+1 (770) 278-7000

Public Participation Plan

Public Participation Plan

l. INTRODUCTION

Historically, planning processes throughout the United States have excluded certain communities (either unintentionally or intentionally) and perpetuated systemic marginalization. Often community engagement strategies to address these historic exclusions were not culturally relevant and did not adequately include the voices and perspectives of certain communities, such as communities of color, non-native English speakers, and individuals with physical impairments.

Comprehensive plan engagement must reach a broad and diverse audience in order to plan for the future equitably and collectively. Rockdale County is committed to developing intentional strategies to actively and meaningfully engage underrepresented communities to create inclusive comprehensive plans.

ll. SPECTRUM OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

The degree to which the public participates depends on the outreach and engagement strategies implemented by the local jurisdiction. The International Association for Public Participation has developed a Spectrum of Public Participation which outlines the range of participation from inform to empower.

lll. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION OBJECTIVES

In order to ensure that Rockdale County has a proactive and meaningful public involvement process that provides complete information, timely public notice, full citizen input to key decision-making processes, and supports early and continuing involvement in developing regional plans and projects, the County will pursue the following objectives:

  • The dissemination of information will be thorough to ensure the education of the public and to promote the broadest understanding of the County’s needs;
  • Rockdale County’s constituency will be broadened by engaging parts of the community that have had less involvement in the past; and,
  • The interested public will be ensured of ample opportunity to participate in the decision-making process for County projects.

lV. INFORMING COUNTY RESIDENTS

Rockdale County’s website, https://rockdale26.soliademo.com/, is a continuously updated source for information on nearly every aspect of the regional and comprehensive planning process. Additional informational sources include the RockGA app, as well as social media sites, including Facebook and Instagram. A wide scope of resource material, covering each County Department is available, as well as meeting notices and agendas, information on public involvement, staff contact information and links to related agencies and municipalities. The Rockdale County website is also accessible to non-English speaking visitors who wish to translate online documents into other languages through the website’s translation tool. Public meetings are streamed via the Rockdale County website, Facebook and YouTube.

Media Communication

Rockdale County regularly releases press advisories to the County and the region’s electronic and print media outlets. In addition to County project public meetings and activities, media releases are provided for upcoming events and actions.

The media outlets the County releases information to include the following:

Atlanta Business Chronicle
3384 Peachtree Rd NE
Ste 900
Atlanta, GA 30326
800-208-7250

Atlanta Journal Constitution
Communitynews@ajc.com
Investigations editors
The Atlanta Journal Constitution
6205 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd
Atlanta, GA 30328

CBS 46
WANF-Atlanta News First
425 14th St NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
404-325-4646

CNN
One CNN Center
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-827-1500

Fox-5 News Atlanta
newstipsatlanta@fox.com
404-898-0100

Health Beat
contact@healthbeat.org
atlanta.tips@healthbeat.org
450 7th Avenue, 32nd floor
New York, NY 10123
404-897-7500

News Nation Now
2501 West Bradley Place
Chicago, IL 60618-4718
nndesk@newsnationnow.com

On Common Ground News
770-679-5607

The Rockdale Citizen
920 Green St. SW, Suite A1
Conyers, GA 30012
770-483-7108

WSB Radio
1601 West Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-897-6276

WSBTV
1601 West Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
404-897-6276

WXIA -11 Alive News
news@wanf.com
One Monroe Place NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
404-873-9101

Public Meetings

Public meetings will be held prior to the adoption/implementation of major Rockdale County projects. Authorization to proceed with public distribution of pertinent materials and to hold public meetings must be sought from the Board of Commissioners or the designated County Department Director. An announcement should be early enough in the process to allow public input on initial decisions such as the project definition and goals.

Rockdale County shall take appropriate actions to encourage the participation of all people and organizations that include the following:

  • Persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
  • People with disabilities
  • Minorities
  • Local and regional institutions
  • Developers, non-profit and philanthropic organizations; and
  • Community and faith-based organizations

LEP interpreters, sign language interpreters or other auxiliary aid requests can be accommodated if requested in advance. For LEP interpreters, sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids, please contact Rockdale County administration by calling 770-278-7007. If any person is in need of physical assistance in order to access public meeting spaces, they may contact the Risk Management Department by calling 770-278-8430 to obtain aid in advance of the meeting.

Public Participation Requirements For Rezoning, Change in Conditions, and Special Use Permits

Rockdale County uses a formal process for amendments to the official zoning map, future land use map of the comprehensive plan, rezoning requests, and Special Use Permits.

Initiation of Amendments

  1. Amendments to the comprehensive plan and land use and zoning are initiated by the Board of Commissioners via a proposed ordinance introduced by one or more board members, an official action of the planning commission or by staff through a proposed ordinance.
  2. Amendments to the official zoning map or the future land use map of the comprehensive plan are initiated by (1) the owner of the property or authorized agent, (2) introduction of a proposed ordinance introduced by one or more members of the board or commissioners, or (3) staff through a proposed ordinance.

