Commissioners approve 100-acre Bluefern R‑5 rezoning for Blue Jay Road development with conditions

The Effingham County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 18 to approve a rezoning of approximately 100.34 acres along Blue Jay Road from AR‑1 to R‑5, permitting a single‑family subdivision the applicant described as a mix of lot sizes and housing types with an amenities package.

Staff presentation and developer commitments: Planning staff noted the application was submitted before the county’s moratorium and reviewed it against the R‑5 standards. Staff set conditions including that the preliminary plat be approved by the Board, buffers comply with county code (section 3.4), site development plans comply with the Effingham County Water Resource Protection Ordinance, the local stormwater management design manual and flood protection chapter, and that plans meet appendix C, article 5, section 5.17 (R‑5 single-family traditional neighborhood design).

Alex Cameron, representing developer Bluefern Development, and land broker Adrienne Weber described adjustments made after public input: varied lot sizes; minimum heated-area commitments for houses (2,400 square feet for lots backing Emerald Plantation, 2,000 square feet on larger lots and 1,600 square feet for interior lots); a 6-foot privacy fence where new lots abut existing development; and 41 overflow parking spaces as required by the R‑5 district. Engineer John Giordano explained the plan includes a 50-foot buffer along Blue Jay plus an extra 10 feet of proposed right-of-way dedication to aid future drainage and road improvements. "We are proposing some varied lot sizes," Giordano said, and he confirmed wetlands were delineated and that ponds and stormwater features are sited to meet the county’s stormwater rules.

Timing, traffic and infrastructure: County engineers and the developer said water service exists on the corridor, while sewer and major drainage improvements are planned. Jonathan Holm, county engineer, said the county is extending sewer down the corridor and that a recent booster station installation had improved water pressure. Developer and builder representatives gave a tentative schedule: blueprints and permitting would precede land‑disturbance permits; Dream Finders Homes said it expects roughly 12–14 months after land‑disturbance permits to receive initial certificates of occupancy, producing initial homes around mid‑2028 if construction begins in 2027.

Public concerns: Neighbors focused on traffic and drainage. Emily Hite, whose property borders the site, told commissioners much of the concern stemmed from the scale of the previously proposed high‑density development at the roundabout and the site’s drainage characteristics. She said changes shown in the plan were made after resident pressure and asked the board to ensure the developer meets promises in the final plat. Jeff Hite and others questioned whether the Planning Commission had seen the revised materials; staff confirmed the current packet reflected changes made since earlier hearings.

Conditions and vote: Commissioners debated density, precedent and timing. Several said sewer, road widening and drainage plans must be in place before substantial construction; staff and the developer said those improvements are planned and that the developer has accounted for buffers and off‑site work. The board approved the rezoning with the conditions read into the record, and the motion carried with one commissioner recorded in opposition (tally recorded as 5 yes, 1 no). The approval includes the developer’s proffered conditions (minimum heated area per specified lots, privacy fencing adjacent to existing neighborhoods, distributed overflow parking) and the county’s standard site‑plan, stormwater and buffer requirements. The board also required that amenity construction begin when occupancy reaches 50% of homes sold (developer agreed), and that traffic improvements be evaluated and implemented per traffic‑impact analysis and GDOT standards.

Why it matters: The rezoning clears the way for a multi‑phase subdivision tied to county investments in road and sewer infrastructure; commissioners and residents view it as a test case for how the county will manage growth along Blue Jay Road and the Effingham Parkway corridor.

Next steps: The project must complete permitting, land‑disturbance and site‑plan review; right‑of‑way dedication and drainage designs must be finalized and implemented in coordination with county road projects before major vertical construction.