazard development
which would be harmful to both
the developers of the county and
the county itself. Therefore, a
County Planning Commission was
appointed by the county commis
sioners to make studies and re
commendations as to the best plan
for the county.
Houston County’s Planning Com
mission has already undertaken
such studies—a population—econ
omy report published last Febru
ary, and a major thoroughfare
plan and a future land use plan,
both to be published in November.
These plans are the bases for the
future development of the county.
Protection Is Aim
In order that the County Com
missioners can direct the future
growth of the county based on
these reports, some legal way had
to be found to protect the people
and their properties and to guide
growth for the betterment of the
county. This legal method is call
ed zoning.
In the simpliest of terms, zoning
is a legal way to insure that each
basic land use has a place where
it can locate and operate and
where it will not interfere with
other uses and will not be inter-
Announcement
New Office Hours
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HOURS: 9-5 DAILY B-12 SATURDAYS
DR. WILLIS L. WEBB THOMAS L. WEBB
Optometrist Optician
PHONE TA 5-2621 FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA
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This is where
I put my foot down!
WHEN JIM and the architect unrolled the
plans for our new house, I put my foot down.
“Before you start talking square feet and
thermal units and all that gobbledegook, I
want it understood that I’ll settle for nothing
less than electric heat.
“I’m not going through another winter
of cold drafts and hot blasts and improper
humidity. And I don’t want my new pastel
draperies faded and streaked with soot.
“Besides, electric heat practically pays for
itself because we won’t need to decorate as
often and . . .”
Jim cut me off right there. “Honey, the
first thing Les did was specify a heat pump*
for this house. Didn’t I tell you he’s the
world’s smartest architect?” Then they both
burst out laughing.
And me ... I was so proud ... I kissed
Jim then and there . . . and Les, too!
*Let our residential sales engineer recommend the
best electric heating system for your needs. Call him
before you build, buy or remodel.
lAX-PATING • I N V E S T O R ■ O W N E D
GEORGIA POWER COMPANY
A CITI Z[ N WHEREVER WE SERVE
•v w •.
sered with. It is not the same as
the “Subdivision Regulations”
which control subdivision develop
ment. Zoning controls the use of
the land only. Zoning ordinances
are enacted by Georgia counties
under the General Planning and
Zoning Enabling Act of 1957. And
today, the more progressive Geor
gia counties have zoned them
| selves to insure their future. A
nearby example is neighboring
Bibb County.
Many people ask this question:
“Why should we have zoning?" Os
course nobody in his right mind
; wants controls and regulations
and red tape just for the sake of
controls and regulations and red
tape. But there comes a time in
the growth of a county when most
people want this or that or the
other kind of regulation for their
protection. Zoning is one of the
controls a county comes to need as
it grows. What happens on one
piece of property may have bene
ficial or disastrous effects on a
lot of people and a lot of property.
Rural Zoning Important
People also feel that zoning is
only for cities. However, this is
not true. Rural zoning is extreme
ly important.
First, it protects property values
which in turn create new wealth
and increase tax revenues. For
example, in another county which
did not have zoning a farmer was
greatly disturbed when the pro
perty next to his was sold as a
site for garbage-feeding of hogs
with paroled prisoners and ex
convicts doing the feeding. The
farmer could do nothing. And it
lowered his property values be
cause he knew that no person in
his right mind would buy any
Local Salesman
Wins Recognition
Membership in the exclusive
1961 All-Dodge Key Club was
achieved recently by G. T. Pierce
of McLendon Auto Co., the local
Dodge dealership. The nationally
recognized award is based on fair
and reputable dealings with the
motoring public, and upon the at
tainment of a high sales volume.
In presenting the award at spe
cial ceremonies in the McLendon
Auto’s showroom, Dodge District
Manager H. W. Atkinson Jr. said
that in satisfying the new car and
truck requirements, Pierce had
earned a reputation for the high
est degree of integrity. He went on
to say that this was a primary
requisite for club membership,
bership.
