Committee votes to cut sizes of new homes in Barrow County

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Saturday, July 9. 2011

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A citizens committee that was appointed a few months ago by the Barrow County Board of Commissioners to review the county’s zoning regulations voted July 7 to recommend that the minimum sizes of new houses be reduced by hundreds of square feet.

The Unified Development Code since 2005 has required that all new homes built in Barrow County have at least 1,600 square feet of heated floor space. The committee voted to recommend instead that the minimum size of single-story homes be 1,200 square feet, and the minimum size of two-story homes be 1,400 square feet.

The vote on single-story homes was 5-2, with Bill Healan and John Chaney voting no. The vote on two-story homes was 6-1, with Healan casting the only vote against the motion.

Healan, a former county attorney and member of the BOC, is the chairman of the committee. He warned the other members that the BOC likely would not agree to such significant reductions in home sizes. The BOC will make the final decision on whether to change the UDC.

But with two of the appointees of district commissioners absent – including the appointee of District 6 Commissioner Ben Hendrix, who suggested the creation of the committee – Healan was clearly outnumbered by members with ties to development.

They argued that something has to be done to get people in the construction industry back to work. The primary industry in Barrow County prior to the start of the recession in 2008 was the building industry.

The committee did agree to include in its recommendation that with the smaller house sizes, the county tighten the building codes to make sure the homes are of better quality than many of the 1,600-square-foot homes built during the county’s building boom a few years ago.

Voting in favor of the reduced house sizes were:

• Joe Goodman, who is the chairman of the Planning Commission and the appointee of District 1 Commissioner Larry Joe Wilburn;
• Jon Greeson, a major commercial property owner and the appointee of District 2 Commissioner Eva Elder;
• Jerry Maynard of Maynard & Bartlett Realty Group, who was appointed by BOC chairman Danny Yearwood;
• Danny Rampey, a businessman representing the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce;
• and Tripp Lanthier, an owner of Winder Barrow Realty.

Healan is the appointee of District 3 Commissioner Steve Worley, and Chaney is the appointee of District 4 Commissioner Isaiah Berry.

Absent for the vote were Charles Sewell, the appointee of District 5 Commissioner Billy Parks; Rick Mathews, the appointee of Hendrix; and Tony Trusty, president of the Barrow County Builders Association.

The committee also voted to recommend that sidewalks be required only in residential developments with at least 35 homes. Currently the UDC requires sidewalks in neighborhoods with 24 homes.

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#1 TickedOff on 07/09/11 at 12:51 PM [Reply]

Just another example of bureaucratic BS in this county and its government once again.
Calling this a "citizens" committee is a joke.
Jerry Maynard- Real Estate Broker
Tripp Lanthier- Real Estate
Danny Rampey- Developer/Investor, under guise of Chamber of Commerce.
Jon Greeson- Commercial Real Estate
How did you expect the vote to go? And we wonder how Barrow Co. got in the mess it is currently in? These wealthy real estate/ developer guys littered the countryside with cracker box developments that are mostly bankrupt and foreclosed. Now we let them vote to continue the madness? Nice job Danny and Co. I assure you I will do all that is in my power to see that each and every one of you idiots we call commissioners are replaced.
Heres an idea for the Chamber of Commerce to use as a slogan on its billboards Welome to Barrow- Armpit of the South.

#1.1 Liberty for All on 07/09/11 at 05:25 PM [Reply]

Why should the Government be able to tell me what size house I have to build. In the 1950's the average size family was 4 and the average home was only about 1,000 square feet. Those families got along just fine. Larger houses were made the rule for one reason, to increase the tax base of local governments and therefore collect more revenue. Why shouldn't a retiree or widower who only wants 750 square feet be able to build that size house if that's what they want. I'm for less government control in all areas of my life.

#1.2 Scarlet Pimpernel on 07/09/11 at 06:06 PM [Reply]

Yes, in your plutocrat universe, only rich people deserve to have homes. Poor people should just kill themselves. They should surrender their aspirations and vacate your planet immediately. Come the revolution, you'll be first on the guillotine.

#1.3 Sort-of letting the fox design on 07/10/11 at 04:59 PM [Reply]

the hen house. Yep, we want an HONEST opinion so let's ask realtors and developers to decided.

Speaks VOLUMES of the BOC.

#2 Fortitude on 07/09/11 at 01:15 PM [Reply]

Of course the builders voted for it, that way they can add more homes in less space, with little property tax to pay for the growth. Good Job County, way to think of your wallet's instead of the people

#2.1 Anonymous on 07/09/11 at 08:08 PM [Reply]

Might was well just park trailers on the lots. Not much difference and will attract the same quality of resident.

