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 analysis. Attorney Chris Gohagen, speaking for River Bluff Properties, said the county’s recent housing study projects population growth and additional building permits over the next five years and that the parcel could help meet housing demand. Gohagen also flagged staff findings that the proposal would not cause excessive or burdensome use of public facilities.

Engineer Jason Reiner described planned driveway and access work and said the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) standards would support a state‑approved driveway once GDOT completes a reconfiguration at the nearby intersection.

Public concerns Eight people signed up to speak in opposition. Common concerns recorded in the hearing included: - Traffic safety: resident Clint Proudfoot said the nearby intersection had seen repeated crashes, citing multiple incidents earlier in the year and saying surveyors en route to the site had earlier been in an accident. Several speakers questioned whether a planned GDOT reconfiguration would be sufficient for added trips. - Schools: witnesses and school officials warned Stilson Elementary may not have capacity for new students. Board of Education member Lanny Lanier said a new high school site has been purchased and requires passage of a proposed sales tax for construction funding, but elementary capacity remains tight; staff estimated roughly 36 school‑age children could come from the subdivision. - Septic and environment: opponents, including the Ogeechee Riverkeeper and Coastal Communities United (letters entered into the record), raised septic and runoff concerns. Property owner Casey Martin referenced a DNR gopher tortoise survey that found numerous burrows and several tortoises on adjacent properties; the survey text was read into the record. - Rural character and farmland loss: neighbors said rezoning to roughly one house per acre would change the agricultural character around properties they purchased expecting lower density.

Public safety and infrastructure responses Assistant County Engineer Ron Nelson told the board GDOT has a funded project in fiscal year 2026 to remove the spur and reconfigure the 119/119‑connector intersection; the work is funded and prioritized within GDOT District 5. Fire Chief Ben Tapley said plans and drawings exist to expand the Stilson fire station and that staffing the station would require additional county personnel funding; construction and hiring timelines depend on budget approvals and phasing but were described as possible within months to a year once funded.

Conditions, developer commitments and next steps Developer Robbie Bell said he would phase work and indicated he could delay lot sales until after intersection work and local emergency services improvements were underway; he committed in the hearing to not sell first lots before the beginning of 2027. The board discussed legal risk if the commission declined a rezoning that staff found consistent with the comprehensive plan.

Board action After public comment and discussion, the board held a roll‑call vote and approved the rezoning request. The board’s minutes include a clarification exchange after the initial vote to ensure the chair’s intention was accurately recorded. The Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommendation of denial and the public opposition were noted in the record.

What remains open Speakers and commissioners asked staff to track follow‑up items: GDOT project schedule, county engineering plan reviews for subdivision access, septic approvals by the Bulloch County Health Department, and coordination with school officials about student projections and any mitigation. The developer and staff indicated phasing would allow time for those changes to occur before large‑scale occupancy.

Ending The rezoning will advance as approved, and county staff and the developer both said they expect a phased build‑out; the developer estimated homes would be available beginning in mid‑2027 with full build‑out over several years.