An Atlanta-based developer wants to build homes and businesses along Martintown Road, but nearby residents, especially those who live in The Rapids, have voiced opposition.
Former North Augusta City Councilman Kent Sullivan used the Public Power Hour prior to the Jan. 3 meeting to express his concerns.
“I’m here to try to prevent a problem, not create one,” he began. “This development is a beautiful-looking development… it’s in the wrong place as it is right now. It’s being shoehorned into an area that’s not compatible for that.”
His comments echoed those at the December meeting of the North Augusta Planning Commission, when developer Julian Boardman presented a sketch plan review. A sketch plan review allows a developer the opportunity to present a proposal to the planning commission and receive feedback and suggestions.
“So, it’s a great review to get feedback. We welcome the feedback,” said Boardman. “We can tweak things to work, what’s committed and with planning permission, and we plan to tweak some things to make it better for them.”
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The Falls at Pretty Run Creek envisions a residential section with 18-to-24 single lots, eight-to-10 duplex lots and 208 apartments. It also has four-to-eight small retail shops roughly 1,500 square feet.
It would be built along W. Martintown Road, beside The Rapids neighborhood, and would use Riverbluff Drive, which is also used by people who live in The Rapids. Residents attended the planning commission to outline their opposition.
Rapids Homeowners Association President Ken Beck said a big concern is the increased traffic and how it will impact safety.
“That’s our number one safety issue concern,” he began. “Some of you guys may know that over the past years, we’ve had many traffic and pedestrian safety issues throughout the neighborhood, we’ve worked with Chief Thomas public safety, and they’ve assisted us periodically with that for the 300 households in our neighborhood.”
Boardman said there will be a traffic study to determine how much the development will impact traffic on Martintown Road. He said he would also be willing to work with the neighborhood and the South Carolina Department of Transportation possibly to install a traffic light at the intersection of Riverbluff and Martintown.
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Other residents were opposed to the commercial businesses in the development. Boardman said the businesses would be small, boutique type businesses like a yoga studio. One would be a café adjacent to the Greeneway.
“You can see it on our plan, a cafe that you could get ice cream or lemonade in the summer, and you can get firepits and marshmallows in the winter,” he explained. “If you look at the pictures, our vision is to do that. That’d be kind of really cool. And then be able to have electric bikes. If somebody has a bad hip or knee, they could get an electric bike and ride down to the baseball game.”
Boardman stressed the businesses would not just be for residents of his development, others would be welcome to walk the trails they plan through the development and along Pretty Run Creek.
Planning commission members commented on the growth that is happening in North Augusta and this development is a sign of the growth. They acknowledged concerns about traffic and suggested the city may be able to help find ways to lessen the impact if the development is ultimately approved.
Boardman said his next step is to sit down with residents to walk them through the full plan.
“We’re hoping that we can, you know, lay out our vision a little more closely,” he said. “That the traffic is not going to be a huge impact to them, to show them that the counts are not as much as they think they are. And show them how we actually can be a benefit being beside them.”
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a Staff Reporter with The Augusta Press. You can reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
