Floyd County Enacts Vape Shop and Gaming Machine Moratorium

The Floyd County Commission enacted a six month moratorium, effective Tuesday, on new businesses that will contain coin operated amusement machines or sell vape products.

Commissioners discussed possibly bringing a county ordinance regarding COAMs and vaping stores to the April 2 Joint Services Committee meeting with Rome and Cave Spring officials.

Rome and Cave Spring have enacted identical moratoriums. Local officials have long expressed concern about their inability to regulate those activities, which are controlled by state law. However, the resolutions setting the moratoriums cite zoning powers as the authority.

County Attorney Chris Jackson stated that they are “absolutely allowed to put a moratorium in place in order to study the impact of these businesses on the community.”

Also on Tuesday, County Commissioner Scotty Hancock presented a proclamation naming March as Procurement Month and thanked the Floyd County Procurement Department for their dedicated service.

The board also approved a request to rezone an undeveloped 99-acre tract at 400 Manning Lake Road for a small hobby farm.

The property off Burnett Ferry Road near the Alto Park Recreation Center was zoned for suburban residential development. Plans are to build two homes, with a garage and a barn for a few animals such as goats, chickens and donkeys.

The new owners of the property, a recently retired 20 year Air Force veteran and family, plan on raising their four children there and chose Rome after moving 11 times in the service.

However, before construction begins, the Floyd County Environmental Health Department will require soil testing and septic permits as the property doesn’t have sewer service.

The commission also approved an $8,000 contract with EMC Engineering for field work on the planned agricultural center site relating to the possibility of a stream or wetlands that could affect development.

Commissioners also approved an adjustment to the budgets of the 2013 and 2017 special purpose, local option sales tax packages regarding the runway extension at the Richard B. Russell Regional Airport.

There are no funds left from the 2013 SPLOST runway earmark but the board approved the use of funds allocated for infrastructure improvements in the 2017 SPLOST package, which saw an over-collection.