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Commissioners approve zoning changes that may bring multiple new industries

No members of the public showed for the third public hearing on the 2022 Comprehensive Plan amendments
Industries-
Proposed site map of one of the potential industries interested in Bulloch

Bulloch County Commissioners met for their bi-monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. The first order of business was approving a new county retirement plan. The commissioners then heard from Mike Anderson, Chair of the Bulloch County Hospital Authority as he presented their annual report to the commissioners.

The majority of the meeting involved zoning request. Two of the more interesting zoning changes involved two tracks of land totalling over 100 acres near the Bruce Yawn Commerce Park.

During the presentation Attorney Stephen Rushing, who represents the Bulloch County Development Authority, expressed extraordinarily high interest in industrial sights. All of the interested industries would be suppliers that would serve the Hyundai plant. At least three suppliers are heavily interested in locating in Bulloch County with many more showing strong interest. This places Bulloch in a unique position of being very selective of who they allow into the community.

If these industries decide to locate in Bulloch County they could bring millions in investments and hundreds of new high demand jobs.

NEW BUSINESS

APPROVED: To amend the County's retirement plan. After delaying the vote last week, the commissioners unanimously approved the revisions to the county employee retirement plan.

PRESENTATION

Bulloch County Hospital Authority Annual Report

Mike Anderson, chairman of the Bulloch County Hospital Authority reported they have given back $38 million to the community in tax relief and supporting local organizations since the authority was established in 1996. The authority continues to have over $57 million in assets on hand.

This year alone they gave over one million back to the county for tax relief.

Mike Anderson, Chair of the Bulloch County Hospital Authority presenting Kristie King, CFO for Bulloch County a check

ZONING

APPROVED: John Irvine Hagan submitted an application to rezone 60 acres from AG-5 to R-25 to allow for the development of a single-family subdivision. The property is located at 200 Emerald Drive.

Attorney Stephen H. Rushing spoke on behalf of the Hagan family. He reminded the commissioners that this subdivision is less than five miles from the Hyundai site. It is in the moratorium area, but this process began long before the moratorium. This is the third time they have come forward with this proposal. This addition is for the fifth phase of the Riverbend subdivision. The bright green area on the map below represents phases one through four of the current subdivision.

commissioners
commissioners

DEFERRED to 11/15 meeting: Hilda G. Rushing, Virginia R. Trapnell and Stephen H. Rushing submitted an application to rezone 159 acres from R-25/R-40 to R-25 to allow for the development of a single family subdivision. The property is located at 359 Josh Deal Road. C.J. Chance with Hussey, Gay and Bell presented on behalf of the property owners.

Franklin Lamb spoke in opposition of the zoning change. As a citizen who lives in the area he is concerned that the intersection of Josh Deal and Golf Club is misaligned, making it a dangerous spot. When you put another major subdivision in the area it puts more stress on the road infrastructure and this dangerous intersection. He also pointed out that Josh Deal is 1.6 miles long with six subdivisions developed or under development in the area.

commissioners
commissioners

DEFERRED to 11/15 meeting: Hilda G. Rushing, Virginia R. Trapnell and Stephen H. Rushing submitted an application to rezone 60 acres from R-40 to R-3 to allow for the development of a multi-family residential area. The property is part of a parcel with address of 359 Josh Deal Road.

C.J. Chance with Hussey, Gay and Bell spoke in favor of the project.

Ed Mondor spoke in opposition of the proposal. There is nothing in that area that is multi family housing. It doesn't fit period. It is across from the peanut processing facility. Lots of trucks, dust and curved road make it very dangerous with traffic coming in and out of Harville Road.

Franklin Lamb also spoke in opposition. On Harville Road there are three different apartment complexes in this area that access Harville Road and Langston Chapel Road. This proposed development adds much more traffic to this area of town and the roads.

commissioners
commissioners

DENIED: Williams Family Limited Partnership submitted a request for a condition modification to the conditions approved by the Board of Commissioners on June 1, 2021. The request is to modify condition #7 landscape buffer requirements. The property is located at 578 Williams Road.

Charles Brock with Narenco the company in charge of the development of the site with the Williams Family Limited Partnership spoke in favor of the change.

APPROVED: BFS Ventures, LLC submitted an application to rezone 4.9 acres of a 8.5 acre parcel from AG-5 to R-80 to divide the property into two lots. John Dotson wiht Maxwell-Reddick spoke in favor of the zoning change.

