Planning commission recommends rezoning of former VFW site, bakery possible

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

Apr. 25—The former site of Dalton's Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post could become home to a bakery.

The Dalton-Varnell-Whitfield County Planning Commission on Monday recommended approving 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 home of the VFW George Edward Smith Post 4985.

The commission makes recommendations to the city councils of Dalton and Varnell and the county Board of Commissioners on rezoning requests. The Dalton City Council will make the final decision on whether to approve the rezoning.

Attorney Tom Minor spoke 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.

County Planner Ethan Calhoun said the neighborhood commercial zoning would allow uses such as a bakery, a restaurant or small offices but not more intensive uses. In response to a question from an audience member, he said it would not allow a Dollar General store.

Calhoun said if a restaurant were opened on the site it could not get an alcoholic beverage pouring license because of its proximity to a church. The VFW post opened before the county adopted its zoning law. It was in conflict with the residential zoning of the site but was grandfathered in.

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.