Statesboro council approves annexation, rezoning for 198-unit townhome plan amid traffic and easement concerns

The Statesboro City Council approved an annexation and rezoning request to allow a proposed 198-unit townhome subdivision at 285 Herman Washington Road, council members said during a public hearing Tuesday.

The council granted the annexation (AN25-03-04) and a zoning map amendment (RZ25-03-05) after staff and the applicant described the site as a vacant, roughly 38.58-acre parcel and recommended approval with conditions. Planning staff said the city’s future land use map designates the site as a developing neighborhood.

The project matters because the property sits adjacent to county-maintained roads and utilities and because the proposed density will add hundreds of homes — and vehicle trips — to a corridor councilors identified as already strained. “We have those utilities that have to be relocated,” said a city staff member during the hearing, noting coordination with Willow County and Georgia Power will be required before road improvements can proceed. The planning commission recommended approval 6-0.

Planning director Miss Cathy said the application combines annexation and rezoning for a townhouse subdivision on the vacant lot and that an existing Georgia Power utility easement runs through the property. Staff recommended conditions including: submission of a traffic study before issuance of any land‑disturbance permit; completion of any required right‑of‑way improvements identified in the traffic study before issuance of certificates of occupancy; and other standard site‑plan and permitting requirements.

An attorney for the developer and a developer representative told the council existing and pending utility projects nearby make annexation and utilities feasible. “The traffic studies are already been completed, so we know what improvements are gonna be needed,” the developer representative said.

Several residents spoke in opposition or with concern about scale and traffic. Joel Martin, a resident who said he has experience in government, warned the council the area already faces congestion and asked how many cars the development would add. A council member representing the district said she had three main concerns: the presence of wetlands, the location of the long utility easement through the site (which could reduce usable amenity space), and traffic at nearby intersections. She asked staff to show where wetlands are located for the council’s information, noting the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will have permitting authority over wetlands.

Staff said the city is working with the county and Georgia Power on necessary relocations and that Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) funds are identified for needed improvements, though exact timing depends on coordination and utility relocation. Staff also said the applicant will be required to provide right-of-way dedications and construct or fund improvements identified in the traffic study.

After discussion the council voted to approve the annexation and rezoning as recommended by staff, subject to the conditions on traffic studies and right‑of‑way improvements. The approval was a voice vote; a roll-call tally was not specified in the record.

The decision allows the applicant to proceed to detailed engineering and permitting, including submission of development plans that must address the power easement, wetlands permitting with EPD, and any traffic mitigation required under the traffic study and intergovernmental agreements with the county.