Dougherty Commission open to discussing public notice changes

ALBANY — Proposals from planning officials for zoning requests presented to the Dougherty County Commission led to a discussion on Monday of what modifications could be made to better inform citizens of public hearings concerning such requests.

The direction of the discussion indicated that the door may be open to making some changes.

Albany/Dougherty Planning Director Paul Forgey said changes to the signage are being considered in order to make sure notices are easier to see from the street, but he warned that there is not going to be a perfect solution.

“I am looking for input, but I think people, no matter what we do, (will complain),” he said.

Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas suggested using the county’s public information officer, Wendy Howell, to distribute such notices on social media. District 6 Commissioner Anthony Jones and District 2 Commissioner Victor Edwards mentioned bigger signs with brighter colors, and District 4 Commissioner Russell Gray said it might help to extend the amount of time signs are up rather than waiting until the mandatory timeframe to post them.

Cohilas said he agreed with Forgey that zoning is a sensitive issue, stating that he was welcome to a longer discussion on the matter.

“(A longer discussion) would be good for us,” he said.

The discussion at Monday’s county meeting comes after community members who live in Albany’s Ward VI said they plan to protest a proposed liquor store. While the plans for the store were initially voted down by the Albany-Dougherty Planning Commission in February of last year, the store was approved by the Albany City Commission the following April.

Several residents said they were still not aware of the City Commission’s decision until Jan. 7, when revised plans for the store that called for a drive-thru were placed on the Albany board’s meeting agenda.

Zoning requests and other proposed action items under consideration by the County Commission are:

— Glenda I. Eubanks, owner and applicant, requests to rezone 28.225 acres from agricultural district to R-G, single-family residential district, in the county. The property addresses are 3421 and 3423 Wildfair Road.

— Stuart Sinyard, owner and applicant, requests to rezone 8.331 acres from agricultural district to R-1, single-family residential district. The property address is 5112 Old Dawson Road.

— Recommendation to purchase one 2018 Ford F-150 SSV four-door 4×4 pickup for solid waste personnel from Wade Ford in the amount of $29,978.

— Recommendation to purchase one 2019 model No. T370 Kenworth Cab and Chassis with a 4,000-gallon water tank for solid waste personnel from MHC Kenworth in the amount of $118,417.67.

Jennifer Parks