A new development off Mullikin Road is in the works according to documents submitted to the Columbia County Planning Commission for consideration at Thursday’s meeting.
In May, Bluewater Engineering Services and Adam Kotter filed a request to approve conceptual plans for a new subdivision in Evans near Mullikin Road and near Sawbuck Way.
The proposed development would consist of 51 residential lots along some 55 acres of land owned by Kotter.
“Since the site is near the Savannah River, it is anticipated that a waiver of stormwater detention shall be requested and approved for the development,” said the narrative document on the Mullikin Road Development project, prepared by Bluewater Engineering and presented to planning by Kotter along with the concept plans. “Water quality treatment and runoff reduction design shall be incorporated into the design of the development plans for the project.”
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The concept plans did not include potential sizes for the lots, but the planning staff’s report notes that the property is already zoned R-1 single-family residential, and that “all of the lots will be required to meet the standards of the R-1 district.” The staff report says that this means each lot would require least 100 feet of road frontage, “which may be reduced to 66 feet for radial lots, and a minimum of 100 feet of width at the minimum building line.”
The project, which does not yet have a subdivision name and is currently only referred to as “Mullikin Road Development” in official documents, comes before the Planning Commission over a year after a controversy surrounding another attempt to develop near Mullikin Road.
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The property of the planned community consists of two parcels: 077 050A, a 71-acre tract owned by Kotter; and a portion of 077 050B, approximately 34 acres, owned by Porterfield Properties.
On August 18, 2020, the Board of Commissioners voted down a rezoning request on the latter property, at the time owned by the Estate of Earline N. Mullikin.
Keith Blaschke of South Georgia Homes and the Mullikin estate sought to change the district from to R-2 single-family residential, which allows lot sizes of 10,000 square feet. Blaschke aimed to build a residential development of up to 55 lots along 33 acres.
Planning staff recommended approval of the rezoning with conditions. However, amid several complaints by nearby residents supported by District 1 Commissioner Connie Melear, the request was voted down unanimously by the Planning Commission, and then the Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to disapprove.
Blaschke would go on to drop his bid on the property, and James Porterfield of Porterfield Farms in Evans acquired the parcel in December of that year.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering education in Columbia County and business-related topics for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
