Planning Commission Recommends Putting Brakes on Mud Bogging Permit

Members of the Paulding County Planning Commission recommended at their meeting Tuesday afternoon denial of a special use permit for a mud bog and event center at 1038 Cochran Road. (A full copy of the proposed permit is included in the staff recommendations document attached to this article.) County commissioners will take up the issue at their board meeting today at 7 p.m.

Up for consideration was Wesley Shipp's amended application for a special use permit on approximately 5 acres at 1038 Cochran Road for a mud bog and event center with a public address system, open to vendors, with no more than 12 annual events and one concert annually. The application was an expansion of an existing special use permit to allow for a wider variety of events.

Jonathan Jones, speaking at the meeting on behalf of Shipp, said Shipp is reducing portions of his application, seeking to have no more than eight annual events, no concerts, no overnight camping and that a public address system would only be used for safety purposes.

County staff members recommended 23 stipulations to the permit should the Board of Commissioners give their OK to it. Among the stipulations:

• Each event would last no longer than a day, held only during dayling hours and could begin no earlier than 8 a.m., or noon on Sundays.
• No alcoholic beverages and/or illegal drugs would be sold or consumed at any time during events.
• A vehicle wash-down area for removal of mud would be installed so vehicles would have mud removed before entering public roadways.

The other stipulations can be found in the document attached to this article.

We live-blogged this afternoon's meeting on Twitter @DallasPatch. Below is our timeline of the meeting, with the most recent posts on top.

3:26 p.m.: Meeting adjourned. We'll see how it shakes up at tonight's county commission meeting.

3:25 p.m.: Philyaw makes motion to recommend denial of the permit, Glanton seconds. 3-2 vote to deny the special use permit.

3:23 p.m.: Glanton: Question: Is tabling this permit an option? Phillips: Can approve, approve with stips, denying, or tabling it.

3:19 p.m.: Jones: Shipp's desire to use his land this way is no different from a farmer having a hog farm, chicken houses, etc. on his property.

3:17 p.m.: Jones: Stores in the area ask Shipp when he's having another mud bogging event, so it does drive revenue for the county.

3:14 p.m.: Jones: Website shows an event where "Dallas," a band, filmed a video at the facility, was a closed event. Alcohol shown was for the video.

3:12 p.m.: Jones: Mud bog is in the farthest location possible and as low as it can go. It would be a tremendous undertaking to move the bog.

3:10 p.m.: Shipp's property is zoned R-2, which allows for special use permits.

3:05 p.m.: Our next speaker is reading from Georgia code, saying that the mud bogging facility creates a nuisance, which the code says isn't allowed.

3:02 p.m.: Fourth speaker: These events result in decreased property value. Increased activity on Shipp's property hurts us, his neighbors.

3:01 p.m.: Our third speaker asks why homeowners in the residential area aren't being considered. "You're worried about this guy doing this."

3:00 p.m.: Speaker: You don't want to invite company because you don't want to explain to them you can't use the backyard b/c of these [loud] events.

2:59 p.m.: Palmer was responding to our second speaker, who is asking if a study has been done on the road.

2:58 p.m.: Palmer: If you see photos of open containers on Shipp's website, you can bring that to county authorities' attention.

2:52 p.m.: Officials: Stipulations require minimum of four security guards at each event.

2:49 p.m.: Same speaker: Participants don't come in on little trucks; they come in on semis.

2:48 p.m.: Same speaker: "Why should we believe that the new proposal is going to be abided by?"

2:47 p.m.: First public speaker: From seeing Shipp's website, drinking occurs, lights are used, and music is played at these events.

No one else volunteering to speak on behalf of applicant, but we have a few ready to speak in opposition or have some questions.

County Attorney Jayson Phillips: County would have some avenues for recourse should the SUP be violated.

2:15 p.m.: Commission Member Thomas Glanton: Have you considered a rezoning? Jones: It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility...not sure if a zoning would eliminate need to have the special use permit. Our desire to increase the number of events is reason behind the SUP.

2:14 p.m.: Commission Member James Kelly: Any dates for the events? Jones: No set calendar as of now, but a Christmas and New Year's event has been a tradition in Paulding for several years.

2:12 p.m.: Jones: Shipp just wants the right to use his property to make a living.

2:09 p.m.: Jonathan Jones now speaking on behalf of applicant Wesley Shipp. Jones said application is now being reduced to request of no more than eight annual events, no concerts, no overnight camping and that a public address system only be used for safety purposes.

2:05 p.m.: We're here at the county planning commission meeting. Good-sized audience for the one-item agenda. Up for discussion is a special use permit for a mud bog and event center at 1038 Cochran Road. This special use permit application has received 18 letters of oppositions, 13 letters of support.