County Commission Highlights

Board of Commissioners

From the June 1 meeting. Visit www.cherokeega.com/BOC for the full minutes and a schedule of upcoming meetings.

Cherokee County is taking time to absorb and address public comments received during a hearing on a proposed Short-Term Rental Ordinance.

At its June 1 meeting, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved tabling the decision until the first meeting in July, giving more time for research and review of the draft ordinance.

The ordinance is geared at regulating the use of home rentals for parties and short stays by non-residents. Several residents of Lake Arrowhead and Ball Ground shared their concerns with commissioners about short-term rentals, citing experience in their neighborhoods. Some of the complaints included noise, littering and trespassing. A short-term rental owner spoke, saying he welcomed the regulations and would be happy to go through the process to secure a certificate for his property.

Commissioners spent about 30 minutes listening to public comment during the hearing, and discussed possible edits to the draft ordinance including the number of people allowed to stay per bedroom, at what age children would be considered in that count, special events at a short-term rental and at what point should a certificate be revoked for failure to comply.

“We are on the right track. Do we have it nailed? I’m not sure,” Chairman Harry Johnston said after the public hearing. “These rentals are allowed now because we don’t prohibit them. This ordinance would be a first layer of regulation that would require licensing that could be revoked due to violation.”

Commissioners also heard a presentation during the work session before the regular meeting regarding setting the millage rate for the 2022 fiscal year. Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Marquis presented the Finance Department’s suggested millage rate of 8.938, slightly down from the current rate of 8.965. The full rate is made up of Maintenance and Operations at 5.212 mills, Fire Tax at 3.292 and the Parks Bond at 0.434. One mill is equal to $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. The average home value of $303,600 with a standard homestead exemption would see a FY2022 county tax bill of $1,059.37. The county tax bill also includes the Cherokee County School District taxes, which are not controlled by the Board of Commissioners.

The Board will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. July 6, and two more public hearings at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. July 20. Adoption is expected July 20. All meetings are expected to take place at the Cherokee County Administration Building, 1130 Bluffs Parkway, Canton.

In other business, Commissioners:

• Read a proclamation in honor of Thomas H. Kaiser who passed away May 27. Kaiser served in the U.S. Air Force, served as the American Legion Commander, was a member of the Moose Lodge and served as a volunteer parent/adviser at Cherokee High School since 1995. He was a founding member of the Clayton House and was responsible for the grand American flag display along Ga. 20 for the annual God and Country Rally.

Harry Johnston, left, and the family of the late Thomas H. Kaiser: son Thomas J. Kaiser, and grandchildren, Steven and Caroline Kaiser.

• Approved the rezoning request from Quintus Development to rezone 46.098 acres on Lakeside Drive from General

Commercial and R-20 to RM-10 for apartments and townhomes with conditions. • Approved a request by Lori C. Postal to rezone 4.58 acres in the 200 block of Arbor Hill Road from R-80 to General

Agriculture for a horse barn and riding arena. • Approved a request by Sentry Land Management to rezone 1.35 acres at 6065 Highway 92 from neighborhood commercial to general commercial to use the existing building for a NAPA Auto Parts Store. • Accepted a withdrawal request from Dylan Barnett for a

Special Use Permit for a training, boarding and daycare facility for dogs and cats at 6642 E. Cherokee Drive. . • Agreed to send a letter of support to the city of Ball Ground related to a request by Georgia Marble/Lee Lusk to annex 157 acres west of I-575 along Sharp Mountain Creek for residential and farm uses. The Board directed Planning

Manager Margaret Stallings to include concerns related to various development options in the letter. • Agreed to send a letter of support to the city of Ball Ground related to a request by Harris Trust/Lee Lusk to annex 184 acres along I-575 and Mineral Springs Road for residential and farm uses. The Board directed Stallings to include concerns related to various development options in the letter. • Approved an intergovernmental agreement with Holly Springs for the East Cherokee Drive and Bradshaw Lane Resurfacing

Project. • Approved an agreement with Reinhardt University for access to the county’s 800 MHz radio system. Reinhardt will be invoiced for the cost. • Approved the purchase of a service truck for the fire department from Fireline for $598,850. The purchase is covered through SPLOST funds. • Approved a real estate contract to sell the Cherokee County

School District, 40.7 acres on Ga. 372 for $40,000 per acre.