#3 Anonymous on 07/09/11 at 01:54 PM [Reply]

On one hand, Barrow is trying to push their technology park/ research park/ whatever park off 316 to high tech research firms. The people who would work at these facilities want nice sized homes, in nice subdivisions. They WILL NOT want to live in something that is basically the size of a trailer. Building smaller and they will come -- do we REALLY want that type person coming to Barrow? Or do we want someone who can afford a larger home, who has disposable income to spend?

#3.1 Fortitude on 07/09/11 at 09:53 PM [Reply]

Well thats the what the good ol boys want, less taxes and more kick backs. You wonder how Oconee County outpaced Barrow ? they made house sizes larger, so only professionals would afford them, then all the wellfare people moved into Barrow and lets compare schools, wonder why Oconee is better, their children want to be like their parents, just like in Barrow, you get what you pay for

#3.2 Get off your high horse! on 07/09/11 at 10:52 PM [Reply]

Just because you do not want a large house doesn't mean that you are lesser the person. Some people are actually smart and don't want a huge house to pay for. How far upside down is your mortgage???? Neighborhoods are the problem anyway. What happened to buying a piece of land and build the house that you want instead of trying to keep up with the Jones'!

#4 wild bill on 07/09/11 at 06:59 PM [Reply]

Okay so the builders want smaller house sizes let them. Now add architectural elements (dicate that no more slab built houses be allowed, type of roofing material that will be used, 4 side brick houses, all countertops shall be granite and so on.) so that way the houses maintain their value and lets start charging impact fees so the builders have to cover some of the costs that smaller houses will cost for the additional services since the type of the people that will be moving into these houses won't be able to pay.

#4.1 Anonymous on 07/10/11 at 07:10 AM [Reply]

You can build cheap on a smaller footprint or you can build quality on a smaller footprint.

We sold the "big" house when we moved to Barrow. We realized, we didn't use a quarter of the space once our son left for college.

We built a smaller house, BUT we added architectural elements like shake shingles on the outside, custom cabinets, custom tile in the bath and kitchen, hardwood flooring, 10 ft ceiling, etc...

When people come inside, they are surprised because it looks and feels bigger.

If we could insure they build quality on the smaller footprint, then I'm all for it, but I'm afraid we will have a bunch of cheaply built homes that do nothing to increase the tax base or attract businesses.

#5 Anonymous on 07/09/11 at 07:45 PM [Reply]

Barrow does not have a lot of square mileage. Fill with starter homes like this and you'll kill its future. There are enough homes of that size. No one is going to want to build when there are so many deals on foreclosures. It's better to wait until the economy picks up and build larger houses to draw a more diverse tax base. Or make Barrow one big trailer park.

#6 Fred Sanford on 07/09/11 at 09:23 PM [Reply]

Ok... this is just plain crazy. Let's step back some... we just got the most recent results of the county CRCT tests.... basically our results were status quo.... they were bad! Wonder why? Well, despite what the crazies want you to think, those fine new 1200 sq fot homes do not house the folks who want to push their kids to be something better, they house the people who feel that just enough to get by is plenty. Is that what we want more of? How about this... bump the minimum sq foot up by 200 on each (1 story and 2) and require sidewalks in all developments of any size above 5 homes. Then, let's give some incentive to a group that would build some housing to those new standards and then work with the business development folks to try and bring in some folks to live in those new homes.

#7 J.B.Moore on 07/09/11 at 11:10 PM [Reply]

Great idea to drag our property values down even more. If our schools do not make you want to move here, you would love to build your 3000 square foot home in the midst of 1200 square foot homes.. Your talking small free standing duplexes all over the county. Is that what brings nice developments in? Every one deserves to have affordable housing but come on really you got foreclosures selling for 8 to 25 dollars a square foot.

#8 observer on 07/10/11 at 06:27 AM [Reply]

The county is flooded with a huge inventory of foreclosures, the tax digest is still dropping and the developers want cracker box houses.

This is a loser for the county, the school board, and the citizens of Barrow.

This is a ridiculous idea. Crazy. Just plain crazy.

#9 Liberty for All on 07/10/11 at 09:55 AM [Reply]

So this is where we've come to in this country. Government dictates all aspects of our lives. Well, let's really stimulate the economy. Let's pass a law that all people must have a new car every 3 years. Everyone must have a 50 inch flat screen tv in their home. All homes must have central heat and air. All homes must have a pool. Why stop at the square footage.
Whatever became of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness as determined by me.