APPROVED: Moffat Properties submitted an application for a conditional use to allow an equipment rental business with outdoor storage to be located in an HC zone. The property is located at 12130 US Hwy. 301 South.

Ethan Rogers, construction manager with Moffat Properties for Sunbelt Rentals site location. Moffat is making $3 million investment in the property including adaptive use and overall site improvements. Sunbelt Rentals has agreed to a 10 year lease with extensions up to 25 years. Sunbelt Rentals plans to hire 15 local employees.

APPROVED: The Development Authority of Bulloch County submitted an application to rezone 51.97 acres from HC to LI to allow the development of a manufacturing facility. The property is located on US Hwy. 301 South,1.3 miles north of the Interstate-16 interchange.

Attorney, Stephen Rushing spoke in favor of this rezoning. This project is 1.5 miles from the Bruce Yawn Commerce Park where Aspen Aerogels is building their new plant. Multiple suppliers for Hyundai is interested in the site. If the primary prospect selects this site it will bring millions of dollars in investment and potentially hundreds more employees to our community.

APPROVED: The Development Authority of Bulloch County submitted an application to rezone 52.72 acres from HC to LI to allow the development of a manufacturing facility. The property is located on US Hwy. 301 South, 1.3 miles north of the Interstate-16 interchange.

Attorney, Stephen Rushing spoke in favor of this rezoning. The property is under contract by the authority. Pending rezoning approval they will close on this property on Thursday. They also have multiple interested parties interested in this site as well. It could it be one industry with one plant or two separate plants. They are also suppliers related to supplying the Hyundai plant.

APPROVED: James Anderson submitted an application for a conditional use to allow a business office to be located in a HC zone. The property is located at 12114 US Hwy. 301 South.

John Dotson with Maxwell-Reddick spoke in favor of the conditional use variance. A local contractor is interested in purchasing this site for their office pending the change of use variance.


PUBLIC HEARING - 2022 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENTS

This is the third public hearing regarding the proposed amendments to the 2022 Comprehensive Plan. No one in the audience to signed up to speak nor did anyone in the audience when polled identify the reason for attending was specifically to hear about the Comprehensive Plan Amendments. Tom Couch, Bulloch County Manager gave a general overview of the work being done by the zoning moratorium committee. You can click here to read Grice Connects coverage of the moratorium and links to the counties website addressing this.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Marcus Toole with Habitat for Humanity again spoke about the inequity issue of the way the County requires land owner approval for the paving of roads. He again, stated this is unfair to the residents who live and use the road who have no say on the paving.

CONSENT AGENDA

APPROVED: Minutes Approval: Tuesday October 18th, 2022 08:30 AM

APPROVED: Motion to approve an amendment to the Bulloch County Service Delivery Strategy by the City of Brooklet

The City of Brooklet is requesting an amendment to the Bulloch County Service Delivery Strategy to provide water services to a recently annexed parcel on Old Leefield Road.

APPROVED: 2522 : Motion to adopt a resolution for a Streetlight Tax District for Broadmoor Estates.

APPROVED: 2517: Approve the reappointment for Cathy Shiver to the Health Board to serve term beginning January 1, 2023 and ending December 31, 2029.

APPROVED: 2518: Approve the appointment for Catherine Hendrix to the Health Board to fill the unexpired term of Mary Woods to serve a term beginning January 1, 2023 and ending December 31, 2028.

APPROVED: 2519: Motion to adopt a resolution authorizing the acceptance of roads in Eagle Village Estates.

APPROVED: Motion to approve an amendment to the CIP Budget for the purchase of a new software program for property tax in the amount of $35,000.00.

APPROVED: Motion to adopt a resolution for approval of a Contract for Acquisition of Right of Way for a Federal or State-Aid Project with the Georgia Department of Transportation for the S&S Greenway Phase 3 Project.

APPROVED: Motion to approve the change order to Woods BW15.51 Mowers in place of Modern Ag Predator Mowers.

COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF COMMENTS

Monday, November 14 at 5:30 pm a public Town Hall meeting at the Willow Hill Heritage & Renaissance center in Portal.

The next commissioners meeting on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 will be held at the Honey Bowen building due to construction and renovations of the current meeting space in the county annex building.

View video of full meeting below

https://fb.watch/gxvuPehDe7/

View full agenda and attachments below