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Planning commission recommends denial of 57.68‑acre rezoning for 69‑lot subdivision on Old Riggs Mill Road
Summary
Planning commissioners voted to recommend denial of a rezoning request by Blitch Place Land Company to rezone 57.68 acres from AG‑5 to R‑25 for a 69‑lot subdivision after residents raised flooding, infrastructure and character concerns; matter goes to commissioners Sept. 2.
The planning commission recommended denial of a request from Blitch Place Land Company to rezone 57.68 acres on Old Riggs Mill Road from AG‑5 to R‑25 for a proposed 69‑lot subdivision. The commission’s recommendation to deny will be forwarded to the Bullock County Board of Commissioners for a public hearing on Sept. 2 at 5:30 p.m.
Why it mattered: Residents and speakers opposed the rezoning, citing recurring roadway washouts, concentrated watershed runoff (including runoff from Cypress Lake and upstream canals), limited emergency response and a lack of nearby hydrants. Several speakers urged the commission to preserve the area’s rural character and recommended lower‑density alternatives consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan.
Public comment and applicant response: Savannah Rodriguez told commissioners that drainage currently flows from nearby developments and preserves into the low area behind her home and said adding residential lots “is going to make it even worse.” Mallory Chang, a lifelong Bullock County resident, asked the commission to deny the request on policy grounds and suggested R‑80 as an alternative that would better reflect SmartBullitt comprehensive‑plan goals to preserve rural character. The applicant’s agent, Cody Rogers of EMC Engineering, said stormwater mitigation is technically feasible and observed that development could create opportunities to construct ponds and outfall controls that do not exist on the undeveloped parcel today; he noted the sketch plan showed maximum density and that final lot counts often decrease once stormwater requirements are applied.
Commission action and context: After discussion about the ability of the Board of Commissioners to alter recommended zoning (for example, changing R‑25 to a lower residential density such as R‑80), the planning commission voted to recommend denial of the rezoning application. Commissioners noted that the developer could pursue alternate densities and that further stormwater design and phased plans would be evaluated if the matter moves to commissioners.
What to watch: The record shows persistent community concern about flooding, road conditions and fire protection in the area; the developer and staff discussed that engineering and pond construction typically occur after a rezoning and during the site‑plan stage. The matter will proceed to the Board of Commissioners for final action on Sept. 2.