#10 disgusted on 07/10/11 at 10:36 AM [Reply]

Jerry Maynard, Tripp Lanthier, Jon Greeson, Danny Rampey - yep! That's a real "citizen's" committee. No special interests there. Why don't you all move permanently to your condos Destin and leave us alone here in failing Barrow County? Just what we need more crappy little houses that become rentals or foreclosures. Now that's foresight! I hope the BOC tables this again...and again...and again...'cause apparently you're going to keep bringing it up.

#10.1 Fortitude on 07/10/11 at 11:04 AM [Reply]

As citizens, we should all ban together and kick out the real estate "moguls" here in the county, dont buy from them nor allow them to represent you. Once their money begins to run out, they will see the damage they done. Greed, Envy and Gluttony will be their end aswell as the commissioners. Everyone of them should be replaced in the next two elections

#10.1.1 r on 07/10/11 at 01:48 PM [Reply]

Yeah. That's the ticket. Rise up and revolt. The prolitariat has spoken! Power to the people! Socialism reigns supreme!

No? Okay, how about this...

Let's ban the real estate "moguls" so they don't employ anyone else. Let all the building supply businesses, and their employees, dry up. Let all the electricians, sheetrock hangers, painters, etc., go broke. You've seen what this economy has done for Barrow County. You want to start it all over again.

Brilliant. And by the way, answer this - how many homes are being built right now anyway? And how many do you predict in the future?

#10.1.1.1 Fortitude on 07/11/11 at 11:08 AM [Reply]

Well, have you considered that Barrow maybe does not need more houses ? Lets do like Gwinnett and build, build and build until there is little green space and then oh, wait, do we have the infrastructure to support that growth ? NOPE, no more building unless it's business

#10.1.1.1.1 Total Itarian on 07/11/11 at 11:16 AM [Reply]

You need to use all your spare time to work on a time machine. Then use it to travel to Berlin, circa 1933. You will feel right at home. Either there or Moscow, circa 1945.

#10.1.1.1.1.1 Fortitude on 07/11/11 at 01:03 PM [Reply]

What does socialism/communisim have to do with limiting unwanted growth ? You must be a realtor, no one else would want to stuff this county with crappy little houses, increase the population density without thinking about the lack of infrastructor (widing roads, more police and fire, bigger schools) to support such growth.
If the people sold the remaining land for more residential growth, where would the new schools be built to house the influx of children ? You guessed it, immenant domain would occur and somebody will have to loose their land to house the influx that this committee has voted to do.
Wake up, look around you, do you want Barrow to be just like Gwinnett ? I dont, I enjoy the small town atmosphere without having to sit in traffic to get anywhere. Go develop Elberton or something

#10.1.1.1.1.1.1 r on 07/11/11 at 02:14 PM [Reply]

Look, just because they want the right to build smaller houses DOESN'T mean they start popping up. It's still "the economy, stupid". (note quotation marks)

As someone said below, they could reduce the size to 100 sq. ft. and they still won't be built on a speculative basis. The days of building spec houses is over, past, done for. There are too many unsold houses now spread all over, not only Barrow County, but all of North Georgia.

#10.1.1.1.1.1.2 Realtor on 07/11/11 at 07:36 PM [Reply]

Fortitude, I beg your pardon. I am a Realtor and I'm also a Barrow County resident. The last thing I want is more starter houses built in this county. We have more than our share of starter homes, many of which are now in foreclosure. Those who voted to allow more & even smaller cracker-box houses to be built are thinking of their own bank accounts and not what's best for the county.

#10.1.1.1.1.1.2.1 Buckt on 07/11/11 at 10:20 PM [Reply]

Ize guess if ize want to by a new 1200 sf home fors my diabilty mama theirs no need to call you.

#11 Anonymous on 07/10/11 at 02:10 PM [Reply]

Until the national political environment stabilizes, the local housing market will not change.

Too many foreclosures, not enough quality employers to draw in skilled workers.

Until these two factors change, the BOC can make the required square footage of a new home 100 square feet and it will be meaningless.

#12 Anonymous on 07/11/11 at 08:32 AM [Reply]

The problem is not house size... You can build 500,000 closet space any where... The problem is "They argued that something has to be done to get people in the construction industry back to work. The primary industry in Barrow County prior to the start of the recession in 2008 was the building industry." The housing industry is the first to fall off and the last start back. The only reason people will drive 60 + miles a day to go to work is because everything around work is so much more expensive then here... What the county needs is more non-substance retail jobs. Just one Kia plant and the county would not have to wait for the table scraps from the more affluent counties. You would think a Used Car Salesman would be able to sell this lemon of a county in a lemonade economy.

