Newspaper Page Text
Page 2B
m
Reporter
May 4, 2022
Plans for truck transfer station postponed
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Plans to develop 22.63 acres
on Benson Ham Road into 192
parking spaces for commercial
trucks have been put on hold, city
manager Janice Hall announced
on Monday
Forsyth Planning & Zon
ing Commission had denied a
re-zoning that was requested
for the project, but approved a
conditional use under the current
zoning to allow the plans to pro
ceed. But Hall said the owner has
withdrawn the request so it won't
go before city council. She said
the applicant does plan to come
back to the city for approval later.
But that wasn't the case at the
zoning hearing April 25. Jennie
Caldwell, representing Bry
ant Engineering, brought the
re-zoning request to Planning
& Zoning. She said she is repre
senting Tony Brady of American
Natural Resources, LLC who has
a contract to buy the land from
Brown-Maxwell, LLC. Caldwell
said Brady plans to market the
improved land to a large logistics
company for a transfer site.
Caldwell said the planned site
would primarily have trailers,
rather than trucks, parked so
there wouldn’t be a lot of traf
fic in and out. She said Brady
hopes to develop the site and get
a contract with a corporate fleet,
like Amazon. There is room for
192 tractor-trailer parking spaces
on the site. Brady may create a
dedicated section to park some
non-fleet trucks.
The land is currently zoned
Highway Business; a change
to Manufacturing/Industrial
zoning was requested. Caldwell
said Brady wants to put a fence
around the property with access
from Benson Ham Road and
an access gate at the back. Most
of the land around the tract in
question is zoned agricultural;
Caldwell said the closest resi
dences are on Juliette Road. She
said the 1-75 commercial vehicle
truck lanes that will impact Ju
liette Road are currently on hold.
Caldwell said Brady was
requesting re-zoning before com
pleting the purchase of the land
because he wants to make sure
that setbacks don’t change in the
midst of planning the project as
had happened to him on another
project. Caldwell said it’s possible
that a building might be included
in the project, but no refueling
or amenities for truck drivers are
planned, just a transfer station.
The land is currently vacant,
and Planning & Zoning member
Phillip English said it has been
vacant for some time. Another
Planning & Zoning member
commented that trailers are
parked at a location across the
way from this site, although that
isn’t a formal truck parking site.
Caldwell said the proposed use
is compatible with surround
ing land; it is near 1-75 and the
Industrial Park is at the same exit.
Partners who own land behind
this tract will have access through
the property.
In her application for the zon
ing change Caldwell said that
although truck terminals are
a conditional use in Highway
Business zoning, Brady feels the
land will be more marketable to
a corporate client if it is zoned
Industrial.
Caldwell said no use of water/
sewer is planned. The road is de
signed for truck traffic and won’t
be unduly burdened. With the
planned use being trailer park
ing, there will be little increase in
traffic.
“Trucking is going to grow by
leaps and bounds on this section
of 1-75,” said Planning & Zoning
member
Martin
Presley.
“People
need a
place to
park.”
“I have
no prob
lem with
where it
is,” said
Planning
& Zoning
chair Steve
Cole
man. “My
recom
mendation
is to leave it
[zoning] as
it’s shown
for now/
City
manager Janice Hall said a truck
transfer station is different from
a truck terminal, which is owned
by the truck fleet owner. She said
the setback is 25 feet.
Coleman said “so much is in the
air right now” that he didn’t want
to re-zone the property Industri
al/Manufacturing on the chance
that it might lead to another use
of the land besides a transfer
station. Granting the conditional
use is tied to the current owner/
purchaser whereas re-zoning
would follow the land with other
owners. Conditional use for a
tractor-trailer tranfer station un
der Highway Business zoning was
recommended unanimously.
In another application Rosa
Evans asked for a variance to
operate a community living home
at 139 Blount Street. Evans has
had a license from the state for
the home since 2016 but now
can’t renew that license because it
was based on her city license for
a consulting business at the ad
dress, which is owned by Nathan
iel Freeman; Freeman attended
the April 25 Planning & Zoning
meeting with Evans.
Presley asked Evans how many
bedrooms are in the home
because she was licensed by the
state for 10 people. She said there
are six possible bedrooms, but
she doesn’t intend to have more
than four people. She currently
has no residents and doesn’t plan
to add any soon but wants to
keep the license.
