The Columbia County Economic Development Advisory Board voted unanimously at a special meeting to recommend a three-year property-tax rebate for a commercial project along the Highway 47/I-75 corridor and to offer a county match to a city contribution for a regional sewer lift station.

The move aims to advance infrastructure that developer Scott Stewart told the board he says is needed to secure tenants including grocery and quick-service retailers and to deliver what he described as new jobs and tax base to the county.

Why it matters: The board’s recommendation and the proposed county match are intended to pay for the last segment of utilities for a multi-year private development that backers say could unlock commercial parcels, new jobs and new tax revenue. Final approval of any tax rebate or county funding is reserved to the Board of County Commissioners.

Developer’s pitch and timeline
Scott Stewart, the landowner and developer, told the advisory board that the project has been pursued for roughly eight to 10 years and that multiple infrastructure and permitting obstacles have delayed buildout. Stewart said he has redesigned plans in the last 18 months to create a commercial corridor, and that he has been marketing the site to tenants including grocery chain Publix, quick-service restaurants and local retailers.

Stewart described a planned “regional” lift station and said he has bids and a contractor lined up. He told the board: “For the first time in 10 years, I can see that I can say we have a done date.” He urged the board to approve incentives so the site can reach a construction schedule that Stewart said contractors estimate could finish buildings about 100 days after sewer delivery.

City and county utility commitments
A city representative present clarified that the lift station “will be owned by the city, and it will be maintained by the city and operated by the city.” The city has committed $370,000 toward the lift station, and staff recommended the advisory board consider matching that amount. County staff said any county funds for the lift station would be paid to the city for construction and would not be paid directly to the developer.

Scorecard and incentive request
County staff presented a scorecard for the tax-incentive program. The staff scoring counted the project as a capital investment above $10 million, new employment above 50 positions and a project footprint above the county’s square-foot thresholds, for a staff score of roughly 11 points. Incentive policy allows up to an eight-year rebate at that score; the developer requested a three-year rebate. Staff noted wages for the planned tenants did not meet the county’s thresholds for higher-wage scoring.

Board action and next steps
The advisory board voted, by voice, to recommend the three-year tax rebate and indicated support for matching the city’s $370,000 contribution for the lift station. The motion passed unanimously and the board chair said the recommendation will go to the Board of County Commissioners for final consideration. County staff said separate requests for any direct county cash contribution to the developer (an earlier figure of $600,000 was discussed publicly) were not on the advisory board’s final motion; staff reiterated the county’s $370,000 match would go to the city for utility construction, not to the developer.

Public comment and concerns
Several members of the public and commenters spoke at the meeting. Resident/attendee Michael Lippert (identified in public comments) pressed for broader public notice and questioned using public funds rather than private borrowing, saying the county “has a habit of always dipping into the public’s pocket” and urging more transparency about incentives and timing. Commenter Dylan Adams said the presence of utilities tends to attract development: “If you have utilities, they will come.”

Project scope, tenants and finances
Developer and project staff listed prospective tenants and uses that have expressed interest or held preliminary discussions, including Publix, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Zaxby’s, a convenience-store operator and smaller breakfast or quick-serve concepts. Project representatives gave differing estimates of tax value and economic impact in the meeting record: Stewart described a conservative early tax-value estimate of about $25,000,000 in one exchange and later cited a larger tax-base projection of roughly $225,000,000. County staff did not adopt a new county-wide tax-revenue estimate at the meeting; staff materials provided to the advisory board focused on the scorecard and qualifying thresholds for the incentive program.

Context and outstanding issues
Project backers said the site’s utility work was partially funded previously by a state grant that extended water and sewer lines to a point near the property, and that the lift station is the remaining, costly piece. County staff and the city said additional approvals are needed: the property is being considered for annexation into the city, and permits and plan review by the city will be required before final construction. Staff flagged that state grant cycles are competitive and that additional state funds are not guaranteed.

What’s next
The advisory board’s recommendation will go to the Columbia County Board of County Commissioners for final action. Developers and staff told the advisory board they aim for sewer work and site preparation to allow tenant construction that could open in roughly a year if permits and lift-station procurement proceed on the schedule described by their contractor. Final funding decisions, timing and any contract or interlocal agreements remain subject to subsequent public meetings and approvals.