Bryan County approves Black Creek Farms lot amendment, Willow Road abandonment, beer-and-wine license and $2.23 million intersection project

Bryan County commissioners on April 8 approved a set of land-use and infrastructure items including a final-plat amendment for Black Creek Farms West Lot 5, the abandonment of a portion of Willow Road to accommodate a logistics park, an on-premises beer-and-wine alcohol license for Black Creek Golf LLC and a $2,227,600 task order for a new traffic signal at Harris Trail and Timber Trail.

Community Development staff recommended approval of the Black Creek Farms West amendment with one condition: the property owner must file an application with the county public health department for final review and approval of the individual septic system and obtain public health approval prior to recording the final plat. "The recommendation from planning and zoning and staff was for approval of the plat subject to the condition that the property owner file an application with the county's public health department for final review and approval of the individual septic system, and that public health approval will be needed prior to the recording of the final plat," staff said during the meeting.

Commissioners also voted to grant the requested abandonment of a right of way that staff said serves only the Conley tract and therefore offers "no public benefit for retaining it"; the abandonment was proposed in conjunction with a site plan for what was identified in staff materials as Bridal Logistics Park (formerly Conley Davis Industrial Park).

On the county's alcohol-licensing agenda, the commission approved an on-premises beer-and-wine license for Black Creek Golf LLC. A representative for the owners, Kylie Warren Morgan, told the board the license was needed to support a new pro shop and operations at the Black Creek Golf Course; she said the owners are Isaac and Shimon Katz and that, for now, the request was limited to beer and wine.

The board also approved a task order with Thompson Hutton (scope: survey, design and construction-phase services) to install a stop-and-go traffic signal at the Harris Trail and Timber Trail intersection. The staff-recommended task order amount is $2,227,600; staff described the project timeline as roughly nine to 12 months and said improvements are intended to serve projected growth at that intersection.

Several other zoning-map amendments appeared as first readings and will return to planning and zoning for public hearings; no final action was taken on those items at the April 8 meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Final plat: Black Creek Farms West Lot 5 (5.7 acres, parcel 0291-036) — Motion to approve with staff recommendations; outcome: approved; note: public health septic approval required prior to plat recording.

- Abandonment: portion of Willow Road (to support proposed Bridal Logistics Park / Conley Davis Industrial Park) — Motion to approve abandonment and authorize chairman to execute conveyance documents; outcome: approved.

- Alcohol license: Black Creek Golf LLC — Motion to approve on-premises sale of beer and wine; outcome: approved.

- Task order: Thompson Hutton scope of services for Harris Trail and Timber Trail intersection signal — Motion to approve and authorize chairman to execute task order in the amount of $2,227,600; outcome: approved.

What the approvals mean

The Black Creek Farms West approval advances a lot split that staff said meets RR-2.5 zoning requirements but cannot be recorded until the county public health department signs off on the proposed individual septic system. The Willow Road abandonment transfers rights tied to a gravel portion of the road so the developer can proceed with access changes included in site plans. The intersection task order funds design and construction-phase services; staff estimated a 9–12 month project timeline.

Next steps

Items that were introduced as first readings — including zoning-map amendments and a proposed hotel/motel excise tax ordinance — will go to planning and zoning for public hearings and return to the commission for final action.