Evans said the home is for
adults with developmental delays,
primarily as a respite home for
families who need a place where
their loved one can stay with
supervision temporarily. The
home provides three full meals
daily and organized activities but
residents work or go to day care
programs for six hours daily. The
home provides transportation for
residents.
Evans said she operates a
similar home for children in
Barnesville. Residents come to
her by referral from state agen
cies. She only accepts those that
she feels will do well in the setting
she has available. She feels like the
home in Forsyth can be a place
for those who turn 18 and are
no longer eligible to stay in the
Barnesville home. Evans said her
residents “have to be function
ing,” rather than needing constant
care.
Coleman asked if she ever had
problems with neighbors who
object to a community living
home in a neighborhood of single
family houses. Evans said neigh
bors are aware of the community
living home and have no prob
lems with it. Planning & Zoning
unanimously recommended
approval of the variance request,
which would have gone to city
council for final approval. But
now the applicant has postponed
its request so it will likely have to
start the process over and return
to the zoning board when it's re
submitted.
MONROE IN COLLEGE
Brittney Anne Berry
Brittney Anne
Berry, the daughter of
Cedric & Sheila Berry,
will graduate with hon
ors from Jacksonville
State University,
Jacksonville, Ala. with her
Masters in Social Work on
May 6. She is employed
with the City of Carrollton
School System. She is the
granddaughter of Chari
Ann Berry Thomas and
the great granddaughter
of Minnie Lois Berry of
Forsyth.
Adverlyn Ivey-
Waters of Culloden was
initiated into the Honor
Society of Phi Kappa Phi
at Columbus State
University. Ivey-Waters
is among approximately
25,000 students, fac
ulty, professional staff and
alumni to be initiated into
Phi Kappa Phi each year.
Membership is by invita
tion only and requires
nomination and approval
by a chapter. Only the
top 10 percent of seniors
and 7.5 percent of juniors
are eligible for member
ship. Graduate students
in the top 10 percent of
the number of candidates
for graduate degrees may
also qualify, as do fac
ulty, professional staff and
alumni who have achieved
scholarly distinction. Phi
Kappa Phi, founded in
1897, has as its mission
"To recognize and promote
academic excellence in all
fields of higher education
and to engage the commu
nity of scholars in service
to others."
Stephanie Pierotti
of Forsyth was named to
the Alpha Eta National
Honor Society chapter
of the Georgia State
University Byrdine F.
Lewis College of Nursing
and Health Professions.
This honor society pro
motes and recognizes sig
nificant scholarship, leader
ship and contributions to
the allied health profes
sions. Baccalaureate degree
candidates who have main
tained an overall GPA of
3.5 or better are eligible for
induction. Graduate degree
candidates are also eligible.
Georgia State University
became a founding mem
ber of the Alpha Eta Honor
Society in March 1975.
The Pregnancy Center
of- Monroe Couy.hj
BABY BOTTLE BOOMERANG
MOTHER'S DAY - FATHER'S DAY
OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
Pick up a bottle at one of our participating local
churches or stop by the center during office
hours. Fill it up with coins, cash, or a check and
return it to us bv Father's Dav. June 19.
THANK YOU FOR PARTNERING WITH US TO SAVE LIVES!
PREGNANCY CENTER OF MONROE COUNTY
OPEN: MON.TUE, THUR- 10 A.M. -4:30 PM.
562 N. LEE STREET • FORSYTH, GA 31029
478-994-3173
Car Show & Marketplace
MISSIONS FUNDRAISER
CARS • TRUCKS • MOTORCYCLES
Monroe County Rec Department
May 7,2022
9:00 a.m, - 3:00 p.m.
RAIN OUT DATE: MAY 14, 2022
AWARDS: Best Ofs (13)* Top 10
DIRECTIONS: Take 1-75 to exit 188
and follow the signs to 100 Dan Pitts Drive
Registration Fee: $25
Preregister at New Providence Church Office - 478-994-2545
or by calling Ed Wilson 478-447-5153
Make checks payable to New Providence Baptist Church
2560 US-41 • Forsyth, GA 31029 • 478-994-2545
WWW.NPBCSMARR.ORG/CARSHOW