[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6300264,"mediaKeyId","2493360-a3a6e4b68efdcaf7ff9e34e0b416f138","parentId",2493360,"title","Commission approves multiple planning actions; Ham Jam permit, pool variances, vehicle‑coating conditional use among items passed","audioSeconds",216,"startMs",3817000,"endMs",4033000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2493360-a3a6e4b68efdcaf7ff9e34e0b416f138&start=3817&end=4033","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2493360-a3a6e4b68efdcaf7ff9e34e0b416f138/thumbnail_3817000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6300264/Haralson-County/Georgia/Commission-approves-multiple-planning-actions-Ham-Jam-permit-pool-variances-vehiclecoating-conditional-use-among-items-passed","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6300264-2ad0e63069afd3911ef64d33ad44c92d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775395319&Signature=JZLTlWyl~3ZYRvDoQG4T6xBdDbh0F-bLhUUFAjQPZw8bXyAo6g1gknkIH9tMHIlPdfgudSbX-yrr1mESYNBkDgRpeBydIkp3VOgnn7uhTc7eSCre5aBVXV9tx742tEff4lH195OAuXsCctesj4FGklpAkQ94LOxhUP-9U3NK8uqBoM4LKnzayatkpcfFrn8RSFiC6F2wbmuaPG4R37AuhW~fZHI3Bfw~ztmHDnIX7ECkrzKfQMnyYf8u~4rTbFtm~co-mDs43~GovrDJPpvOAaewXlBVzaEMjDnO4-C-gyC19lplnyNY2mayYBgV5WNmpT5~dsKgwzzThC4Hhb-87g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-05T04:58:04.29Z","article","The Effingham County Board of Commissioners approved multiple planning, consent and land‑use items during its March 4 meeting. Key items recorded in the minutes and vote calls included:

- An assemblage permit for the Effingham County Shrine Club’s second annual “Ham Jam” concert on April 26, 2025 at 1258 Corinth Church Road. The applicant (Glenn Edwards, vice president of the Shrine Club) confirmed on‑site parking, about 20 RV spots and two deputies for security; staff recommended approval with the condition that all parking remain on the property. The board approved the permit by motion and second with no recorded opposition.

- Variance requests for a swimming pool at 149 Laurel Lane (map 347C parcel 49): Liz Sapp, land‑use planning analyst, presented that the code requires pools be 10 feet from dwellings and property lines; the applicant requested a reduction to a 6‑foot setback to avoid a custom narrow pool. Commissioners expressed willingness to revisit the ordinance. The board approved the variance and later approved the second reading.

- A conditional‑use approval and associated variances for Steven (Stephen) Amerson to operate a vehicle‑coating business (liquid liners/custom coatings) at 353 Webb Road. The applicant told the board he would limit service to one vehicle per day, use passive filtration rather than a spray booth, operate daylight hours and handle residues inside the building. Staff recommended conditions including limiting vehicles to one per day, operations to daylight hours and containment of residues; the board approved the conditional use and the acreage variance allowing rural‑business operation on a 1.38‑acre parcel (code requires 3 acres).

- Multiple rezonings and second readings passed by the board on second reading where noted in the packet: rezoning petitions for parcels on Bluejay Road (Booth Learn Management/Scott Rosenstock for Charles Ale — +/-100.34 acres to R‑5), 550 Brockton Road (Charlita Ablakwa +/-6.20 acres to AR‑2), 116 Oak Street (Peterson Duperville +/-5 acres to AR‑2) and others listed on the agenda. For each second reading the board called the vote and recorded “motion carries.”

- Resolutions: the board approved a condemnation authorization (Resolution 025‑007) to acquire 0.005 acres and related temporary easements for construction of a roundabout at Calaketley and Hodgeville; and approved continuing the mutual‑aid agreement with the ASPCA with corrected renewal dates (to April 4, 2027).

- A planning staff item: the board voted to authorize the county to request a memorandum of agreement from the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission (GSWCC) so the county could review erosion control and land‑disturbing plans in‑house to expedite permitting; staff said this will accelerate review timelines while maintaining technical review standards.

