Commission narrowly keeps large PUD intact with two-year condition after vote defeats reversion to R‑40

Bulloch County commissioners voted 3–2 to deny a petition to revert a 135.27-acre parcel from an expired PUD-1 back to R‑40 zoning, electing instead to retain the PUD with a two-year deadline for the developer to commence construction.

Planner James Pope told the board the PUD-1 approval lapsed under section 12.10 of the county zoning ordinance because significant construction had not commenced within two years of the approval. Staff recommended rezoning the property to R‑40 (40,000-square-foot minimum lots). Opposing the staff petition, attorney Steve Rushing — representing R and H Land Holdings LLC and owner Robert K. Bell Jr. — said the developer delayed because the project required city water and sewer rather than a large septic system; Rushing said a will-serve letter from the City of Statesboro confirming capacity had recently been obtained and asked the board to either leave the PUD or grant a two-year extension.

Commission debate focused on density, traffic and precedent. The original PUD plan allowed a maximum of 500 units (county staff cited a buildable-area calculation of up to 684 units at 7.2 units per acre); some commissioners cited concerns about increased traffic on Burkhalter Road and potential pressure on schools. An initial motion to approve reverting to R‑40 failed 2–3. A subsequent motion to deny the reversion and retain the PUD-1 with a two-year limit carried 3–2.

The retained PUD remains subject to existing PUD conditions; the board noted that the developer must either commence the PUD project within the two-year period or return to the commission for further review.