Application Schedule

Amendments to the official zoning map, to the text of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), and to the comprehensive plan must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the date of final action is to be considered by the Board of Commissioners. Review and consideration of text, zoning and comprehensive plan amendments will be scheduled before the planning commission and Board of Commissioners in accordance with a schedule prepared annually by the department of planning and development.

Once a completed application for a text, zoning or land use amendment is submitted the following can occur:

  1. Planning department staff presents an ordinance to the Board of Commissioners for consideration for a first reading.
  2. The property owner or agent’s application shall be referred to the planning commission for review and recommendation for a first reading.
  3. The Board of Commissioners initiate an application via a proposed ordinance introduced by one or more board of commission members, or official action of the planning commission, or staff through proposed ordinance, the first reading may be approved by the Board of Commissioners for referral to the planning commission for review and recommendation or the first reading may be denied, which terminates the application process.

Public Hearing/Meeting

The planning commission places an application for an amendment to the official zoning map or an amendment to the comprehensive plan upon notification of the completed application on the agenda of a regular meeting for a public hearing.

Notice of Public Hearing/Meeting

  1. Legal notice of public hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation (Rockdale Citizen) within the county. The legal advertisement shall be published at least 15 days but not more than 45 days prior to the date of each required public hearing. Notice shall state the time, place and purpose of the hearing. If the proposal is to amend the official zoning map or future land use map and is initiated by a party other than the Board of Commission it shall contain the location of the property, current land use category and zoning district of the property, and the proposed land use and zoning district of the subject property.
  2. Signs Posted. For an application to amend the official zoning map or future land use map, or a special use permit, or a variance, the department shall post a sign or signs at least 15 days prior to each public hearing. Signs shall be double-faced and a minimum of 24 X 36 inches in size, in a conspicuous place in the public right-of-way fronting the property or on the property for which the application was submitted.
  3. Letters to adjoining property owners. For an application to amend the future land use map, other than an amendment initiated by the Board of Commissioners, the planning and development department shall send notification of the requested application by regular mail to all adjacent property owners as shown on the county tax records at the time of filing. Adjacent property isdefined as property that is either abutting or on the opposite side of a common street, right-of-way, or easement that separates it from the subject property. All notifications shall be mailed at least 15 days prior to the first required public hearing and shall include a description of the application, and the date, time and place of all scheduled public hearings.

Public hearing procedures

Planning Commission

For any matter on the Planning Commission agenda that requires a public hearing and a vote of the planning commission, the following steps shall be followed:

  • Rules of procedure and presentation and standards that govern the power of zoning as applicable shall be in writing and shall be available for distribution to the general public.
  • The chair shall announce each matter to be heard and state that a public hearing is to be held on the matter
  • A report from planning staff with its findings and recommendations shall be presented
  • The chair shall provide an opportunity for the applicant, supporters of the applicant’s petition, and persons in opposition to the applicant’s application to speak. The chair may limit the presentation of speakers that support and oppose the petition to a reasonable length of time, but not less than ten minutes per side. An applicant can reserve a portion of his/her allotted time for rebuttal and summary comments to be made following presentation of those opposed to the petition.
  • Each speaker shall identify himself/herself and state his or her current address prior to speaking. Remarks shall be limited to data, evidence, and opinions relevant to the proposed petition and address all remarks to the chair.
  • The chair shall close the public hearing with respect to the subject matter and seek a motion to act upon the petition following the allotted time for proponents and opponents.

Action by the Planning Commission

The planning commission shall review and consider the application and materials of record and the recommendations of the planning department in making a recommendation on an application for an amendment to the comprehensive plan or to the official zoning map. At the conclusion of the public hearing the planning commission shall forward the planning commission’s decision to the Board of Commissioners by the following two methods:

  • Recommendation– (1) Approve as proposed by the applicant, (2) Approve with an amendment to include a lesser geographic area or less intense zoning district or land use category, (3) Approve the proposed amendment with conditions, or (4) Deny the proposed amendment
  • No Recommendation– Provide a recommendation of “No recommendation” on the proposed amendment, if the commission fails to make a decision on a recommendation regarding an application following at least three (3) motions.

Action by the Board of Commissioners

Public Hearing. The Board of Commissioners places the application on a public hearing agenda for a public hearing or hearings upon receipt of a recommendation from the department and planning commission.

Consideration. In making a decision on an application for an amendment to the comprehensive plan or official zoning map, the Board of Commissioners shall review and consider the application and materials of record, the recommendation of the department, the planning commission, and other applicable standards of the code, and a proposed ordinance shall be prepared by the department for action by the Board of Commissioners to effect the amendment.

