BOC to set FY 2022 budget Thursday

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — County commissioners are expected to approve a resolution to adopt the FY 22 budget when they meet in a regular session Thursday at 5 p.m. in the County Administration Building, 110 East Main Street in Cumming.

If approved, the General Fund budget will be balanced at $164,174,088 and will include a 4 percent increase in the cost of living allowance (COLA) for all county employees as well as an increase in the budget allowance for employees 401(k) match.

The largest expenditure is the $57,557,045 budget for the Sheriff’s Office, a 6.7 percent increase over 2021. The fire department will operate on a budget of $32,426,794.

The budget anticipates the addition of seven new full-time employees.

Commissioners are expected to approve a proclamation declaring Nov. 4, 2021 as the Festival of Diwali in Forsyth County. Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the main festivals celebrated by Hindus.

There will also be a presentation of Milestone Service Awards to various County employees for having reached twenty-five or more years of service.

Public hearings on the agenda include:

• The County-Initiated Conditional Use Permit for Agritourism on property currently zoned Agricultural District (A1) – Parcel 290-013 – CP210032;
• The County-Initiated Conditional Use Permit for Agritourism on property currently zoned Agricultural District (A1) – Parcels 269-045 and 281-004 – CP210033;
• The County-Initiated Conditional Use Permit for Agritourism on property currently zoned Agricultural District (A1) – Parcels 120-038, 146-002, and 146-281 – CP210034;
• The County-Initiated Conditional Use Permit for Agritourism on property currently zoned Agricultural District (A1) – Parcels 291-043 and 291-044 – CP210031;
• The County-Initiated request to rezone from Single Family Residential Restricted District (R2R) to Agricultural District (A1) with a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for Agritourism – Parcels 221-535, 221-705, 221-754, and 221-777 – ZA4030;
• A request for variances to the UDC, Table 11.2(b) by Toll Brothers, Inc. – Parcels 010-139 and 010-098 – VA210077;
• The County-Initiated request to rezone from Single Family Residential District (RES2) to Agricultural District (A1) – Parcel 005-022 – ZA4032;
• A request for an Amendment of Zoning Conditions on ZA3411 (Paces Battle Properties, LLC) by Blastoff Construction, Inc. – Parcel 084-006 – AZ210042;
• The modification of conditions on existing zoning application ZA3897 in accordance with UDC Section 8-5.5(I) – Parcel 106-104;
• A request by Jonathan Gonzalez – ZA4007 – to rezone from Agricultural District (A1) and Single Family Residential District (R1) to Commercial Business District (CBD) with a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for an open air business on 2 acres associated with an existing 1,036 sq. ft. building with 8 parking spaces with the following variances: 1.) Reduce the front setback from 40 ft. to 24 ft. (UDC Table 12.2); 2.) Reduce the front landscape strip from 20 ft. to 10 ft. (UDC 21-6.5(A)(1)); and, 3.) Reduce the required number of parking spaces from 75 to 8 (UDC Table 17.1) – Parcel 017-055;
• A request for an Amendment of Zoning Conditions on ZA3171 (QBQ Properties, LLC) by Pari Chirag Patel – Parcel 216-202 – AZ210040;
• An Alternate Design for Floor and Decor Outlets of America, Inc. – Parcel 173-304 – AD210007;
• Amendments to the Unified Development Code related to Sheds in A1 within Chapters 3, 15, and 16.

Under Old Business, the Board will consider amendments to Chapter 20b related to Specialty Districts within the Unified Development Code of Forsyth County.

Under New Business the Board will consider:

• A request by Michael and Susan Fazio for a Public Hearing regarding an appeal of the Zoning Board of Appeals’ (ZBA) decision to deny a variance on VA210068 (Michael Fazio);
• A request by Aqua Blue Pools of Atlanta for a Public Hearing regarding an appeal of the Zoning Board of Appeals’ (ZBA) decision to deny a variance on VA210070;
• Select the Chair for calendar year 2022.