A solar farm won approval but variance request required more thought. Those were some of the outcomes from the Bartow County Commissioner’s meeting held May 13.
Commissioner Steve Taylor approved for Kingston Farms LLC to use 25 acres of its farm property on Hall Station Road for a solar farm with a condition of doubling the size of the buffer. The concept drew criticism from neighbors saying the view would be unsightly.
The property owner said his application to Georgia Power to have a solar farm hasn’t been approved, but required governmental approval before being considered.
Taylor heard an appeal of a variance request for approximately half an acre on Center Road. The variance centered around use of an accessory dwelling. Neighbors told the commissioner there were already drainage issues, grey water, and a bad smell.
The accessory building was being used as a machine shop which isn’t permitted under current zoning. The variance request would allow the shop to continue.
Taylor said he would issue his decision later after consideration.
In other business:
The commissioner approved the transit service funding agreement for fiscal year 2027. The county and state split the total cost of $915,304 with the county paying $457,650.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds low pressure sewer construction was approved. It is a $2.5 million project paid for by the corps.
A groundwater exploration services agreement was approved. The agreement is to drill and test groundwater near Lakepoint and the Pagamine area to find more water sources. The $1.9 million contract was approved by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD).
A $1.6 million paving contract with Bartow Paving was approved for the Burnt Hickory Road/Ladds Mountain Road area.
Approval came for two declarations of taking and mitigation credit reservation and purchase agreements for pieces of commercial property in the Cass White Road project.
Melody Dareing is a freelance writer for publications in the U.S, Canada, the UK and Germany. She is a former news director of Adelphia Channel 4 and WBHF Radio. She is on Facebook, X, YouTube, content on Substack, and has a podcast on Rumble.