Planning commission recommends approval of Arden Glen preliminary plat

The Columbia County Planning and Zoning Commission on July 17 recommended approval of the preliminary plat for the first section of Arden Glen, a planned unit development on the west side of Baker Place Road that would include 102 single-family lots. Staff said the lots meet the PUD standards, with minimum lot size 7,150 square feet and an average lot size of 11,548 square feet. Setbacks reported in the staff presentation were 25 feet from the front property line, 10 feet from the rear, and side setbacks that vary by lot width — 10 feet for 70-foot lots and 7.5 feet for narrower lots. The staff presentation also noted 20.8 acres of open space, including an amenity area at the front of the project. Planning staff and the commission discussed two conditions: a written agreement from an adjacent owner to maintain portions of a 50-foot buffer that lie on the neighboring property, and a required pedestrian connection to the adjacent Retreat at Baker Place development. Staff said the pedestrian connection is shown on the plans but remains subject to agreement by the adjacent development; construction of the overall subdivision may proceed while that agreement is negotiated, but the connection must be resolved before final plat approval. Commissioners voted to recommend approval; the motion carried. The Planning and Zoning Commission is a recommending body, and the final rezoning and plat approvals will be decided by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners at its Aug. 5, 2025 meeting. The approval recommendation includes the staff conditions described above; the pedestrian-connection agreement and the buffer-maintenance agreement must be in place prior to final plat for this section.