Bryan County commissioners approve rezoning, wastewater design contracts and trail grant application
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Summary
At its Oct. 14 meeting, the Bryan County Board of Commissioners approved two rezoning ordinances, authorized design task orders for southern wastewater infrastructure, approved a jail planning contract and passed a resolution to apply for a state recreational-trail grant to extend the Green Creek Trail.
Bryan County commissioners voted Oct. 14 to approve two zoning map amendments, authorize engineering design contracts for wastewater infrastructure in the county’s south, accept a planning proposal to study the county jail and to submit a state grant application for the Green Creek Trail extension.
The matters taken up at the meeting affect land-use decisions along Black Creek Church Road and in other parts of southern Bryan County, and include contracts the county says will be funded from the water and sewer fund rather than property taxes.
Votes at a glance
- Rezoning — Parcel 028-016 (second reading): The board approved a second-reading ordinance to rezone a 2.5-acre portion of a 7.86-acre tract from A-5 (agricultural) to RR-2.5 (rural residential). Planning and Zoning had recommended approval. A motion to approve the rezoning was made and carried; a roll-call tally was not recorded in the public transcript.
- Rezoning — Parcels 0311-055 and 0311-058 (second reading): The board approved a second-reading ordinance to rezone two parcels (totaling about 2.47 acres) from RR-1 (rural residential) to B-2 (general commercial). The county planner told the commission the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial at its Sept. 16 meeting; the board approved the rezoning after a public comment from the applicant’s representative. The motion carried; the transcript records at least one commissioner saying “Aye” but does not show a full roll call.
- Green Creek Trail grant resolution: Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing submission of a Recreational Trail Program grant application to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for the Green Creek Trail extension. County staff said the project’s total estimated cost is $258,000 and the county is applying for $180,000; the grant requires a minimum 20% local match and staff recommended a competitive 30% match comprised of in-kind work by Public Works. The resolution authorizes submittal of the application and commits the required matching funds.
- Southern wastewater task orders (Waterways / Savannah Land Holdings): The board authorized two task orders to provide engineering design, permitting and construction administration for wastewater infrastructure in the county’s southern area: Task Order 119 for the South Waterways effluent pump station, force main and land application system (approved in the motion at $1,597,000 as recorded in the meeting motion); and Task Order 110 for a South Waterways wastewater treatment facility (a membrane bioreactor system) in the amount of $2,489,350. County staff said these projects are funded from the county’s water and sewer enterprise fund and through tap fees associated with Savannah Land Holdings (referred to in the meeting as Waterways).
- Bryan County jail study: Commissioners approved a contract with CPS (Comprehensive Program Services) to provide a facilities assessment, programming and conceptual planning for potential expansion or replacement of the county jail. The lump-sum fee approved was $120,500; staff said the scope includes an existing facilities assessment, conceptual options, cost estimates and financing options.
How the board decided
Most motions were made from the floor and carried after the board called for “aye” votes; the public transcript does not show detailed roll-call tallies for each item. For the Price L. Holdings rezoning, staff told the commission Planning and Zoning had recommended denial; the applicant’s representative (Scott Allison of Macomb and Company) argued the requested B-2 zoning aligned with the comprehensive plan’s emerging suburban character and proximity to a community crossroads, and the board voted to approve the rezoning despite the Planning and Zoning recommendation.
Staff clarifications and fiscal notes
- County staff said the wastewater projects are expected to be paid from the water and sewer fund (enterprise fund) and by developer tap fees, not by property taxes.
- For the Green Creek Trail extension, staff described the county match as in-kind work performed by Public Works rather than a cash outlay.
What’s next
- The first rezoning (Parcel 028-016) and the Price L. Holdings rezoning were approved on second reading and are now adopted as ordinances per the board’s vote.
- The wastewater design task orders will move into the contract/implementation phase under the engineering scope the board authorized.
- The Green Creek Trail grant application will be submitted to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources; the county will provide the committed match if the grant process requires it.
- The CPS jail planning study will proceed to data collection and reporting per the approved scope.
Sources and provenance
This article is based on proceedings at the Bryan County Board of Commissioners meeting, Oct. 14, 2025. Relevant remarks and motions appear in the public hearing and regular-meeting portions of the transcript.