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Glynn County denies rezoning for proposed ILA union hall at Highway 17 site
Summary
The Glynn County Board of Commissioners voted to deny a request to rezone about 7.17 acres on Highway 17 from Freeway Commercial to Highway Commercial to allow a hiring/union hall for International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) Local 1423, citing safety and traffic concerns at the site’s main exit.
The Glynn County Board of Commissioners on June 19 denied a rezoning request for about 7.17 acres at 2688 Highway 17 that would have allowed a hiring/union hall for ILA Local 1423.
The request, filed as ZM25-81423/ILA 1423, sought to change zoning from FC (Freeway Commercial) to HC (Highway Commercial). Christina Wright, senior planner, told commissioners the property is vacant and in the county’s Southwest Glynn character area. Wright said the Mainland Planning Commission recommended approval 6–0 and that the applicant would coordinate with the Georgia Department of Transportation and provide a traffic study as part of site plan review.
Supporters, including Latasha Green Cobb, agent for the estate of James Hopkins, and representatives of Local 1423, argued the location is proximate to the port and that many union members already live and work in the area. “The activity could be as many as the union hall supports — 293 people, for example,” Green Cobb said, and Karen Polite, a local real estate professional and union member, said membership and shift patterns make daily counts variable.
Opponents and several commissioners said the parcel’s only primary exit requires a left turn onto Highway 17 where there is no traffic signal or turn lane, creating a safety risk during peak staging times. One commissioner summarized the concern as the risk posed by “a condensed time when they would be coming out of that hall and trying to get on the road,” noting large numbers of vehicles attempting egress simultaneously at noon and early evening.
Commissioner discussion referenced the potential for a future frontage-road connection or traffic signal but noted there is no scheduled improvement and that Georgia DOT had previously declined a nearby signal request. Commissioners also said they were willing to work with the applicant on finding a different site with safer access.
After debate the commission took a motion to deny the rezoning. The motion to deny carried; the meeting record shows four votes in favor of denial, one vote opposed, and two abstentions. The board did not approve the rezoning, leaving the property’s FC designation in place.
The applicant may pursue alternative sites or further coordination with DOT and county planning, but no further action on this parcel was taken at the meeting.
