The Harlem Planning Commission voted to recommended a new zoning for a property outside its city limits that may come to double the city’s size.
On Monday, April 28 the Harlem City Council voted to continue considering annexing 736 acres of property along Clary Cut Road, amid fervent opposition from residents attending the meeting.
Property owner Log Creek LLC intends to sell the parcel to a developer to build more than 800 homes as part of the city of Harlem. The county requires that the city provides a zoning classification for the appropriated tract as part of the annexation process.
Currently, the property is zoned Residential Agricultural (R-A) under Columbia County. The city is requesting that the property be annexed as R1-A under Harlem’s zoning, which has a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet.
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Much like the city council meeting late last month, several residents in attendees went before the planning commissioners to oppose the prospective development.
Carl Steinbeck, noting that he and several of his neighbors live on four- and five-acre lots near the subject property, told planning commissioners that the residential development’s proposed density would increase traffic and negatively impact property values.
“They’re allowed to rezone and build their houses, then that will be four and five acre lots across the road from half acre lots,” said Steinbeck. “Houses on that road are typically four to $600,000 on Zillow, and I think this is going to hurt that.”
Crystal Magyar, who told commissioners that she bought her property along Clary Cut Road three years ago, acknowledged her own concerns about property values, but moreover stressed the overall impact of the development on residents.
“I want to make sure that we have enough infrastructure in place, roads, schools, resources, fire hydrants and all of that, before going into potentially this large subdivision,” Magyar said. “Now I do realize subdivisions likely coming one way or another… The zoning allows for that. But the two and a half acre lots slows it down just a little bit for us, instead of going to half-acre lots.”
The commission ultimately voted unanimously to recommend the property, should it be annexed, classified as A-1 Agricultural under Harlem’s zoning, a decision which was met with applause from attendees. Before the commissioners voted, city attorney Adam Nelson reminded commissioners that the A-1 zoning allows for lot sizes no smaller than five acres.
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County response
During the Columbia County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, May 6, commissioners approved sending a resolution to the City of Harlem opposing the annexation.
Skyler Andrews is a reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