Actions by the Board of Commissioners. At the first regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners meeting of the month subsequent to the Board of Commissioners public hearing, the Board of Commissioners shall take one of the following actions regarding the proposed amendment:

  • Approve the proposed amendment as requested by the applicant
  • Approve an amendment with conditions
  • Approve the amendment to include lesser geographic area or less intense zoning district or land use category
  • Deny the proposed amendment
  • Refer the matter back to the planning commission for reconsideration at its next regularly scheduled or called meeting; if a referral includes a public hearing, the matter shall be re-advertised in accordance with applicable code sections.
  • Defer final action until the next regularly scheduled or special called meeting.
  • Within ten (10) business days following action by the Board of Commissioners written notification shall be mailed to the applicant and property owner, if different.

Special Use Permits

Special use permits provide for uses that generally are compatible with the use characteristics of a zoning districts but requires additional review based on location, design, intensity, configuration and public facility to determine the appropriateness at a particular site in the district and compatibility with adjacent uses.

Initiation of a Special Use Permit

A special use permit application may be initiated by the owner or his/her authorized agent of the subject property. Applications shall be on forms provided by the department and submitted to the department. All questions should be answered, and all requested materials should be attached to the application at time of submittal along with application fees.

Public Hearing. The Board of Commissioners shall provide for public notice and public hearing, and no special use permit application shall be decided by the Board of Commissioners unless it has been submitted to the planning commission for public hearing and recommendation.

Notice of public hearing for a proposed special use permit shall follow the same requirements and process outlined previously regarding legal notice, sign posting, and letters to adjoining property owners.

Action by the Planning Commission

Complete information (application and all supporting material) albeit communication or writings either in support or opposition to the application, and a written repost and recommendation from staff based on required criteria shall be provided to the planning commission on each proposed application for special use permit by the secretary.

The planning commission shall conduct a public hearing consistent with the previous process mentioned earlier. The planning commission shall review and consider each criteria to be applied for a special use permit per section 238-6 (m), supplemental regulations in section 218, article III, and requirements of the comprehensive plan and zoning district where such use is proposed to be located.

Upon review and consideration of the application the planning commission may do the following:

  • Recommend and impose conditions based upon facts in a particular case in accordance with section 238-151.
  • Recommend approval of the special use permit application
  • Recommend approval of the application with conditions
  • Recommend approval of the special use permit for a lesser area, extent or intensity, or
  • Recommend Denial of the application

Failure to achieve a majority vote following three (3) motions results in no recommendation to the Board of Commissioners.

Action by the Board of Commissioners.

The Board of Commissioners, after conducting the required public hearing with public notice shall take one of the following actions:

  • Vote to approve the application.
  • Vote to approve the application with conditions.
  • Vote to approve the special use permit for a lesser area, extent or intensity.
  • Vote to deny the application.
  • Vote to defer the application to its next regular meeting or special called meeting.
  • Vote to refer the matter back to the planning commission for reconsideration at their next regularly scheduled meeting or special-called meeting. If such referral includes a public hearing, the matter shall be re-advertised.

The decision of the Board of Commissioners on each application for special use permit shall be based on a discretionary determination as to whether or not the applicant has met the criteria contained in subsection (m) of this section, the use standards contained in chapter 218, article III where applicable to the use proposed, the consistency of the application with the comprehensive plan, the requirements of the zoning district in which such use is proposed to be located, and any additional conditions deemed necessary to ensure the compatibility of the conditional use with the surrounding properties.

The Board of Commissioners may impose conditions based upon the facts in a particular case in accordance with section 238-151.

Time limits of special use permits.

  • The Board of Commissioners has the authority to specify how long a special use permit may remain valid.
  • Subject to any limit in duration, the special use permit shall become an integral part of the zoning applied to the subject property and shall be extended to all subsequent owners and interpreted and continually enforced by the department in the same manner as any other provision of the UDO, subject to the limitations provided in subsections (o) and (q) of this section.

Special use permit criteria to be applied. The following criteria shall be applied by the department, the planning commission, and the Board of Commissioners in evaluating and deciding any application for a special use permit. No application for a special use permit shall be granted by the Board of Commissioners unless satisfactory provisions and arrangements have been made concerning each of the following criteria, all of which are applicable to each application:

