By:  Gail Parsons/Effingham Herald

County Administrator Tim Callanan gave commissioners and members of the public an update on the odor problem residents in Springfield have been experiencing during the Board of Commissioners meeting Nov. 7.

“Periodically since the (DRT) plant’s opening we would get random complaints about periods of time when the odor became more pungent,” Callanan said. “However, I think this situation is much different. And we believe the issue started at the end of September when we got reports of what sounded like an explosion.”

When the fire department arrived, they were told there was no explosion but a gasket had blown. Following that incident, the odor became more pungent, he said. The county reported the situation to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

“We were told that the plant was running as normal but (the odor) continues and then it was about last weekend or the weekend before that it just got really, really bad,” he said. “The county decided to take additional steps.”

With minimal information being put out to the community, Callanan said county officials initiated a call with several health and environment agencies and the DRT plant.

“I started the call by letting them know that I think we need to do a much better job in not just informing the public as to what's going on but also informing what happened and informing the public as to what steps are being taken and when they can expect relief,” he said.

At this point of the investigation, DRT is not admitting that it is the source of the odor. The EPD has taken air and water samples for testing but those results are not back yet. 

“Effingham County is going to continue to take the role of coordinating communication and making sure more information gets out there,” Callanan said. “Jurisdictionally to take action, we are not that entity. That would be EPD or potentially Springfield if it was a code violation. But we need to make sure better information is getting out there quicker. As the test results come in, where if EPD doesn't release them, we will release them and then we'll move forward.”

Commissioners voted unanimously to allow county residents who live on a half-acre or less to have up to four chickens provided the coup is 150 feet from a home.

Using information gathered from the Board of Commissioner’s retreat and the multiple workshops staff updated the county ordinance concerning buffers, which the commission unanimously approved. Changes include:

·        The slope of the berm has been changed to a minimum of 4:1 where before it was a maximum

·        The total area of natural undisturbed buffer is 35’ and if the base of the berm is expanding, that expansion will be into the property and not into the 35’ of natural undisturbed buffer.

·        The buffer table has been updated to reflect 30’ buffers between residentially zoned parcels, as opposed to 15’ buffers. While mixed-use zoned parcels will buffer 30’ as oppose to 20’ to residentially zoned parcels.

·        A bond requirement has been added for the berm in Commercial, Industrial, and PD developments. This bond will be 10% of the cost of construction as determined by EOM.

·        The addition of fencing has been added for residentially zoned parcels and can allow for a reduction in the buffer by 10’.

·        In residential subdivisions, the visual buffer shall have a minimum 50% opacity. The visual buffer may be no higher than six feet in height, except on main or collector street where buffer is a maximum height of twenty feet.

·        Within required plant material, where trees do not already exist, the change is from every 30 linear feet to every 15 linear feet of buffer and at least two inches dbh.

Following staff recommendations commissioners approved a revision to the zoning ordinances to create a new business conditional use — agritourism business.

The ordinance eliminates the need for obtaining an assemblage permit for agricultural residential businesses that host events on their property that are strictly related to the agricultural use of the property. An agritourism business would be a conditional use within conforming AR-1 districts and not located within a residential subdivision.

Unanimous approval was given for:

·        A Services Agreement with Motorola Solutions for the 700/800 Mhz Radio System, 911 and Sheriff’s Dispatch consoles. The agreement is for $496,014.57, to be paid in two annual installments funded by 911 Recovery Fees and the General Fund.

·        A payment of $30,000 payment to Georgia Department of transportation for the SR/Kolic Helmey Roundabout.

·        A petition for the City of Rincon to annex property at Highway 21 and Lewis Drive, which are part of the Goshen Terrace subdivision.