Whitfield planning commission meets Monday

Published 8:30 am Saturday, July 26, 2025

The Dalton-Varnell-Whitfield County Planning Commission meets at 6 p.m. Monday, July 28,  in the meeting room in the courthouse.

The commission makes zoning recommendations to the city councils of Dalton and Varnell and to the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners.

The commissioners are scheduled to hear:

• A request by Joshua Ray to rezone from suburban agriculture to general agriculture 5.35 acres on Old Dixie Highway, Dalton.

The request to rezone was made to build a home and hobby farm with the potential to construct two single-family dwellings on the property. The staff recommendation is to approve the rezoning.

• A request by Brian Maddox to rezone from general commercial to rural residential 0.84 acres at 5120 South Dixie Highway, Resaca. The property currently has a single-family home. The rezoning would bring the zoning into conformity with the use and allow the owner to remodel or replace that home.

The staff recommendation is to approve the rezoning.

• A request by Bryan Spence to rezone from low-density, single-family residential to rural residential 3.356 acres on Cedar Ridge Road, Dalton. Spence wants to build a mix of single-family homes and duplexes on the property.

The staff recommendation is to approve the rezoning.

• A request by Bradley Scott Martin to rezone from rural residential and general agriculture to rural residential 4.2 acres at 3323 Lower Gordon Springs Road, Rocky Face.

According to the meeting agenda, Martin wants to convey part of the property to an heir. The staff recommendation is to approve the rezoning.

• A request by Faith Ball to rezone from general commercial to general agriculture 7.25 acres at 1915 Otway Drive N.E., Dalton. The property currently contains one single-family home. Ball wants to add a second single-family home. The staff recommends approval of the rezoning.

• A request by Jason Jackson to rezone from low-density, single-family residential to rural residential 0.35 acres at 205 Old Lafayette Road, Rocky Face, to build a duplex on a site that now contains a blighted residential structure.

The staff analysis says the decision was “difficult” because rural residential is not ideal. But it recommended approval, citing the fact it could lead to the removal of the blighted building and the fact there is a duplex next to the site.

• A request by Miquel A. Franco to rezone from low-density, single-family residential to rural residential 1.14 acres at 122 Dycus Road and 130 Dycus Road, Dalton.

The site currently contains two aging manufactured homes. Franco wants to replace them with four duplexes. The staff recommendation is to approve the rezoning.

• A request by Arturo Lopez to rezone from low-density, single-family residential and general agriculture to general agriculture 12.58 acres at 1023 Lafayette Road, Rocky Face.

Lopez wants to combine two parcels with different zoning into one property zoned general agriculture.

The staff recommendation is to approve the rezoning.

All of the rezoning requests on Monday’s agenda are in the unincorporated part of the county. The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners is expected to make a final decision on the requests when it meets Monday, Aug. 11, at 6 p.m. in the commissioners’ meeting room of the courthouse.