In a preemptive measure, Walker County Commissioner Shannon Whitfield has placed temporary bans on fracking and tiny homes within the county.
Whitfield said the 180-day moratorium on each will allow for more public input on the issues, which will help his administration make the best decisions for the county.
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, is the controversial practice of blasting water, sand and chemicals into underground shale deposits to force them open and make the natural gas within the deposit accessible.
Tiny homes are specified as those with under 500 square feet of living space.
Whitfield stressed the temporary bans have nothing to do with his personal feelings on either issue, and that they were put in place specifically to give the planning and zoning committee time to research and determine what is best for citizens of the county.