In addition to his competing for
a year-end 1961 Grand Key Award,
Mr. Pierce received sterling silver
cuff links and tie clasp patterned
after the Dodge ignition key. Al
so presented were specially en
graved business cards, and a
framed membership certificate
signed by Byron J. Nichols Gen
eral Manager of the Dodge Divi
sion.
Mr. Pierce is now looking for
ward to membership in the Gold
Chapter of the 1961 All-Dodge
Key Club which has even more
challenging requirements.
piece of property for residential
purposes within a mile of such a
plant. If zoning had been in ef
fect, such undesirable uses would
not be permitted to locate there,
thereby increasing the property
value of the farm. He, then, knows
he could sell his land for residen
tial property in the future and
realize a nice source of income.
Second, it protects agricultural
i interests. It sets aside good agri
cultural land for practically any
i agricultural purpose, thereby pro
; tecting the farmer’s land from in
discriminate development of un
desirable residential, commercial
and industrial uses. However, zon
ing is flexible, and with the ap
proval of the County Commission
ers, decent and non-objectionable
residential, commercial and indus
trial uses can locate in agricultural
areas based on the county’s future
land use plan.
Protects Good Features
Third, it protects the desirable
features presently existing in the
county. Areas with large amounts
of land that can be developed will
find that the characteristics that
have been so attractive for so
many years can be destroyed over
night unless proper controls have
been enacted in advance. If Hous
ton County had had zoning several
years ago, the area north of War
ner Robins would have been kept
more attractive and would have
made a more pleasant northern
entrance into the county.
Fourth, it helps control develop
ment in the outskirts of cities. The
struggle for land around the edge
of cities becomes more intense
daily, and this area can not be
controlled by the city. Uncontroll
ed urban development outside the
city can create a hodge-podge of
land uses which generally do not
meet proper health standards and
are incompatible.
Fifth, it protects the good de
veloper. A good developer will try
to provide adequate standard con
ditions in order to protect his
buyers as to their health and safe
ty, whereas a poor developer will
try to get by with as little as
possible to make the most money
even though it may be harmful to
the buyer. Generally, these poor
developers cause future slums and
problems for the County Commis
sioners who are representing the
County.
Stimulates Industrial Interests
And Sixth, it stimulates interest
in industrialists. Most modern in
dustries consider zoning as one of
the main criteria in new site se
lection. Industries do not want to
be in conflict with other uses be
cause such conflict reduces the ef
ficiency of the plant and the pro
perty value. Industries want pro
tection also, and they are going
where they can get that protec
tion.
It must be remembered that a
zoning ordinance is not a rigid
blueprint. It is quite flexible. Zon
ing changes are based on good
planning principles and on the
reaction of the surrounding pro
perty owners. For example, if a
farmer wanted to rezone from ag
ricultural to residential in order
to sell good residential property
to subdividers in most cases no
problem in rezoning would be in
volved. It is only a protection for '
the County Commissioners and the |
farmers from finding an obnoxious
dumpyard or any other undesir
able use near farm land and/or |
residential areas.
NEXT WEEK; How a County \
Adopts a Zoning Ordinance.
1961 TOBACCO CROP
The 1961 flue-cured tobacco crop
in Georgia is the third largest
ever produced in the state, accord
ing to the Georgia Crop Report
ing Service. The 1961 production,
estimated at 134,750,000 pounds,
is exceeded only by 1951 and 1955
production. This year’s crop is
four per cent larger than last
year’s.
Talton Farm Host
To Robins Nursery i
A trip to the H. C. Talton Jr.
farm, Route 1, Bonaire, has be
come an annual educational pil
grimage for children of the Rob
ins AFB Nursery School.
Ninety of the children recently
toured the farm, accompanied by
the school’s teachers and a group
of mothers. On the big farm, the
children saw Talton’s herd of Hol
stein and Guernsey cows and his
grain, peanut, and soy bean crops.
While there were some “old
timers” in the group, the majority
were new students who had not
made a similar trip last year. Many
had never seen cows, chickens, or
hay at such close range.
High point of the trip was a
“look-see” at the dairy barn where
the children stared goggle-eyed at
the cows being hand-milked. Mr.
