Green Co. Special Permit Hearing: People Loud and Clear--"No!"

I attended a hearing before the DeKalb Planning Commission at 330 Ponce de Leon Avenue at 6:30 pm, March 6th. The Green Co. plant is such a huge issue that the room was at standing room only capacity and the members of the panel moved to move the Green Co. hearing from the end of the agenda to the front. Green Co. wants 22 acres off Rogers Lake to build a composting plant but needs a special use permit from the Board of Commissioners. This is the third of public hearings on this matter that I am aware of.

Supporters were given 20 minutes (which there were NONE) and the opposition given 20 minutes. Gina Mangham spoke on behalf of citizens and pointed out the same procedural, legal and community concerns that have been reiterated over and over again about the Green Co. permit process. During my statements that followed, I urged the panel to consider the people's loud voice and opposition to this application. "I rarely get involved in local decisions because I respect the body, the Board of Commissioners, that we have set up to handle these issues but this issue couldn't be ignored based on attending the first meeting at Rockbridge Elementary. I only have power because of the people and the people have resoundingly said "no" to a special use permit for Green Co. I look forward to using whatever influence I can in telling the Board of Commissioners, 2 of whom I spoke with today and have pledged NOT to support this application, in making sure the people of Lithonia's voice is heard loud and clear on March 27th before the Board."

The attorney for Green Co. was allowed to give opening arguments and closing arguments but was stopped in her tracks when the chair of the panel asked "With all this opposition and NO supporters, give us a reason to not defer this matter but deny it altogether." The staff ultimately recommended deferral because the ARC needs to render an opinion as to this matter; the panel seemed ready to NOT defer but to deny the special permit outright. The discussions were still going on when I left.

I can be reached at (404) 656-0167 for any questions.