Franklin BOC Approves Three New Board Members for Planning & Zoning Commission

Franklin County Commissioners have approved three new board appointments for the Franklin County Planning and Zoning Commission.

At their meeting this week, the Board appointed new P&Z board members for Districts 2, 3, and 4.

Each was recommended by the County Commissioner representing that District.

For District 2, the Board voted to appoint Ingra Langston who was recommended by Commissioner Kyle Foster.

The Board appointed Courtney Long to represent District 3. Long was nominated by Commissioner Elizabeth Busby.

And Kenneth Dove was nominated by Commissioner Josh Smith for the District 4 P&Z board seat.

All three nominees were approved unanimously.

In April, Commission Chair Jeff Jacques announced his research found that the original ordinance outlining how P&Z board members are chosen had not been adhered to for years – going back as far as 2009.

At that meeting, he said District 1 was double encumbered, and Districts 2, 3, and 4 were also not in compliance with the ordinance.

In the original ordinance and resolution by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners assigns five members to serve on the Planning Commission. There is one member from each district. They have staggered terms so there is always somebody rotating out at the end of every year,” Jacques explained.

He added that the board member’s term for the at-large seat had expired in January but that person was still serving and was asked to continue to serve.

Before the votes Monday night, Jacques said Commissioners will vote at their next meeting to adopt an updated P&Z ordinance.

“At our next meeting, we will make a motion to adopt an (updated) ordinance that created the Planning Commission that will get them back in order where in perpetuity we will have Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4 all represented. That will also incorporate the At-Large position. So you will have one member of the Planning Commission who will rotate off every year. Again, that will be done with the adoption of the new ordinance and then we’ll be in concert with the planning commission appointments tonight,” Jacques explained.

Jacques said the updated ordinance will be more specific in outlining how terms will be served.

The new appointees to the Planning and Zoning Commission will undergo training with the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission before taking their seats as new board members.