Concerned Citizen Questions Downtown Rental Property

At the City Commission meeting on Monday, Angie Garland, a member of the Toccoa Planning Commission, spoke on her concern about a residential rental property in the downtown district.

The City Commission recently approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance that does not allow residential use of store fronts in the downtown district.

According to City Manager Billy Morse, this was passed because they want to keep businesses downtown.

“We want the storefronts to remain storefronts as much as possible,” said Morse. “So that they can be used for business and to maintain that central business district that draws people to downtown. We love the idea of having residential in downtown also, but we’d like to see that in the rear of the buildings or the upstairs of the buildings.”

The amendment did grandfather in one property at 20 East Doyle Street, however the property that Garland addressed was the old Harper’s building at the intersection of Sage and Doyle streets.

Garland said that she feels misled by the amendment that was approved and hopes for more clarity in the future.

“I would appreciate in the future, anything that comes before the planning commission, that whoever is in charge that they’re very truthful with us,” said Garland. “I don’t like to be blindsided when I know that we passed it that only one apartment would be grandfathered in. That was my understanding of what I voted for.”

Morse told WNEG that the owner of the property in question had a meeting Wednesday with the city attorney to discuss whether or not he will be grandfathered in.