#13 J.B. Moore on 07/11/11 at 11:42 AM [Reply]

As a conservative libertarian I do believe strongly in individual rights, but this issue affects others property values. It is a simple concept called supply and demand, if we flood more homes in the pool all the others will continue to decrease in value. With the amount the banks are wanting down in cash these developers want to lower the home value to make the 20% down a lower amount. The problem is that that creates the same bubble we had before. Maybe people need to struggle and save up a little and have some skin in the game and they won't be walking a way from homes like so many have done the last few years. Who is going to buy theses homes anyway, I know people who want to have a neighborhood of rental properties. They will be permanent foundation ,mobile home parks. We all have to start out somewhere, but low cost housing does not bring in groups that want to better a community.

#13.1 Time Ofday on 07/11/11 at 12:09 PM [Reply]

You're a "libertarian" as long as it doesn't gore your ox. Which makes you a hypocrite & a phony. Libertarian? You don't know the meaning of the word!

#14 Hoped for Growth on 07/11/11 at 12:21 PM [Reply]

I moved to Barrow County 10 yrs ago with a dream that Barrow was going to be full of growth and posperity since Gwnt County was at full capacity and declining quickly. More and more, I find myself describing Barrow County to outsiders, as having a "welfare mentality" and "poverty ideas". My point was proven by this rediculous "citizens committee".

#15 J.B. Moore on 07/11/11 at 01:29 PM [Reply]

Time of day you realize your rights go until they impose on others rights. Maybe you need to read the definition of libertarian. Government does have a purpose and a function. This is about preserving others property values. A libertarian does not believe in anarchy but limited govt. Intrusion. I do not believe the government has a place in deciding any personal choices that affect only the individual, but this impacts everyone in an area. This is a form of redistribution, it lowers my proprty value to place others in lower cost housing.

#15.1 Time Ofday on 07/11/11 at 03:53 PM [Reply]

So, in your warped view of "libertarian," the government has the right to dictate, at the point of a gun, the size of someone else's house (built on private property) for the simple reason that you think the small size of the edifice lowers YOUR property value. As I said: You're SOME libertarian, i.e., when it suits you to be libertarian -- not when it gores your ox.
Hypocrite! A true libertarian would say that the role of government is to: (a)deliver the mail and (b)protect the borders. In today's world, they can skip (a).

#16 Election time on 07/11/11 at 02:43 PM [Reply]

If Yearwood decides to be dumb enough and run again in another election, voters please take note who he chose as his appointee. BAD MOVE DANNY. Maynard is not interested in the overall well-being of Barrow County. Thanks Mr Healan and Mr. Chaney for voting in the best interest of Barrow.

#17 Taxed Too Much on 07/14/11 at 05:53 PM [Reply]

A totally insane recommendation coming from a totally insane BOC. The county is inundated with empty homes in partially built out neighborhoods. Tiny little starter homes that many times are just pieces of carp. Plus, all the county schools have multiple trailers to house the overflow of students. And yet, no new businesses are moving to the County with employees to fill these homes.

And what the heck ever happened to the idea of assessing impact fees on these developers?????

This "recommendation" by this laughable "citizens" committee benefits no one but the real estate developers. It certainly is damaging to other Barrow Co. homeowners who will watch their property values further decrease. And since everyone is usually SO concerned about "the children", how does this affect those kids and their education as they are squeezed into tiny trailers with increasing class sizes?

And the argument by some here that they don't want to spend a lot of money on a home ~ exactly what planet have you been living on the past couple of years? The foreclosure rate in Barrow County is sky high ~ the banks can't GIVE homes away! You can get as big or as little a home you want for next to nothing (pennies on the dollar). The banks and mortgage companies do not want these homes ~ they are desperate to get rid of them. The type of people that might come to buy homes in this County are going to want to get as much home for their buck as possible and then, probably, some will not even be able to make those payments and the homes will once again go into foreclosure.

#18 mark my words on 07/15/11 at 06:07 AM [Reply]

Screwed AGAIN!

How can this happen? Every time this has come up in the past few years, we...the people and voters have said in no uncertain terms that enough is enough on cracker box houses!

So what does BOC do? They rig the jury!

It's like forming a committee of death row inmates and asking if they are for or against capitol punishment!

The wolf in sheep's clothing excuse of "putting people back to work" is a TOTAL SHAM! So what if before the crash, Barrow's biggest job base was construction! Anyone see where that overbuilding has landed us? And now you want more of the same, but smaller houses?

INSANITY IS DEFINED AS DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER BUT EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS EACH TIME.

If this is adopted and allowed, it is living proof that Barrow is INSANE!

TIME TO STEP UP PEOPLE! Don't just blog here, call Danny and Company and raise jell! REALLY!

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Committee votes to cut sizes of new homes in Barrow County

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