Chris Kabinski, a Belmont Glen homeowners‑association board member, told the Effingham County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 2 that the neighborhood has documented repeated failures by the New Haven developer to deliver promised infrastructure and that residents fear rising costs and safety risks as later phases move forward.

“In short, it was either not engineered correctly…we are having subsequent problems with flooding in the neighborhood,” Kabinski said, describing missing drainage work behind a row of townhomes and a historic failure to install a connecting multiuse path. He said the HOA has estimates that could require “between 5 and 10,000 yearly” to clear and maintain a single pond if the county and developer do not rectify the defects now.

The HOA representative said the developer had previously agreed to provide a right-of-way for a multiuse path connecting two parts of the subdivision but that engineering drawings and follow-up never arrived. County staff said Phase 4 of New Haven is in development-plan review while Phase 5 has not yet been submitted, and that the parcel that would carry the path is a commercial portion of the planned development and lacks a current plan to obligate construction.

Board members acknowledged the HOA’s packet of documents and asked staff to consider protections during review of future phases. One commissioner noted that staff appears to have photos showing issues and that the concerns can be addressed in the development-review process. The HOA asked the board to ensure the association remains in the loop and is not “shut out” during future approvals.

The board did not adopt any immediate binding action during the presentation. County staff said existing tools — such as maintenance agreements required at final plat and conditions placed on site plans — can be used to hold developers accountable and that staff will review the HOA’s submission as part of the planning and permitting process. The HOA asked only to have its concerns officially placed on record.