Bulloch County approves rezoning for 61-acre River Bluff subdivision after contested hearing

Bulloch County commissioners approved a rezoning request for about 61 acres on the Highway 119 connector, allowing the land to change from AG-5 (5‑acre minimum) to R-40 (40,000‑square‑foot minimum lots) for a proposed 59‑lot single‑family subdivision.

The request, filed by River Bluff Properties LLC with Jim Anderson and attorney Chris Gohagen as agents, drew sustained public comment and a split recommendation from the county’s planning staff and Planning and Zoning Commission. Staff recommended approval; the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial by a 3–1 vote, and dozens of residents attended the meeting to oppose the project.

Why it mattered: supporters said the rezoning helps add housing inventory the county’s studies project will be needed; opponents said the site’s rural character, traffic safety, septic/wastewater impacts, school capacity and possible harm to wildlife outweighed those benefits. The vote concluded with the board approving the rezoning after a roll call and a later clarification of the chair’s vote.

Staff and applicant position James Pope, Planning and Development Director, told commissioners the parcel is identified on the county’s comprehensive plan as a rural‑neighborhood area and that the proposed layout (59 lots on about 61 acres) met the rezone standards in the staff…