Coweta

County may soon have an ordinance that could lead to

increased safety conditions around retaining walls.

During a

recent County Commission meeting, the commissioners

debated the merits of who should oversee any increased

safety measures around the walls.

Building

department head Don Youngblood explained he would be glad

to write an ordinance for the commissioners' approval,

but said he needed some direction from the board.

Youngblood

said the industry standard seems to be building safety

rails around walls that are four feet high, but

Commissioner Jim McGuffey was not so sure about the

height.

"I

just think some more research needs to be done," he

said.

Commissioner

Charlie Jones agreed.

"I've

seen people breaking bones over a one-foot wall," he

said.

The bigger

debate surrounded who would oversee any rails around the

retaining walls.

Commission

chairman Vernon "Mutt" Hunter was adamant that

it should not be the Building Department.

"It

has nothing to do with the structure of the house,"

he said.

Hunter

favored having the fire marshal inspect the rails, but

Commissioner Lawrence Nelms felt strongly that it should

come under the umbrella of the Building Department.

Nelms made

a motion to let the Building Department handle the issue,

but it died due to a lack of a second.

After

Nelms' motion died, the commissioners passed a motion to

study the issue further and have Buddy Harrison, who is a

registered architect and on the county's staff, to make

recommendations to the board.