Dalton City Council approves rezoning for former VFW post site that could lead to new bakery

Charles Oliver, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·2 min read

May 2—A new bakery could be coming to Veterans Drive.

On Monday, the Dalton City Council voted 4-0 to approve a request from Charles and Bernita Cofield to rezone from medium-density, single-family residential to neighborhood commercial 2.82 acres at 618 Veterans Drive. That is the former site of the Veterans of Foreign Wars George Edward Smith Post 4985. Mayor David Pennington typically votes only if there is a tie.

The Dalton-Varnell-Whitfield County Planning Commission had recommended approving that request when it met last week.

Attorney Tom Minor spoke to the City Council on behalf of the Cofields, who now own the property. He said Jorge Lara, who owns Dalton's La Esperanza Bakery, plans to put a bakery on the site if the rezoning is approved. Minor said it is unfortunate the VFW post no longer exists but the owners want to put the now-empty property to use.

U.S. Army 1st Lt. George Edward Smith was the first Whitfield County native killed in World War II. VFW Post 4985, which was founded in 1946 shortly after the end of World War II, is named in his honor.

For the next 75 years the post was a place where those who served in America's wars could find support, companionship and camaraderie. But in recent years, membership dwindled. By 2022, the post only had about five members. The national VFW put the post on probation and placed the property up for sale.

The City Council members also voted 4-0 to:

—Approve a request by Marty Lane Pratt to rezone from medium-density, single-family residential to rural residential .25-acre at 1425 Joan St. with the conditions that no manufactured homes can be placed there and any dwelling must be a minimum of 1,000 square feet.

—Approve a memorandum of understanding between the Dalton Parks and Recreation Department and the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association for the city to receive funding through the BOOST (Building Opportunities for Out-of-School Time) program. The $40,0000 grant will be used to increase access to summer recreation programs for youth.

The council issued a proclamation recognizing May as National Historic Preservation Month and recognized the Dalton Historic Preservation Commission's outstanding preservation projects for 2022. Those were Caleb Carnes for 200 N. Hamilton St. and Michelle Little and Kayla Dziuba for 202 S. Hamilton St.