slideshow

After discussions between the City of Yatesville and Dollar General, the variety store has agreed to install a monument sign in front of its new store being built on Highway 74 in Yatesville.

The issue over how high the sign might be first arose in December, when it was learned that Dollar General had purchased a lot and home on Highway 74, torn down the house, and was building a store. Yatesville has no zoning ordinances, so the city council had no say in if or where the company could build its store, or in the design or installation of a lighted sign. That did not sit well with Council member Phyl Gatlin, who voiced her opposition to any “light pollution,” suggesting that a lit sign 10 or 12 feet off the ground would be annoying to residents living behind and across from the store.

But Gatlin said at the Yatesville City Council meeting on Feb. 11 that following phone calls with Dollar General, an agreement was worked out.

“After appealing to their sense of community, they finally agreed to put a monument sign in front of Dollar General, and we appreciate their working with us on that matter,” said Gatlin. “It means a lot to us that they were willing to change their plans.”

The issue with Dollar General brought the city council to the realization that without any zoning laws, the city has no say in who or what can come into Yatesville. At the January meeting, Upson County Planning and Zoning Director Doug Currier met with city leaders and explained some of the options they can use in developing zoning ordinances.

At their February meeting, Mayor Cecil Moncrief updated the council on information he is seeking on zoning laws.

“Have any of you been on municode.com and looked at that website? he asked. “ I went on and looked at it. They give you a lot of information and things to look at. I’ve also contacted Three Rivers Regional Commission, and they are supposed to be getting me up some stuff that they may have that we can take a look at also. So we’ll be working on that, trying to get all that stuff set together. It is just something that we are going to have to be very careful with when we do it, to make sure that we are fair and equal to everybody and everythin