Board actions were moved, seconded and carried for the items above; where staff advised conditions the board accepted the staff recommendations. Several routine items were also approved on consent (meeting minutes, agreements and second readings).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Effingham County Board of Commissioners Meeting March 4th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Effingham County Board of Commissioners approved a batch of planning and consent items during its March 4 meeting, including an assemblage permit for the Shrine Club’s Ham Jam, pool‑setback variances, and a conditional use for a vehicle‑coating business; staff and applicants described conditions for several approvals.","taxTitle","Haralson County, Georgia","taxId",28534,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6300267,"Residents press commissioners on wetlands, traffic as developer seeks rezoning for 221-acre Goshen Road project",3297,5566000,8863000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2493360-a3a6e4b68efdcaf7ff9e34e0b416f138&start=5566&end=8863","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2493360-a3a6e4b68efdcaf7ff9e34e0b416f138/thumbnail_5566000.jpg","/articles/6300267/Haralson-County/Georgia/Residents-press-commissioners-on-wetlands-traffic-as-developer-seeks-rezoning-for-221-acre-Goshen-Road-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6300267-f6db27095d633037b03701ebd7bbfe8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775395319&Signature=NHaHDfoTuz9~xlWE8ixrUHTTSMkp0eRcxQLmQVCr2rkl9igpOSgHzKchKaObSkanocCisQa7D6il8SC4Hp~0C0SrxAKw087qRyOeSNplzgwz~CgQs0U9MDPGQqfRs49u-~jY9aR-4JZydMCC4HRqXv5VGVRoVtlvvSQ8VbXjvJCoAxP-srECKzZtIu9tBLV-BU3e0hmQelT81kLcGlt6-9dC6ZXr6Xh3AuUvaQG2YuW~~QpZouiPSUVHZNxnHicJ0j8kTxUJjU4379McO~7CFhbtSQy8D6wFXQeysfInRpF7myS8U71Yc5egQXhWRWJspGpAc3dSnFsBcsMUokBzNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Neil McKenzie, agent for the property owner, asked the Effingham County Board of Commissioners to rezone roughly 221.87 acres on Goshen Road from AR‑1 to R‑5 to allow a proposed residential development of up to 377 units.

McKenzie said the plan would leave about 35% of the site as open space, would locate detention ponds to discharge to the wetlands that feed Black Creek and proposed a 50‑foot vegetated buffer with a berm along the parcel’s south boundary adjacent to existing homes. He told the board the developer had a secondary emergency access under contract (address 665) that would be emergency‑only and said utility capacity for county water and sewer was expected to be available in 2027. McKenzie also outlined a fast‑track schedule that would put potential first homes in early 2027 if approvals and construction proceeded without delay.

Planning staff noted the parcel’s future land‑use designation is agricultural, and the planning board recommended approval with conditions: a 120‑unit cap until secondary emergency access easement and Goshen Road improvements are completed; a 50‑foot wide vegetated buffer with berm along the south property line; and no certificates of occupancy for more than 120 homes until the second access and roadway improvements are established.

Residents who live near the site strongly opposed the rezoning during the public hearing. Jill Banks, Barbara Crowder and other neighbors described persistent standing water and said recent storms produced 7–18 inches of rain that left yards and ditches saturated. They argued the property contains significant wetlands that appear to extend “railroad line to railroad line,” and raised concerns about where stormwater from new roads and retention ponds would be routed. Several speakers said Goshen Road and nearby corridors already face heavy truck traffic and congestion and questioned whether planned improvements and roundabouts would be completed in time to support 300+ new households.

Commissioners pressed the applicant on engineering and timeline questions — including minimum home sizes, open‑space calculations without wetlands, location of the proposed berm and the nature of the secondary access. McKenzie said lot sizes would be about 6,600 square feet, that the product and price point were not yet fixed because a builder was not selected, and that wetlands delineation and flood‑zone engineering would be conducted as part of the preliminary‑plat process if the rezoning was approved.

After extended discussion, a motion “to deny” the rezoning was made and seconded. The clerk recorded the vote dialogue (“All in favor? Aye. None opposed.”) and then stated, “The motion failed.” The transcript records the result as “motion failed” and the meeting proceeded; commissioners discussed moratorium timing and whether applications not yet final‑platted would be subject to forthcoming ordinance changes.