Talton had specially arranged the
milking demonstration to the de
light of the youngsters. Overheard
from the small fry observing the
milking were such remarks as, “Is
that milk coming out?” “Did you
see him milk the cow?” and “No,
but I saw the milk squirt out.”
Also of great delight to the
children was watching the calves
take their bottles. The children
“bravely” patted the calves as the
young animals emptied the big,
plastic bottles hung on the sides
of the pens. One little girl was
overheard remarking, “She’s not
a girl, she’s a calf.”
The boys in the group gave the
huge farm machinery close sru
tiny.
In the hay barn, recently filled
to near-capacity, the children dis
covered 14 chicken eggs. The eggs
were carefully carried back to the
nursery school where, one little
boy announced, they were going
to hatch them.
It was a big day for the chil
dren, whose ages range from 3 to
5 years. All returned to the nur
sery school with a child’s-eye view
of what goes on at Talton’s 500-
acre farm.
The trip was arranged by Mrs.
P. J. Thompson, director of the
Nursery School, as one of her final
get-togethers with the children
prior to departing for San Anton
io, Tex., where her husband, an
Air Force master sergeant, is be
ing transferred.
PREVENT TOOTH LOSS
Pyorrhea, the most common
cause of tooth loss after 35 years
of age, usually can be prevented
if treatment is started early
enough, says Miss Lucile Higgin
botham, head of the Extension
health department. Studies show
that one in every five Americans
has lost all his teeth by the time
he is 40 years of age. At 60 the
figure is two out of five, and at
70 it is three out of four.
READ THE CLASSIFIEDS
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Editor, Houston Home Journal
This morning (Oct. 25) my
neighbor’s dog was hit and killed
by a car. This makes at least two
dogs to have been hit in recent
weeks in this area.
The question in my mind is
whether it will take the death of
a child to slow down the traffic
in this residential area. I have
lived on Hillcrest Avenue for three
years and the situation has be
come steadily worse.
As the mother of two pre-school
age children, I am concerned
about the lack of concern of those
who drive so fast along residential
streets. I realize how fortunate I
am to have a fenced yard but live
in fear that one day one of my
children may get out without my
knowledge and end up like the
dog.
If a person who hits a dog can
not find time to stop to find the
owner, will he or she find time to
stop after hitting a child.
Having observed those who
seem to be the major offenders in
speeding, I find they are mothers
in a rush to or from school. Maybe
these same mothers have forgot
ten about when their children
were small and did not realize the
danger of the street. All it takes
is once at the wrong moment for
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We Know the Score!
GOOD CARE WILL SAVE YOUR CAR!
"We know the score" may sound like a trite statement,
but in our position we see many examples every week
of perfectly good cars that have not had the good care
they deserve. It's not only cheaper to have your car
serviced regularly, but just common sense, and safer
too. Get the habit ... it pays off, as any seasoned
driver will tell you!
FOR
SERVICE THAT SATISFIES
McLendon”autocompany ””
CARROLL STREET PHONE 429-2955
a child to run into the street and
be killed.
If one lived on a main highway
one would expect the cars to be
moving so fast. I am sure there
must be a speed limit on these
residential streets that should be
observed.
There is one mother in particu
lar who roars down this street
several times a day. She must
think she is trying out for the
Indiapolis Speedway. At least,
race car drivers use a specified
racetrack, not a residential street.
I believe it is time those who
are the offenders give this some
thought. Maybe killing a dog
doesn’t bother them. I hope they
V| -M;
T ' "*
FREDDIE LITTLE U. S. 41 South—Porry
Sales Representative
1 1— 1
consider it may be a child next
time.
Sincerely yours,
MRS. J. M. HOLDS
622 Hillcrest Ave.
U. S. COTTON
DISAPPEARANCE
Disappearance of all kinds of
cotton for domestic use and export
is expected to be 14.5 million bales
in 1961-62, compared with 14,895,-
000 bales in 1960-61. This com
pares with 16,207,000 bales the
year before and 11,492,000 bales
three years ago, according to Ex
tension economists of the Universi
ty of Georgia College of Agricul
ture.