Kaput subdivisions creating county headache

Jackson County continues to receive requests from property owners who want a building permit for property located in subdivisions that don’t meet county regulations.

But comments from members of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners indicate that there is little support for the county to use tax funds to help bail out owners who have lots in over 60 defunct subdivisions.

Subdivisions with empty lots, roads in disrepair and soil and erosion problems can be found in all corners of Jackson County. New construction in these developments is at a stand-still because building permits can’t be issued if the codes are not met; and the developers of many of these projects have walked away from them during the housing bust over the last three years. There are 62 subdivisions in the county that are in violation of the county codes.

County planning director Gina Mitsdarffer presented the BOC Monday night with options on how to handle these building permit requests. The options include requiring all codes to be met before permits are issued, or allowing permits to be issued with the non-compliance issues to be handled on a lot-by-lot basis.

“We are running into issues with subdivisions not complying and with incomplete subdivisions,” Mitsdarffer said. “We have owners in these subdivisions applying for building permits. Our regulations say they must meet the code to get a building permit. The developers have walked away, but lots may be individually owned. Those owners are applying for building permits and, as of now, they must be denied.”

The BOC didn’t take any action Monday night, but asked staff to provide the costs of getting these subdivisions up to code. BOC chairman Hunter Bicknell suggested that special purpose tax districts could be established in these subdivisions and each person who applies for a building permit will be responsible for a portion of this cost.

Comments

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#1 buyer beware on 01/06/10 at 11:00 PM [Reply]

I wish the BOC would publish the list of the 62 subdivisions, so no one else will end up buying a lot that can't be built on.

#2 irritated on 01/07/10 at 09:21 AM [Reply]

Yes, a list would be helpful, but that will never happen-makes the county look bad & heaven forbid they do anything for the poor consumer. Maybe the paper can do that-I'm sure the information is available. My thoughts are that the governments who were greedy & only looked at revenue & tap on fees from approving all these subdivisions should have to suffer this. It lies at their feet also.

#3 BR549 on 01/07/10 at 01:33 PM [Reply]

Why does it matter if the subdivision is in disrepair. If the person wants to build a house there, let them. If I was to buy a piece of property down one of the dirt roads in the county, they could care less if the adjoining property was overgrown or what the road conditions were and I would be issued a building permit. If someone owns a lot in one of these subdivisions they should be allowed to build a house no matter what the condition of the rest of the lots.

#4 irritated on 01/07/10 at 05:16 PM [Reply]

You want to by a lot with 4 foot high weeds on every side? With poorly paved roads, empty abandoned pools, cliffs of eroding dirt next to your property...Your crazy. Talk about denegrating your value! It is a shame the developers have walked away & folks are stuck with such a mess. Hard to know the answer though. In some areas they are inacting a "blight tax credit" for investors who come in and take over things. Maybe thats a direction Jackson county should look at.

#5 OldDawg on 01/08/10 at 08:45 AM [Reply]

Here's an idea... Scrap the subdivisions with no houses! Build chicken houses and farms. It's a shame how developers from Gwinnett and metro Atlanta were allowed to come in to our beautiful county and do this.

#5.1 to Old Dawg on 01/08/10 at 04:04 PM [Reply]

Make no mistake, there are some local developers doing this, too.

#6 oldgadawg on 01/08/10 at 05:52 PM [Reply]

Perhaps if Jackson County had required bonds, instead of letters of credit, which are not worth the paper it is printed on, then the county would have the money to at least finish the subdivisions. As far as the lots being overgrown or unkept, if my house where next to one of these lots, I would cut it myself. I often cut the right of way across from my property because the county only cuts ittwo or three times a year.

#7 Allen on 01/09/10 at 06:51 AM [Reply]

There is a undeveloped subdivison that sits behind Billy Cain ford off Maysville highway that has been abandoned by the developers. Now this area has become a dumping ground for everything from trash to dead animals to siding dumped by contractors and the likes. Such a disgrace. Who is responsible for this area. They need to clean this place up and slapped with a hefty fine.

#7.1 Kassie on 01/14/10 at 09:16 AM [Reply]

The man that owns that subdivision actually lives right there at it. He is a scam of a developer out of Atlanta who has screwed alot of people out of money. If you drive through Billy Cain parking lot at the back left corner is his driveway to his house and where he "stores" alot of building material junk.

#7.2 anon on 01/15/10 at 04:50 PM [Reply]

Put some concrete barriers from the DOT across the entrance. That'll keep vehicles out!

That goes for any abandoned neighborhood w/ no houses in it. Especially the ones like this that just have one entrance. I'm sure the police are tired of patroling these areas too!

#8 Tony on 01/10/10 at 08:47 AM [Reply]

I certainly agree with Mr Crow's statement,and hope that all the other Commissioners feel the same way. The citizens of this county can not afford to bail out these developers that went under. Someone now owns these properties. It is most likely some Bank, and when they assumed ownership they also assumed the responsibilities of maintaining the property, especially if lots had been sold. The citizens of Jackson County are now funding the cost of Bear Creek, which is about 1 1/2 million a year, even though a huge majority will never have County water in their lifetim. They cannot bear any more burdens.