The public hearing highlighted the central concerns county officials must weigh when rezoning large tracts: wetlands and hydrology, phasing of roadway improvements and emergency access, the projected number of new vehicle trips on two‑lane roads, and whether preliminary engineering and utility capacity can be demonstrated before parcel‑level rezonings move forward.","Developer sought R‑5 rezoning for 221.87 acres on Goshen Road to build up to 377 units; the planning board recommended approval but residents raised flooding and traffic concerns during a lengthy public hearing; the board recorded a motion to deny that the clerk recorded as failing.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6300271,"Effingham County schools report slower-than-expected growth, add metal detectors after student brought handgun",2010,1450000,3460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2493360-a3a6e4b68efdcaf7ff9e34e0b416f138&start=1450&end=3460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2493360-a3a6e4b68efdcaf7ff9e34e0b416f138/thumbnail_1450000.jpg","/articles/6300271/Haralson-County/Georgia/Effingham-County-schools-report-slower-than-expected-growth-add-metal-detectors-after-student-brought-handgun","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6300271-f87c41b5b4af21fc9384b30a53423ee4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775395319&Signature=LNRGIjz25wADXajLFkgjEwYItpDY54fCxcmt-Q8upv4czBTL7B2tBqnqBqTSDomdxYxTLXR71aZPZyaqMocb70S3wjBi3sJ39wCzXZzMmBCZTuBpo8WFbk-o0Sh1Noqvf86bGbEAAZjk-W9~g-Wr3o-G6tpHl4v~edyUA70SsfCe-~XrSJ27Koz2EpU3vpoidKQQbg3x-HyVUBnMfnJ34fF23QYe6mnAs6Bk7tZ~KyIjWROaLn~JIuN3Ek~SkW0fN2k~Lw-eDTK~wOqukV1vh7pJec-H7P28SvZPNwWgVrgd1hKTSQPSuZDcFHhTQUU45v-NE1Dq2ynPHg7ovySzRg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Doctor Yancey Ford, a school-district official who presented to the Effingham County Board of Commissioners on March 4, said the district’s long-term student growth has been significant but recently has leveled off.

Ford told commissioners that, over a five‑year period, the district’s net enrollment rose by about 1,500 students, or roughly 306 students per year, with elementary schools averaging about 149 new students a year. He said middle schools grew about 350 students over five years and high schools about 515, and that high‑school enrollment figures are complicated by students who split time between base high schools and the Effingham College and Career Academy or STEM Academy.

The superintendent-level presenter said the district will open Creekside Elementary in fall 2026 (capacity about 1,200) and is planning additions at both high schools and two middle schools. Ford described tradeoffs in building strategy — additions at some campuses instead of constructing a new middle school, which he estimated would cost about $50 million — and said the district is prioritizing smaller class sizes and program-based classroom limits for special programs.

Ford also briefed commissioners on recent school‑safety steps. After a student brought a handgun to South Effingham High School, the district moved quickly to deploy metal detectors at the three high schools. Ford said the detectors were in place “day 1” after the incident and that schools adjusted procedures to get students through screening; he described a phased rollout and feedback process with teachers and students as the district refines entry procedures. He said the district also invested in cameras and secured vestibules before the incident and that the performing‑arts center planned near Savannah Technical College will include classroom space.

Commissioners asked about capacity thresholds and how long the planned additions and new elementary will accommodate growth; Ford said the first homes and occupancy at a new development would not appear immediately and projected earliest first homes from a large development would likely not be available before early 2027 even under an accelerated schedule. He noted the district maintains transportation options for families after redistricting and often allows students to finish the school year at their former school if families request continued transport.

Ford discussed operational details: day‑9 enrollment counts for the district’s student information system, special‑program classroom caps (some classes legally limited to 8–15 students), and the district’s practice of monitoring enrollment and class sizes weekly.

Commissioners and other speakers on the record thanked Ford for the presentation and praised the fast rollout of metal detectors. Ford declined to speculate about long‑term enrollment beyond the district’s forecasts, and commissioners pressed for continued coordination between county planning approvals and school capacity planning.","School district officials told commissioners the county added nearly 1,500 students over five years but growth has slowed recently; the district is opening Creekside Elementary, adding high‑school capacity and has begun rolling out metal detectors after a student brought a handgun to campus.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves multiple planning actions; Ham Jam permit, pool variances, vehicle‑coating conditional use among items passed

Residents press commissioners on wetlands, traffic as developer seeks rezoning for 221-acre Goshen Road project

Effingham County schools report slower-than-expected growth, add metal detectors after student brought handgun