Planning Commission approves rezoning for Walker Village with conditions, residents secure historic marker placement

The Augusta Georgia Planning Commission on Jan. 6, 2025 voted to approve rezoning case Z‑24‑38, allowing a 3.13‑acre parcel at 1924 Grand Boulevard to be rezoned from R‑1B (one‑family residential) to R‑1C (one‑family residential) for a proposed development called Walker Village.

Staff planner Rachel Martin said the application proposes 14 detached single‑family homes on private streets with two access points, a stormwater detention pond, a mail kiosk and 0.52 acres of common open space. Martin said the tract is vacant and cleared, has public water and sewer, is outside mapped FEMA special flood hazard areas and has nearby public transit on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The rezoning followed a December community meeting with the Turpin Hill neighborhood, Martin said, where neighbors raised the site’s history as Camp Dyer, an African American Army post during the Spanish‑American War. Petitioner Bill Quarter of Bluewater Engineering said, “we had a what I felt like was a productive meeting, with the neighborhood and some other stakeholders,” and confirmed the developer agreed to set aside a visible place for a historical marker and to complete sidewalks where they are missing along Grand Boulevard and Turpin Street.

Resident Keanna Leighton Solomon, who gave her address as 1935 Grand Boulevard, asked that the marker be outside the gated development so visitors would not need to enter the private streets. Mia Johnson, identified as representing the developer’s office, said the developer would hold another meeting with neighbors before the final site plan to finalize the marker location. Quarter confirmed the marker would be placed “on the street where it's visible and people would be able to come and read the marker, without having to actually go into the development.”

Planning staff recommended approval to R‑1C with conditions that include: alternating house elevations (at least three facades, no more than 30% vinyl siding), sidewalks on Grand Boulevard and Turpin Street and within the subdivision, street yards along both existing streets, at least 17% open space, a covered mail kiosk, delineated amenities (playground, pavilion, patio areas) within the development, and coordination with the Turpin Hill community group on the historical marker. Staff’s written recommendation specifies the monument shall be adjacent to Lot 14 and visible from Grand Boulevard and notes that rezoning approval does not constitute site plan approval.

Commissioner Pittman moved to approve the rezoning with conditions; Commissioner Owens seconded. The motion passed; the transcript records a voice vote but does not list a roll‑call tally. Staff and several speakers noted that final decisions on zoning matters are made by the Augusta Commission and that this application will be considered by the full commission later in January 2025.

The developer agreed to the staff conditions and to meet again with neighborhood stakeholders before submitting the final site plan. The Planning Commission’s approval advances the project to the next review stage but does not authorize construction or a final site plan.