Vidalia Halts Several Licenses and Permits

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The Vidalia City Council halted licensing and permitting for several types of business operations at its regular monthly session on Monday, March 11, as the Council agreed to place a one-year moratorium on several of these authorizations.

Solar Energy Production Facilities (Solar Farms), Cryptocurrency mines, animal breeding or testing facilities, landfills, and public utility facilities in Office/Residential (OR) or R-3 zones will be unable to operate or gain business licensing for the year until city administration is able to craft and review regulation ordinances for the facilities. The City Marshal, City Man- continued from page

ager, City Attorney, and others will work together to accomplish this.

During the meeting, the Council also agreed to contract Sikes Construction to complete the city’s annual Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) projects. To complete the projects, the state has awarded the city a grant, which provides $207,767.58 to be paired with a 10% local match of funds toward improvement of infrastructure. The projects will cost $238,257.20.

Council members agreed to recodify the City Charter and ordinances through CivicPlus, which already manages the city’s online Municode. This recodification will cost $20,900 and is expected to be completed in a year.

Two improvement projects were approved in anticipation of the upcoming Vidalia Onion Festival. The wooden beams at the Ronnie A. Dixon City Park Stage will be prepped and coated by Harper Construction for $4,600, while a lot will have debris cleared across from the RV park on Airport Road. This clearing will be completed by Garbutt Tree & Land Management, LLC., and will cost $9,800.

A Special Events Permit was granted to Sweet Onion Social for the Will Moseley Parking Lot Party on Friday night, March 22. This approval was contingent on the business contacting Trane for approval of a road closure between their entrances and the business agreeing to allow emergency services access to the parking lot.

New alcohol beverage and coin-operated amusement licenses were issued to the Tammy’s convenience store, as the business recently was sold and needed relicensing under their new ownership. A special events alcohol beverage license was also approved for the Vidalia Onion Festival.