#9 Tony on 01/10/10 at 08:51 AM [Reply]

Here's another thought. Rather than spending money updating the existing Comprehensive Plan. Why not enforce the one you have and protect the property owners who purchased lots in the Subdivisions.

#10 FastRhino on 01/10/10 at 09:56 AM [Reply]

Two questions; 1. why were bonds not required? 2. Why were some houses built in subdivisions that were not up to code? (This question is based what I understand, not just the article above).

#11 To Tony on 01/10/10 at 11:11 AM [Reply]

Guess what Tony the BOC signed the note for Bear Creek a long time ago and I was at almost every public meeting....no out cry then at all !
We should run lines down every road in this county so even more devolopment can come in because folks like you whine and cry...NO !
No more water and sewer lines and no more sub divisions all over...no more we need growth from folks like Shane Short.
No more Tony B who screwed us with a mega court house(thought we forgot didn't you !)and his it's everyone else's fault ....didn't vote for you Tony and never will because YOU abused your power in office !
Go away and take Harold F and Sammy T with you...it was you who hung us all out to dry !

#11.1 Tony on 01/11/10 at 06:42 PM [Reply]

I think you have me confused with someone else. You sound very distrubed about a lot of things. Maybe you should run for office and make Jackson County a better place to live.

#12 Ron Burgundy on 01/10/10 at 02:55 PM [Reply]

The future of development is not going to be outlying subdivisions but rather infill developments within communities that were seen prior to the 1950's. The planners and boards of the area need to wise up that the 1960's and 70's style of of residential growth coupled with 1950's and 60's style industrial parks have passed. We are wasting a lot of money on focusing on and allowing the wrong type and placement of developments (so many of which sit empty now and for years to come).

I do believe that property owners have a right to develop land into subdivisions based on mere property rights. However, in Jackson and other metro Atlanta counties, these developments have cost the taxpayers immensely in providing for the water and road infrastructure to service the sprawling neighborhoods. Therefore, the local governments must exercise good judgement when approving new developments of any type by looking at the long-term cost-benefit ratios. You cannot tell me that investing tens of millions of dollars in industrial parks over and over will create enough benefit in providing jobs and potential increases in tax bases when these lands sit empty for up to half or more of their amortized lives. In the mean time, the taxpayers have to subsidize the payments. This is a big problem in almost all of the northeast georgia counties.

#13 Roger Cosby on 01/14/10 at 09:04 PM [Reply]

Defunct Subdivision:

I have read many comments and understand the problem of defunct subdivisions. I have seen many of them in person. Not one tax dollar
should be spent to repair or complete any development whether or not it meets code.

If individual property owners began developing lots in uncompleted subdivisions, then they gambled and lost. Not the taxpayers.(The county or city should have never issued permits or allowed construction to begin.)

Developers with Banks backing them, have taken advantage of inside information to develop property and make huge profits with very little personal or financial risk. (That's why people Incorporate)

Now, the developers are bankrupt. Contractors who dotted their i's and crossed their t's will maybe, one day, recoupe some of thier loss. Those contractors who shook hands and winked, got screwed, period.

The banks own what property has not sold. The property needs to be repaired and completed. If banks are not willing to finish the job then the government needs to foreclose on the banks, auction to the highest bidder and make sure the job is finished. Otherwise, foreclose for the taxpayers, finish the job, sell the property and profits go back to the taxpayers.

Don't give up one tax dollar unless there are some assurances. If our elected officials spend tax dollars and can not lock down some assurances then they are part of the problem. (Good ole boy's network)

#14 hoschtongirl on 01/20/10 at 10:02 AM [Reply]

Coming from the other side of the issue - developers and home builders need to sell houses. These developments were most likely in process when the bottom fell out and developers and builders started going out of business. Government is making developers do work such as paving, lot maintenance, ponds, etc. that they cannot afford to do without selling houses and lots thus generating revenue. Perhaps Jackson County could look into a 2-3 year moratorium on the Code in order to allow the market to start to turn around then these subdivisions can hopefully be built out. All Counties are having to deal with this, at some point the County needs to take over the roads and maintain them. Requiring developers to maintain/bond until 90% build out could take FOREVER! We pay high property taxes in Jackson County, so instead of building more courthouses and jails, perhaps they should consider helping the situation rather than continuing to try and pull money out of a dry turnip!!

#14.1 fed up on 01/21/10 at 06:22 PM [Reply]

I for 1 would have never passed a 2 Million bond to rebuild the Old Courthouse. Talk about spending good money in trying times.

#15 Eyesonjackson on 01/22/10 at 06:11 PM [Reply]

It's required by law through the Dept. Of Community Affairs.

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Kaput subdivisions creating county headache

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Kaput subdivisions creating county headache

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