Chattooga County residents will have another opportunity this evening to weigh in on a proposed temporary moratorium involving certain nontraditional residential and mixed-use developments.

The public meeting begins at 6 p.m. Eastern, or 5 p.m. Central, at the Chattooga County Agricultural Center, located at 40 Middle School Road in Summerville. Residents may also participate remotely through Zoom using Meeting ID 884 5486 5847 and passcode ChattMeet.

According to the county’s official public notice, the proposed moratorium would provide time to review existing land-use regulations and determine whether current ordinances adequately address emerging housing models. Officials plan to evaluate the potential impacts of cargo-container homes, tiny-home developments, multi-service community developments, and similar projects on public health, safety, community welfare, and orderly growth.

The county has not announced how long the proposed moratorium would remain in effect or its final scope. Public comments received during the review process will be considered before Sole Commissioner Andy Allen makes a decision. Chattooga County operates under a sole-commissioner form of government, making Allen the county’s chief legislative and executive officer.

During the first public meeting earlier this month, Allen discussed concerns about cargo trailers being converted into full-time residences without clearly established construction standards. Questions were also raised about electrical and plumbing systems, septic and water connections, and whether some developments could be safely accessed by fire and emergency medical personnel.

Allen emphasized that the proposal is not intended to discourage affordable housing or target individual tiny homes or manufactured homes. Instead, county officials are examining whether standards should be established for larger developments and projects that could place additional demands on local roads, utilities, and emergency services.

Residents attending the first meeting also voiced concerns about the availability of affordable housing, noting that rising home prices have made homeownership increasingly difficult for many families. As a result, county leaders are balancing the need for additional housing options with questions about infrastructure capacity and public safety.

County officials encourage residents, property owners, developers, and other interested citizens to attend tonight’s meeting and provide input before any final action is considered.