Planning and Zoning Meeting Results and Plans for the Future

Tonight, the Walton County Planning and Zoning Board was asked to decide on the Conditional Use Permit submitted by Otis Nixon.  The Board voted 6 to 1 DENY THE REQUEST because it was NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THIS AREA!  Darrell Burrow presented the main arguments on behalf of the community.  There were also additional citizens who spoke out in opposition to the prososed facility.  We would like to thank everyone who came out to make the board aware that we are a united community and we are very concerned about the lives and safety of our friends, neighbors, and families. 

Now, even though the Planning and Zoning Board has voted to deny the request, we must still be ready to present our arguments again before the County Commissioners  on January 4, 2011.  Mr. Nixon also has the right to appeal the Board's decision.  According to the county web-site, any appeal would be heard after the Board of Commissioners meeting, so everyone needs to be aware that THIS IS NOT OVER.  Please don't assume that because the Planning and Zoning Board has voted to deny the application that we can forget about the matter.  This would be exactly what Mr. Nixon would like to happen.  We will need all of you who turned out tonight (and every other concerned citizen in the area) to attend all of the future meetings to continue to show that WE OPPOSE THIS FACILITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.  We welcome any questions or comments at opposerehabhouse@gmail.com. 

Planning and Zoning Meeting Thursday, November 2, 2010

Tomorrow is the Planning and Zoning meeting at the Walton County Government Center located at 303 South Hammond Drive, Monroe, GA 30655.  The meeting is at 6:00PM.  We are asking that all concerned citizens attend this meeting to show our united opposition to this proposed Conditional Use permit.  Bring your children!  We need to make sure that the board sees the impact that this facility will have on our community and especially our children.  It is imperative that we stand united as a community and let the Planning and Zoning board know that this facility IS NOT appropriate for our community, or anywhere in Walton County.

Darrell Burrow has graciously agreed to act as spokesperson to present our arguments before the board.  By using a single spokesperson, we will have 30 minutes to state our opposition. 

Again, we ask that all concerned citizens and families attend this meeting.  Simply by being present, you and your family will show that you are part of a united community that stands in opposition to this facility. 

Meeting Re-cap and Plans for the Future

On Nov. 1, 2010 a meeting was held primarily for the purpose of gauging and expressing our opposition to the proposed Residential Drug and Mental Rehab house at 3330 Dally Road, Covington, GA.  Click here for the Walton Tribune article covering the meeting.  While the opposition was almost unanimous, we still face an inevitable fight to prevent this facility from being allowed to operate in our community.

Otis Nixon, the petitioner for the Conditional Use Permit, was present and addressed the group of 50 plus concerned community members.  Mr. Nixon was asked repeatedly to address specific concerns from the group, namely: how many people would be housed at the facility; will convicted criminals be housed there; will they be supervised and how; and what qualifications does Otis Nixon possess that would allow him to operate a facility of this type.  NONE of the questions were answered, other than that the number of people at the location would be eight, even though Mr. Nixon spoke for nearly two hours.

The position of the community has not changed.  WE DO NOT WANT THIS FACILITY HERE!  Many people at the meeting addressed Mr. Nixon directly and told him that he, as an individual home owner and resident, would be welcomed in our community.  However, he was begged by several individuals to NOT put this proposed facility in our community.  Nixon, indicated several times that he was having "a change of heart", but in the end vowed that he would "fight like anyone pushed into a corner".  It is obvious from Mr. Nixon's words that he has no intention of heeding the communities request to reconsider his proposal.

Now is the time for all residents of the area to join together to oppose this proposed facility.  The first step is to educate our friends and neighbors about this facility and our opposition to it.  The second step is to attend the Walton County Planning and Zoning Board meeting on December 2nd at 6:00PM (303 S. Hammond Drive, Monroe, GA).  Regardless of the Planning and Zoning Board's decision, the final battle will be played out at the County Commissioner's meeting on January 4, 2011 (also at 6:00PM at the same address).  This is the forum in which we can show our ELECTED officials that we, VOTING citizens of Walton County, are concerned about our community and that they should be too.

An organized campaign will be taking place in the next four weeks to spread the word with signed petitions and yard signs, as well as continued calls to the county commissioners (specifically Vickie Gassaway, Commissioner for our district and Kevin Little, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners) to voice our growing opposition.  We are asking everyone to stay vigilant and resolved to stopping this facility in our community and the spread of similar facilities in Walton County. 

We welcome comments and/or emails to opposerehabhouse@gmail.com.

No Drug and Mental Rehab House on Dally Road

A Conditional Use Permit has been requested for a proposed Residential Drug and Mental Rehabilitation House at 3330 Dally Road.  Based on papers filed with the Walton County Planning and Zoning Board, the facility will house an undisclosed number of people with "drug abuse and mental" problems who have also had "run-in's with the law".  This is not the type of facility that any of us who live in the area want in our back yards, or in the backyards of anyone in Walton County. 

Otis Nixon is the applicant for this permit.  His websites state that Mr. Nixon is involved in the "rehabilitation" of  convicted felons who have been paroled from prison.  Although the permit request does not specifically state that convicted felons will be housed at the facility, it is obvious from his application and the stated purpose of his "ministry" that we will have convicted felons living in our area if this permit is approved.  This is completely unacceptable for the rural, agricultural area that we live in or in Walton County, period. 

If a facility of this nature is allowed in this area, it can have a greater impact on the entire county.  Walton County could become a haven for these types of houses.  It is vital that this house not become a precedent for future facilities.

We are encouraging everyone living on or around Dally Road, Dally Trail, Alcovy Road, H. D. Atha, or the Jersey area to: 1) contact Vickie Gassaway, our County Commissioner ( Home (770) 267-9057, Office (770) 267-6589, vgasaway@co.walton.ga.us ; 2) contact the other County Commissioners (http://www.waltoncountyga.org/WCBOC.html); and 3) join together on Nov. 1, 2010 at 6:30 PM at the Jersey Community Center to discuss a plan of action to create an organized opposition movement.  If you cannot make the meeting on Nov. 1,, the Planning and Zoning Board will hear this petition on Dec. 2, 2010 and the County Commissioners will decide the matter on Jan. 4, 2011.  Please attend both of the meetings so that we can stand in unity in opposition to this facility. 

Please send an email with your contact information to opposerehabhouse@gmail.com so that we can add you to our community listing.  This will help us get current information out to the community.

This is our community.  Now is the time to stand together to protect it and our families.