Citing

"enormous pressure" from state officials, the

Coweta County commissioners have reaffirmed their

position on not talking about rezoning property until

public hearings are conducted.

The issue

came up after officials from the state Department of

Industry and Trade contacted the commissioners with a

prospect for the county's "mega-site" for

industrial development near Moreland. The prospect was

looking for some assurance that the site will be rezoned

for industrial use, but commissioners said they can't

discuss rezoning in advance.

The

1,200-acre site is one of five "mega-sites" the

state will use to encourage large manufacturing

operations to move their businesses to Georgia.

The site is

next to Interstate 85 at exit eight.

Tuesday

morning, the commissioners said they are all for economic

development, but they have rules to follow.

"Part

of this property is in my district. There's no reason for

the board to be pressured," said commission Chairman

Vernon "Mutt" Hunter.

Hunter

explained the board is forbidden to even discuss zonings

until public hearings are conducted.

"It's

not zoned industrial and wen't say anything about

it," he said.

The board

also asked county attorney Mitch Powell to ask the

attorney general for an opinion on the pressure the board

has received to talk about the issue.

Commissioner

Charlie Jones backed Hunter's statement up 100 percent.

"We

favor excellent jobs. This is the highest pressure. We're

not going to break the law," he said.

Hunter

added that if a mega-site project is good for the county,

he'll support it.

Scott

Frederick, director of 21st Century Coweta, told the

Coweta County Commission last month that the property

owners had agreed to let the property be listed as a

mega-site for industrial recruitment.

Mega-sites

typically draw companies such as automobile

manufacturers, and Frederick said Coweta's site has

everything that major industrial projects want.

"It's

close to an interstate, a municipal airport, a rail line

and is a short distance from Hartsfield International

Airport," said Frederick.

Typically,

large scale industrial companies look for 500-acre tracts

and Frederick said this site is even more attractive

because of the additional acreage.

Commission

Chairman "Mutt" Hunter thanked Frederick for

his presentation, but said this was only the first step

in having the property ready for an industrial project.

"The

land hasn't even been zoned industrial. All that's been

done is the land has been assembled," he said.

The

commissioners agreed at the April meeting that a

mega-site task force should be formed to keep the public

informed of issues such as environmental concerns,

traffic studies and economic impact.