Published Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Would-be speakers silenced at county meeting

By Sarah Fay Campbell

The Newnan Times-Herald

The Coweta County Commission's new rules governing public comment got their first real test at Tuesday's meeting.

In the past, the commissioners had allowed public comment during discussion of conditional use permits even though the official public hearing is held before the Board of Zoning Appeals.

At the commission's Jan. 19 meeting, there was extensive public comment on conditional use permits for the BelAir facility and for All Souls Church of God in Christ.

Shortly thereafter, the commissioners changed some of the rules governing meetings.

County Administrator Theron Gay stated at Tuesday's meeting the public hearings on five requests had been closed and that, while the commissioners might ask questions of the applicants, there would be no public comment.

Korean Church of Newnan requested a conditional use permit for a 6,055-square-foot church building on 4.28 acres on Lora Smith Road near the intersection with Ga. Hwy. 34 East. The plan includes a 2,540-square-foot sanctuary, five staff members, 128 parking spaces and a maximum membership of 200.

During the public hearing held before the board of zoning appeals on March 2, three nearby residents spoke against the request, citing concerns about traffic.

On Tuesday, the commissioners questioned the applicants and the land owner about buffers and conditions.

When a woman spoke and said she represented residents of Lora Smith Road, she was told she could not speak because the public hearing had already been held.

"I just want to state that the residents ... do not have a voice in front of this commission," said commission meeting attendee Jonathan Adair. Adair complained that, at the public hearing, opponents of the conditional use permit were "told to be here today in order to state any objections we might have in front of the commission."

Commissioner Randolph Collins said the county needs to put together educational pamphlets that plainly state how various county processes work and to give residents the information they need in such instances. If someone goes to the planning department with questions, "you could talk to as many as five different people," Collins said.

"I think we have addressed this particular situation," said Chairman Paul Poole.

"I don't think we have," said Collins.

"Anything we can do to clarify what the rules are so that individuals don't have a false sense of what they can and can't do, I think, would be beneficial," said Commissioner Tim Lassetter.

The commissioners voted 4-1, with Al Smith opposed, to approve the church permit, with the added condition that the 25-foot buffer be increased to 50 feet on the southern border.

During public comment at the end of the meeting, Adair told commissioners, "We feel like, right now, we have found ourselves in a position where we feel we didn't get heard ... when we felt like we would have an opportunity."