  • Whether or not the proposed plan is consistent with all of the requirements of the zoning district in which the use is proposed to be located, including required parking, loading, setbacks and transitional buffers.
  • Compatibility of the proposed use with land uses on adjacent properties and other properties within the same zoning district, including the compatibility of the size, scale and massing of proposed buildings in relation to the size, scale and massing of adjacent and nearby lots and buildings.
  • Adequacy of the ingress and egress to the subject property, and to all proposed buildings, structures, and uses thereon, including the traffic impact of the proposed use on the capacity and safety of public streets providing access to the subject site.
  • Consistency with the county’s wastewater treatment system, including the feasibility and impacts of serving the property with public wastewater treatment service and, if an alternative wastewater treatment method is proposed, whether such wastewater treatment method will have a detrimental impact on the environment.
  • Adequacy of other public facilities and services, including stormwater management, schools, parks, sidewalks, and utilities, to serve the proposed use.
  • Whether or not the proposed use will create adverse impacts upon any adjacent or nearby properties by reason of noise, smoke, odor, dust, or vibration, or by the character and volume of traffic generated by the proposed use.
  • Whether or not the proposed use will create adverse impacts upon any adjoining land use by reason of the manner of operation or the hours of operation of the proposed use.
  • Whether or not the proposed use will create adverse impacts upon any environmentally sensitive areas or natural resources.

Development of an approved special use. The issuance of a special use permit shall only constitute approval of the proposed use, and development of the use shall not be carried out until the applicant has secured all other permits and approvals required.

Expiration of a special use permit. Unless a building permit or other required approvals is secured within 12 months, and construction subsequently undertaken pursuant to such building permit, the special use permit shall expire automatically unless the permit is extended upon application to the Board of Commissioners in accordance with subsection (p) of this section.

Time extension of a special use permit. The time limitations imposed on special use permits by subsection (e)(l) and expiration date established pursuant to subsection (o) of this section may be extended by the Board of Commissioners not more than once, and not for more than 12 months, upon written request by the applicant and approval of the Board of Commissioners.

Limitations on approvals for special use permits. A special use permit shall expire automatically and cease to be of any force or effect if such use shall, for any reason, be discontinued for a period of 12 months.

Modifications to a special use permit. Changes to an approved special use permit, other than time extensions provided under subsection (p) of this section, shall be subject to the same application, review and approval process as a new application, including the payment of relevant fees.

Appeal of a special use permit decision. Any person, persons or entities jointly or severally aggrieved by any decision of the Board of Commissioners regarding a special use permit application may take an appeal to the superior court of the county. The appeal shall be limited to the proceedings and record of the Board of Commissioners. Any appeal must be filed within 30 days of the decision of the Board of Commissioners, and upon failure of such appeal, the decision of the Board of Commissioners shall be final.

Additional method for providing opportunities for discussion with interested parties

Upon discussion with applicants that are interested in developing property adjacent to established residential neighborhoods, planning and development staff encourages potential developers to notify the residents prior to submitting their application and schedule a meeting to introduce the proposed project. Such meetings allow residents that would potentially be impacted the opportunity to see concept plans and ask questions of the applicant. The applicant is also able to receive feedback from their potential neighbor(s) regarding their likes and dislikes and if the project moves forward, to determine how the project can be designed and constructed so that it does not have a substantial impact on the quality of life of the current residents.

Time, date and place of meetings

Planning Commission meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at Assembly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers, Georgia. Planning Commission meetings are streamed on the county’s social media platforms, i.e., Facebook and YouTube.

Board of Commissioners meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at Assembly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers, Georgia. The Board of Commissioners vote on items of consideration at this meeting. Board of Commissioners meetings are streamed on the county’s social media platforms, i.e., Facebook and YouTube.

Board of Commissioners Zoning meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month at at 6:00 p.m. at Assembly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers, Georgia. This is typically the public hearing session where the BOC hears zoning, special use permit, and text amendment requests for consideration.

Meetings scheduled with the community related to special projects (i.e. Comprehensive Plan Update, UDO updates, community meetings) outside of the regular everyday scope of work are generally held at 6:00 p.m. at county facilities that can accommodate at least 25- 50 people on evenings that do not conflict with Board of Commissioners or Planning Commission meetings. Evening meetings held at 6:00 p.m. allow citizens that work during the day an opportunity to participate in their governmental process. Attendance at meetings is captured using sign-in sheets and meeting minutes are also recorded. Members of the planning staff attend meetings as well as representatives from consultant firms for consultant driven projects.

County Facilities

  • J.P. Carr Community Center
  • C.E. Steele Center
  • Costley Mill Center
  • Johnson Park Recreation Center
  • Rockdale County Library Community Room

There are times when meeting times and dates may change or must be postponed. Whenever this occurs notice will be posted per the requirements outlined in the UDO and by state law.

OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS

In Georgia, the Open Records Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et.seq.) allows the public to request access to records from public agencies. All government information is presumed to be available to the public unless the information is specifically exempted from disclosure under the law. A request to inspect the County’s records may be made either orally or in writing; however, actions to enforce can only be based on written requests. The public may make requests for public records via the Rockdale County website, https://rockdale26.soliademo.com/what-is-an-open-record-request/.