Dalton City Council tables rezoning request, approves others

Mar. 9—Members of the Dalton City Council expressed concern Monday about a proposed housing development that would be partially in the city and partially in the unincorporated part of Whitfield County.

"We have different standards for infrastructure and development," said council member Steve Farrow.

The council members voted 3-0 to table a request by Bryan Spence to rezone to zero lot line residential from high-density residential and rural residential 2.849 acres on Sheridan Avenue to develop up to 21 small-lot, single-family homes. Council member Tyree Goodlett was absent and Mayor David Pennington typically votes only if there is a tie.

Only one of the three tracts that make up the planned development is in the city. The other two are in the county, and county Board of Commissioners members are expected to vote on the possible rezoning of those parcels when the board meets on Monday.

The only access to the site is from the parcel inside the city.

Whitfield County Planner Ethan Calhoun, who handles zoning for both the county and the city, said when staff looked at the request they believed the best way to handle it was for the two county parcels to be annexed into the city or the parcel in the city to be de-annexed.

But Calhoun said annexing the two parcels in the county would cause an adjacent property to become an island of unincorporated property inside the city, "making that option unviable."

While the city does not typically de-annex property, council members agreed that might be the best way for this project to go forward. They tabled the motion and asked staff to see if the developer would request the parcel in the city to be de-annexed. They agreed that the unique circumstances of this situation would not set a precedent that would allow others to request their property to be de-annexed.

The council members voted 3-0 to approve:

—A request by Melanie Honig to rezone to medium-density, single-family residential from low-density, single-family residential .21 acres on the northeast corner of Tyler Street and Chattanooga Avenue to create a restaurant.

—A request by Sergio Paez to rezone to neighborhood commercial from rural residential .22 acres at 401 Hawthorne St. to place a food truck with the condition that access to the property be limited to Spencer Street and that a parking plan be developed.

—An agreement to accept $1.923 million in federal and state grant funding for construction and design projects at the Dalton Municipal Airport. Those projects include Phase 2 of the rehabilitation of the main aircraft parking ramp, design of runway and taxiway pavement and electrical rehabilitation, and design of runway obstruction removal. These grants require a local match of $11,587.

—A $5,8000 agreement with Terracon Consultants of Chattanooga for an asbestos survey of the John Davis Recreation Center.

The rec center will undergo a renovation paid for from the 2020 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Plans call for a complete renovation of the 1986 portion of the building, which includes all of the administrative offices and the conference and assembly space upstairs. In addition, plans call for a new gym where the current gym is as well as a new entrance and lobby, a new locker room for lifeguards at the outdoor pool and renovation of the pool equipment area.

City officials are moving forward with an aquatics center with a competition-size pool near the Dalton Convention Center but they plan to maintain the pool at the rec center.

The council members approved a $5 million contract with Felker Construction of Dalton to serve as contractor-at-risk for the renovation in September 2022. A contractor-at-risk agrees to deliver a project at a maximum price. The contract includes all of the contractor's overhead, profit and fees, as well as building construction, design fees, project furnishings, site work and any contingencies.

The rec center was built in three stages. The original section was built in 1957. In 1963 the building was expanded with a gym and additional office space. In 1986 the city added more office space and programming areas.

—Reappoint Earl Boyd to the Dalton Airport Authority for a five-year term to expire Dec. 31, 2027.

—Appoint Brenda Barrett to the Dalton Housing Authority for a one-year resident member term to expire Oct. 14, 2023.

—Appoint Zach Adamson to the Dalton Housing Authority for a five-year term to expire Oct. 14, 2027.