The Columbia County Planning Commission’s meeting Thursday was brief, with commissioners considering the concept plan for one proposed subdivision and the second phase of another.
Evans dentist Dr. Kyle O’Neal applied for the approval of plans for a development project on 107 acres of land he owns off White Oak Road in Appling. The proposed White Oak subdivision would consist of 10 single-family lots, all more than 10 acres.
Access to the neighborhood would be by a private gravel road, more than 700 feet long, extending from White Oak to a cul-de-sac at the western end of the property. The lots would be served by individual wells and septic systems rather than public utilities.
Staff noted that the county’s subdivision code restricts cul-de-sac lengths to a maximum of 700 feet, but that no viable access point is available for another parcel.
“This is basically access to this larger parcel to the rear, and then the other two property lines are wetlands, floodplain areas and state waters,” said planner Danielle Montgomery to the commissioners. “So the current layout is likely the best way to develop the site, and staff has no issues with waiving that maximum cul-de-sac length.”
The commissioners unanimously approved the plan.
The Planning Commission also approved plans for the second phase of the Greenpoint subdivision in Harlem. The Prather Company requested approval of the final plat for 89 residential lots along some 39 acres on Appling Harlem Road. The Board of Commissioners voted to rezone the property to Planned Residential Development in 2017, and the Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat for Greenpoint Phase 2 in October of 2021.
Columbia County planning manager Will Butler explained to the commissioners the five text amendment items on the agenda. On July 1, the county is required to update its zoning ordinances to conform with Bill 1405, passed by the state house last year.
Butler noted that planning is currently working with the county’s legal counsel to establish the right language for the amendments to comply with the bill, which revises zoning laws and procedures for local governments throughout the state.
“One of the things that this does, for instance… a minor waiver would now require a 30 day notice, and also be a public hearing,” Butler said, mentioning that in many cases the revised procedures will slow down rezoning applications, and change procedures for variants, appeals and minor waivers. “Lots of things are going to be a little bit different starting July 1.”
Per staff’s recommendation, the Planning Commission vote unanimously to postpone considering the amendments until its June 1 meeting.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
