Effingham commissioners approve rezoning for 115-acre light-industrial park with local tenant and buffer commitments

Effingham County commissioners voted Nov. 4 to rezone roughly 115 acres on Old Augusta Road from residential (R‑1) to light industrial, clearing the way for warehousing and distribution development anchored by a local tenant.

Developer representatives told the board the site is now proposed as a light‑industrial park with phased buildings, the first a build‑to‑suit facility for JIT Warehousing. “JIT Warehousing … will bring 38 jobs in Effingham County with them,” said Robert McCorkle, speaking for RB Baker Properties and Northpointe Industrial. The development team said the project would be served by county water and sewer and that the first building could be about 250,000 square feet.

Neighbors raised concerns about truck traffic, noise and impacts to wetlands. Resident Sarah Bloodsworth said she lived in neighborhoods adjacent to the site and asked the board to “consider the quality of life of the residents” and the noise from truck traffic.

In response, the developer and staff described mitigation and design commitments. Chad (Roward Kearney Company), the project engineer, said the applicant would provide a 150‑foot perimeter buffer to residential properties and that buildings facing Old Augusta Road would have truck courts in the rear. “We will have a 150‑foot buffer regardless,” the applicant’s representative said. The applicant also agreed to include additional buffer information on the site plan and to follow stormwater best‑management practices and county flood‑damage and water‑protection rules.

County staff noted prior work on the parcel, including a development review (DRI) and infrastructure changes along Old Augusta, and they reiterated that a site plan must be approved by the board and that buffers and truck‑court locations are conditions of approval. The board approved the rezoning with planning‑board and staff recommendations; one commissioner recorded opposition during the voice vote.

What happens next: The developer must submit a detailed site plan showing buffer treatments and truck court locations, and any encroachment or access on Old Augusta Road will require the county’s access‑management review and applicable GDOT approvals. The board’s motion required the conditions discussed at the meeting; staff and the commission will review subsequent site plans to ensure compliance.

Authorities and conditions referenced at the meeting included the Effingham County Code of Ordinances (buffers section) and the county Water Resource Protection Ordinance and local stormwater design manual. The applicant also noted participation in a local special tax district and coordination on water/sewer extensions. The project team said the development is consistent with the county’s 2020‑2040 comprehensive plan guidance for industrial future land use.