White County commissioners approve three business-type moratoriums

CLEVELAND, Ga. -The White County Board of Commissioners has taken action that could have a major impact on certain commercial developments in the county.

During a called meeting Monday, Aug. 17, the board approved a resolution establishing a six-month moratorium on new convenience stores in the unincorporated areas of the county. This action follows the announcement that five new gas station-convenience stores have been proposed for the county, stirring an outcry from some citizens opposed to them being built near them.

“This particular item [moratorium] gives us, as your county leadership, time to evaluate the direction we as a community want to go with new convenience stores, the direction we want to go, how we want that. You can’t say ‘no’ always, but you can put some guardrails up that may be more respectful to our wishes as a community,” said Turner.

Turner said the White County Planning Commission will hold a hearing for citizen input on how they feel about this type of development. Turner also said that, whether he liked it or not, this action does not stop any of the current store applications before the planning commission.

The commissioners also voted to place a moratorium on new vape shops and new CBD stores. The commissioners say, like the other moratorium, this will give them time to gather information on how to regulate these types of businesses.

White County Sheriff Rick Kelley told the board that the schools in the county have been dealing with vaping by students, and he said it continues to get worse.

Kelley said last year they began criminally charging students who are caught vaping in school.  Those students are handcuffed, walked down the hall, and placed in a patrol car. Sheriff Kelley told the commissioners, “We’ve got enough vape stores; we don’t need any more.”

Kelley told the commissioners that in China, they do not allow flavored vapes to be sold, but they manufacture them and send them to the United States. As with the other moratorium, it is in effect for six months.

Additionally, the commissioners voted to place a moratorium on new commercial development within the Helen Highway, running from Hulsey Road to Highway 17. The Planning Department and commissioners will use the six-month moratorium time to study any future development along that stretch of highway.

Chairman Turner told the large crowd that attended the meeting that commissioners are not trying to stop commercial growth. “The concept here is what kind of growth do we want to see that is respectful to the scenic corridor.”

The White County Planning Department will hold an open meeting where citizens can share input on each of these issues.