News 12 First at 5, June 17, 2009

COLUMBIA CTY., Ga.---Columbia County continues to grow, but commissioners are putting a limit on what kind of growth. Tuesday night the board voted to pass a one year moratorium, or freeze, on apartment rezoning throughout the county.

The county is issuing an apartment time out after they say they received various complaints about the number of apartments around town.

Eleven apartment complexes are sprinkled across Columbia County. Some have been there for years, and others are just coming together.

But after these are up and running, the county says it may be a while before any more move in.

"There were numerous citizen concerns in the number of units that were being produced, now, on the ground. And the board of commissioners have responded to those concerns," says Richard Harmon, the Columbia County Director of Development Services.

They responded with a year long moratorium, or time out, for apartments.

One big fan of the decision is the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, who say apartment complexes keep them busy.

"They do place a strain on our resources, no question about that," says Columbia County Sheriff's Captain Steve Morris.

Although they wouldn't go on camera, some people believe this limits who can live in the county.

"What we don't want to is make this sound like the people who live in apartment complexes are bad people, they're not. The fact is there are some trouble makers," says Capt. Morris.

"So this moratorium is not to try to keep low-income families out of Columbia County?" Asks reporter Katie Beasley. "No. No," answers Harmon.

The county also points out that the market for apartments is just not there but that they are seeing another boom in single family housing permits. Which leaves the Sheriff's Office hoping these apartments are some of the last.

"The sheriff is on record that we would like to see fewer apartment complexes being built in this county at least for now. The sheriff is on record that for now, we have enough," says Capt. Morris.

This whole issue was really brought into the forefront after developers with Marshall Square filed a lawsuit against the county. They were unhappy with the number of units they were being allowed.

Out of the 11 apartment complexes in Columbia County, not one of them has more than 14 units per acre. Marshall Square was asking for nearly 26 units per acre.