Commissioners set to implement permit process for short-term rental

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FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Short-term rental in Georgia is a multi-billion dollar industry and that was the hot topic at Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting.

Forsyth County does not have a permitting process for short-term rentals and is currently losing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in fees and potential sales tax revenue.

Chairman Cindy Mills said, “People all over the county are renting their houses and they are doing so illegally, not by what Forsyth County Board of Commissioners said you should do.”

In some neighboring counties short-term rentals are treated like any other business, requiring a business license, short-term rental license — both of which must be renewed annually — and the payment of annual sales taxes.

Commissioner Todd Levent said the issue had come up before and that some rules and regulations had been drafted, but another Board of Commissioners rejected the idea of a permitting process.

With all commissioners in agreement, Mills directed staff and County Attorney Ken Jarrard to come back with a recommendation for a process to regulate short-term rentals.

In other business, the Board approved:

  • An Amendment to the Master Services Agreement between Healthstat, Inc. and Forsyth County to provide for a 3 percent increase in various fees and clinic staffing rates at the employees wellness center;
  • A list of surplus items with authorization for the Department of Procurement to dispose of accordingly;
  • An amendment to the agreement with Tyler Technologies for the MyCivic Module for the Department of Information Systems and Technology;
  • Expanding the scope with Praetorian Group Inc. for LocalGovU, a Learning Management System, to provide training and professional development to County staff for one year beginning on April 1;
  • Award Bid 20-180-1620 to replace the flooring at the Forsyth County Animal Shelter to Ward Humphrey, Inc. in the amount of $593,359;
  • Award Bid 20-192-1620 for the renovation of the Forsyth County Tax Assessor’s Office to Striker Contracting, LLC in the amount of $109,616.00;
  • Award Bid 21-02-3120 to provide as-needed Liquid Calcium Chloride Treatment on approximately 35 miles of roadway in Forsyth County to South Eastern Road Treatment, Inc. in the amount of $65,000;
  • Award Bid 21-18-3150 for as-needed Hot Asphaltic Concrete for the Department of Roads and Bridges to three companies C.W. Matthews; Blount Construction; and, Baldwin Paving with an estimated expenditure is $1,100,000;
  • An amendment to the task order with American Engineers, Inc. on the SR 369 Widening Project to provide post design services in the amount of $25,000;
  • An amendment to the Task Order with Ch2MHill Engineers, Inc. for the Fowler Reclamation Facility Expansion Project for the Department of Water and Sewer in the amount of $196,000;
  • Award RFP 20-145-3340 for AMI Meters and System Installation to Delta Municipal in the amount of $18,020,926 with authorization to continue the software/network as an annual service cost for the duration of the system;
  • A Task Order with Jacobs (CH2MHill) for providing AMI Implementation Management Services in the amount of $1,350,000;
  • Atlanta Gas Agreement to provide gas service for a new natural gas generator to be installed at 428 Canton Highway for the Public Health Facility of $1,389.29;
  • Acceptance of the FY2022 Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 Rural Transit Program Grant in the amount of $170,671 with a County match of $170,671.00;
  • Scheduling a public hearing on Incentives for large-lot agricultural subdivisions;
  • Schedule public hearing on changes to the UDC involving a Lot of Record as defined within the Forsyth County Unified Development Code;
  • A County-Initiated Conditional Use Permit for farm related activities, including: enclosed retail sales of agricultural products; open air retail sales of agricultural products; and, various uses related to agritourism, such as a petting zoo, u-pick, sunflower patch, hayrides, and similar activities on 25.4 acres currently zoned A1 – Parcels 291-043 and 291-044;
  • Authorization to terminate the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Forsyth County School District and Forsyth County regarding the Lease of Real Property, entered into on December 15, 2016; property in reference is a historical building commonly referred to as the “Denmark Clinic;”
  • A proposal to release certain Certificates of Occupancy in Hadley Estates, lots 75 and 76, while zoning condition modification is pursued;
  • A resolution adopting Rules and Regulations Governing Ad Valorem Tax and License Fee Refund Claims, including delegation of same to the Board of Tax Assessors or appropriate County department for a determination if the claim involves obvious clerical errors and establishing procedures for conferences with the BOC;
  • Conveyance of 945.59 square feet of Utility Easement to the Forsyth County Water and Sewerage Authority over portion of Matt Park, as requested by Eastwood Homes and BEI, Inc., for the Parkview subdivision;
  • A Consent Order for the deposit of additional funds and disbursement of funds to Hubbard Rental, LLC in connection with Civil Action File No. 19CV-0458-3 (SR 369 at GA 400 Interchange project, parcel 43);
  • A Conservation Easement between Forestar (USA) Real Estate Group, Inc., Carruth Lake Estates Community Association, Inc., and Forsyth County, Georgia for Phase 4 of the Carruth Lake Estates subdivision;
  • Acquisition of 32.101 Acres of Land from McFarland/400, Inc.; Tom Aderhold; and Charles Van McCollum, as Trustee of the Amy R. McCollum Revocable Living Trust Dated December 18, 2013 (Tax Parcel 064-022).

The Board did not vote on the intersection at Habersham Trace and Nuckolls Road and moved the issue of staggered terms for Development Authority members to the next work session.

 

 

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