A controversial proposal to build a rock quarry in Putnam County will not move forward — at least for now.
The county’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted March 5 to table the rezoning request until its routinely scheduled July 2 meeting, following a tense meeting that drew strong reactions from residents, most of whom vehemently oppose the project.
The evening got off to a tumultuous start when Putnam County Fire Chief Thomas McClain told a packed house that the meeting room at the county administration building had exceeded its nearly 200-person limit and that at least 30 to 40 standing-room-only spectators would have to wait outside the room.
Once McClain’s order was carried out, the meeting started promptly at 6 p.m., brought to order by P&Z Chairman Charles Gray.
Upon completing roll call, with all P&Z commissioners present, Gray turned the meeting over to Putnam County’s attorney, Adam Nelson. He announced that Putnam County Stone (PCS) LLC, which is seeking rezoning approval to build a granite quarry alongside Dennis Station Road in the southwest portion of the county, had asked the commission to delay consideration of the project until July.
PCS said it needed to revise and reduce the scope of its proposal in response to concerns raised by residents and county staff.
“Late yesterday, we received correspondence from (PCS attorney) Mr. Jay Dell on behalf of the applicant, making a request to table this item from tonight,” Nelson said to audible groans and jeers from the crowd. “Following that letter, we also received correspondence … from Mr. Bill Larson on behalf of a group of opponents to the proposed zoning, asking that we do not table the item.”
Dell then spoke on behalf of PCS, also represented at the meeting by company co-owner Hans Dawson. Dell said the company needed additional time to revise its plans after hearing community concerns during exploratory meetings at The Plaza in Eatonton, as well as during a meeting two weeks ago in the same room as the calamitous P&Z gathering.
“Since filing the application, we’ve met with numerous groups and people … neighbors of the property, concerned citizens,” Dell said. “It’s very apparent to us that the citizens and officials of Putnam County care deeply about this community.”
He acknowledged that feedback revealed concerns about the project's size, truck traffic on nearby roads, and potential environmental impacts.
In the face of a loud, opposing reaction from citizens, Dell then proposed resubmitting the plans at the P&Z Commission’s already-scheduled July 2 meeting.
“These are all very complex issues,” Dell stated while Gray called for order from the crowd. “My client wants to be a good neighbor. My client wants to work with this community.”
Engineers have already started redesigning the proposal, Dell said, starting with a concept that would cut the overall project size by more than half, address traffic concerns, and avoid disturbing sensitive areas such as wetlands and cemeteries. However, he said all revisions still require engineering review and additional coordination with county staff.
Opponents strongly objected to the delay, led by Georgia attorney Bill Larson, representing residents opposed to the quarry. Larson urged the board to move forward with the hearing as scheduled.
“They’ve apparently been planning this for a year and a half,” Larson said. “They’ve had plenty of time to make their plans, and we shouldn’t be penalized because they waited to get community input at the last minute.”
Larson also questioned the requested delay until July 2, suggesting that the timing could reduce public participation because of the meeting’s proximity to the Independence Day holiday, especially given the significance of the country’s 250th anniversary.
Despite the objections, the planning board voted 3–2 to grant the request to table the case, with Gray casting the deciding vote.
“This is not a democracy,” one person shouted after the vote.
After the meeting, Gray defended the board’s decision, saying it followed proper procedures and allowed commissioners time to review extensive documentation tied to the revised proposal, which totaled approximately 1,000 pages.
“It’s something you just don’t want to fast-read through,” Gray said. “You’ve got to analyze it. You’ve got to study it.”
He added that P&Z commissioners also received a petition from opponents containing roughly 1,600 signatures, plus a 37-page letter from Larson at 11 a.m. the same day as the P&Z meeting.
Dawson said the company believes revising the plan could ultimately improve the proposal. It apparently would reduce the original 917-acre project footprint to about 400 acres and move operations farther from nearby homes.
“We thought their (Putnam County residents’) concerns had some validity,” Dawson said. “So, we wanted to reimagine the project to kind of match the character that the Planning and Zoning Commission was looking for in the area.”
For now, the debate remains unresolved.
“This hasn’t gone away,” Gray said. “Not by any stretch of the imagination.”