Residents tell council they face food insecurity and sewage backups; neighbors ask for buffers and traffic study before buildout

Several Statesboro residents used public comment to call attention to urgent neighborhood problems and to press the council on process and mitigation.

Annie Bellington told council she has had children come to her house seeking food after their food‑stamp benefits were cut off. “Every day for almost 2 months, those kids coming to my house looking for food,” she said, and asked whether the city could do more to help families who have lost benefits.

Classic Car Care owner Christie Haines described an ongoing problem at her business, 121 E. Main St., where a “slump pump” tied to city sewer services frequently backs up and overflows, producing foul odors and recurring plumbing costs. Haines asked the city to help connect the site to a proper sewer line, saying the backups have been happening “about every 6 months or so” for more than 20 years and that the odors are “horrific.” Staff indicated the matter may be a private property responsibility in some cases but offered to follow up after the meeting.

Separately, residents and commenters urged clearer buffer requirements for the rezoning adjacent to Whispering Pines. Commenters and a council member asked about mandatory buffer widths (options discussed included a 50‑foot natural strip, evergreen plantings or a fence plus space) and whether the city should require a traffic study before rezoning. Planning staff responded that zoning determines land use first and that traffic impact studies and engineering follow zoning decisions; staff said developers typically do not pay for traffic studies before zoning is approved.

Next steps: Staff committed to speak with the Classic Car Care owner after the meeting to determine whether the issue is private property maintenance or a city connection problem; staff also reiterated that traffic and engineering work will follow zoning if council approves land‑use changes.