Residents of the Rollins Road neighborhood are fearful that a planned care home for troubled young men and teenagers could destroy the tranquility of the largely crime-free area.
The Rollins Road neighborhood is a quiet development in south Richmond County.
The neighbors noticed a planning and zoning notice sign in front of a five-bedroom house that is complete with a swimming pool and a large butler building. They decided to inquire as to why the county was considering a rezoning.
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They investigated and found that the zoning request had been made by Taking A Step Beyond, LLC. The organization had requested to operate an “orphanage home for profit.” The zoning change would allow them to house up to 10 children and young men at the planned Rollins Road facility.
Resident Doug Day discovered that the owners of Taking a Step Beyond already operate such a home at 1509 Brown Road in Hephzibah. Police records show the Brown Road home has been subject to numerous police interventions over the past ten years.
The records show that out of 89 instances, only 22 reports were available for public inspection because the other 67 involved minors. The complaints listed are a cornucopia of mischief including runaways, domestic violence, public disturbance, suicide attempts, bullying, robbery, carjacking, car theft and weapons violations.
“This is not a situation of people wanting to care for foster children. This is a business,” Day says. ”They are not monitoring these children. They get out regularly all the time to cause trouble.”
The Planning and Zoning Department held a hearing on Feb. 1 and approved the zoning change. Day says one of the owners, Margaret McKie was allowed to speak at the hearing, but he was denied the opportunity to address the body, even though he was among those who had a signed petition protesting the zoning change.
“They basically rubber stamped it,” Day says, “and I have evidence that (McKie) at best misrepresented the truth.”
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During the hearing, McKie told the committee that a neighbor came by to meet her and invited her “kids” to come over anytime and fish in his large pond.
“That is simply not the truth,” Day says. “I have an affidavit from him claiming he told her just the opposite.”
Day says he is not being a so-called NIMBY, but he feels his neighborhood will ultimately face the same problems as the residents near the Brown Road home.
“I feel sorry for the kids, I really do,” he says, “but these people have a track record showing they are not focused on rehabilitation of these kids and their real motive here is money.”
The Augusta Press attempted to contact Taking A Step Beyond, LLC, but it appears the official telephone number for the group is disconnected as the message states the number is unavailable with no voicemail option.
The full Augusta Commission will hear the matter during regular proceedings on Feb. 16, and Day says this time, he will be even more prepared. He has amassed a trove of information and hired an attorney.
“I have lived here since 1984, and this place is a wonderful place to live,” he says, adding, ”I plan to fight for my neighborhood.”
Scott Hudson is the Managing Editor of The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
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