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Commissioners approve abandonment of unimproved alley on St. Simons with drainage easement retained
Summary
The board approved AB‑24‑1, abandoning an unopened unimproved alley between parcels at 1700 Ocean Road and Third Street on St. Simons, while Glynn County retained a 20‑foot drainage easement; the owner, David Smith, will receive 10 feet of property and the parcel line will shift to the center of the ditch.
Glynn County commissioners voted April 17 to approve AB‑24‑1, a request by property owner David Smith to abandon an unimproved alley between 1700 Ocean Road and Third Street in the East Beach subdivision on St. Simons. The board approved the abandonment with the explicit condition that the county reserve the existing 20‑foot drainage easement.
County staff presented the petition and a survey showing the alley area, about 0.15 acres. Public works staff reviewed the site and reported the sewer force main that formerly occupied the right‑of‑way was relocated in fall 2024; the Brunswick Joint Water and Sewer Commission (JWSC) did not request a replacement easement. County staff said the area is used as a drainage easement that the county maintains and that the alley had not been used by the general public.
John Hartman, presenting the application, told the board the force main was relocated and that county engineering reviewed the request under Glynn County Code of Ordinances section 2‑13‑44. Hartman said the owner would obtain 10 feet of property and the owner’s new property line would be moved to the center of the ditch; the county would retain maintenance control of the drainage easement.
Owner David Smith was present. No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition. Commissioner Booker moved to approve AB‑24‑1 with the condition that Glynn County reserve the existing drainage easement; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: Abandonment transfers property rights from public right‑of‑way to the adjacent owner and returns the parcel to the tax digest, but the county retained the drainage easement to preserve public drainage maintenance and access.
Ending: With the motion approved, county staff will complete the title and recording steps required to revise parcel lines and the tax digest; the board’s action preserves county maintenance of the drainage function in the area.
