The Columbia County Planning Commission voted down a rezoning request and a conditional use request for a liquor store in Evans.
Arav & Savi LLC, along with property owners Villages of Olde Belair LLC, applied to rezone undeveloped land, totaling some three acres, at 102 South Old Belair Road and a portion of 4730 Columbia Road, from General Commercial to Community Commercial.
The applicants also applied for a conditional use permit to operate the 12,000 square foot liquor store they plan to build on the property alongside two buildings with a total of 3,000 square feet of tenant commercial space.
The subject property is neighbored by mostly residential zoning. The Brookwood Townhomes neighborhood borders the Columbia Road parcel to its south. To its north, across Columbia Road, is a section of the Orchard Hill subdivision.
Planning Commission Chair Marty Jackson noted that some 20 people had emailed the county opposing the proposed liquor store.
Brookwood resident Brian Boyd, one of three attendees who spoke against the rezoning, underscored the number of places to buy liquor within a 10-mile radius—including one just a mile away.
“I just don’t see the point,” Boyd said. “If you’re that desperate for a drink, maybe you’ve got something else to be focused on.”
Planning Commissioner Ryan Cato motioned to deny both the rezoning and the conditional use request in two separate votes. For both items, the commission voted to deny it unanimously.
Thrive Senior Living applied for a major revision request at 2000, 2221 and 2200 Indigo Drive, tracts off Furys Ferry Road totaling about 10 acres. The request comes after a series of major revisions approved for the property by the Board of Commissioners going back to 2017.
The current plans are to build 63 single-story senior cottages and an apartment complex with 92 dwelling units.
The commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the revision.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
