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Editor Becky Watts: Phone # 770-468-7583 editor(@)pikecountytimes.com
This online news website is owned and operated by Becky Watts. The Editor can be reached at 770-468-7583 or at editor(at)PikeCountyTimes(dot)com. Pike County Times is a website for citizens to keep up with local events and stay informed about Pike County government. It began on November 13, 2006 as a watchdog on county government and has turned into an online newspaper.
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Tuesday, May 27, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.
Courthouse, Main Courtroom, 16001 Barnesville Street, Zebulon, Georgia
Courthouse Doors on East/South Sides open at 6:00 p.m.
Town Hall Meeting at 6:15 p.m.
ZEBULON - The Pike County Board of Commissioners met in the upper courtroom of the courthouse on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. for a regularly scheduled meeting. There was a Town Hall Meeting at 6:15 p.m. for anyone who would like to speak to the commissioners about any issues that you may have. The meeting is open to the public will be broadcast live on Pike County Times' Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pikecountytimes.
[Note from the Editor: It will be nice when our county joins so many of the surrounding cities and counties to record and broadcast its meetings in a central place so citizens who cannot attend the meetings can watch at their convenience and the sound will be a better quality than what I can produce in the courtroom.]
Click here to see the documents that have been uploaded with the agenda on the Pike County government page.
Commissioners James Jenkins, Ken Pullin, Tim Guy, and Tim Daniel were present along with Commission Chairman Briar Johnson, and County Clerk Angela Blount. County Attorney/Manager Rob Morton had advised in a previous meeting that he would not be present at tonight's meeting.
1. CALL TO ORDER ....... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
2. INVOCATION .......Kyle Garner
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ....... Chairman J. Briar Johnson
4. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - (O.C.G A. § 50-14-1 (e) (1))
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES - (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1(e) (2))
a. Minutes of the May 14, 2025, Regular Monthly Meeting.
b. Minutes of the May 14, 2025, Executive Session.
c. Minutes of the May 14, 2025, Special Called Meeting.
Motion to approve all three. Approved 5-0.
6. INVITED GUEST - NONE
7. REPORTS FROM COMMISSIONS, DEPARTMENTS, COMMITTEES, AUTHORITIES
a. Monthly Reports submitted from County Departments and County Authorities, including a Revenue/Expenditure Statement for all departments and a summary check register. There are no Department reports as they will be provided during the first Board meeting of June. Revenue/Expenditure Statement and Detail Check Register is included.
Discuss/Approve/Deny
b. County Manager Report
None
Update on County finances for the following funds/accounts:
General Fund ....... $849,908.13
Fire Dept. Donations ....... $10,905.91
Cash Reserve Account ....... $157,872.81
Jail Fund ....... $16,186.16
E-911 Fund ....... $88,770.85
DATE Fund ....... $26,197.55
Juvenile Court Fund ....... $13,775.83
Residential Impact Fee ....... $162,859.58
Commercial Impact Fees ....... $39,842.54
C.A.I.P FUND ....... $85,204.38
General Obligation SPLOST 2022-2028 ....... $1,994,409.49
L.M.I.G. Grant (DOT) ....... $20,107.85
c. County Manager Comment
None
d. Commissioner Reports
None
e. County Attorney Report to Commissioners
None
8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - NONE
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. Consider use of Courthouse Grounds from Charles Steck on Monday, July 14, 2025, from 6:40 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. for Statewide Bible Reading.
Motion to approve. Approved 5-0.
b. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input regarding SUP-25-03 – Jonathan Buxton, owner and applicant, requests a Special Use Permit to allow a private cemetery to be located at 1201 Friendship Circle, Concord, GA 30206. The subject property is further identified as Parcel ID 027 002C and is in Land Lot 237 of the 1st District. The property consists of 16.50 +/- acres. Commission District 2, Commissioner Tim Guy.
Action: Discuss/Approve/Deny
b. Planning and Zoning Director Jeremy Gilbert. There are specific restrictions including deed restrictions for this 16.5 acre tract of land. They want a 600 square feet cemetery. They meet the criteria. Planning and Zoning recommended with conditions 1) survey shall be recorded as required and 2) a fence or wall shall be installed around the cemetery.
IN FAVOR
None.
AGAINST
None.
Motion to approve with conditions per staff recommendations. Approved 5-0.
c. PUBLIC HEARING: To receive public input regarding Text Amendment to Article 16, US Highway 19 & 41 Overlay District, of the Unified Development Code to add a provision outlining the allowable and prohibited colors allowed within the Overlay District.
Action: Discuss/Approve/Deny – First Reading
c. Planning and Zoning Director Jeremy Gilbert. Text amendment was brought from the Planning and Zoning Board that gives them authority to give an ok on the color scheme in the Overlay District. Came up with a compromise with a public hearing. Basically adds a new section to our ordinances with a statement that says that primary and secondary colors shall be compatible with each other and adjacent properties. Facade colors shall be "low reflectance, muted, subdued, neutral, or earth tone colors." Some bright colors made be acceptable for contrast and accents only, but "bright, vibrant florescent, or neon colors of orange, purple, pink, bright green, violet, or other similar hues which are visually obtrusive or otherwise inconsistent with the intent of the deisign guidelines are prohibited." Applies to Hwy 341 and Hwy 19 Overlay District only. This gives guidance that was needed to clarify the allowable and prohibited colors in the amendment that was previously added to our Code of Ordinances.
IN FAVOR
None.
AGAINST
None.
Discussion. This is common sense. Gilbert. We didn’t want to pick brands or companies because that would be too specific. We wanted to keep things consistent. What happens if someone paints their building pink? It would go through Code Enforcement. Motion to approve the first reading of this addition to our Code of Ordinance. Discussion. The ordinance has specific regulations on the type of building materials for the façade. This just deals with colors with an emphasis on compatibility on surrounding buildings, etc. Approved 5-0.
[Note from the Editor: Common sense was spelled out so no one could say that this was anyone's personal preference for the colors within the Overlay District. Kudos to our Planning and Zoning Board. This was very well done.]
10. PUBLIC COMMENT (Limited to 5 minutes per person) - NONE
11. EXECUTIVE SESSION - NONE
12. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn. 6:48 p.m.
Agenda subject to change.
[Note from the Editor: If you appreciate being able to read information from county meetings for free on Pike County Times, please make a donation to Pike County Times through the PayPal link at the bottom of the page or by check to Pike County Times at PO Box 843, Zebulon so I can justify the amount of time that I am spending away from family. It may not seem like much but sitting in a meeting and then typing it up takes a lot more time than you might imagine! Thanks for reading Pike County's only FREE newspaper.]