Neighbors oppose plan to split 45‑acre Elbert County parcel into 15‑acre residential lots

An applicant representative at a Rand community meeting described a proposal to rezone part of a 45‑acre agricultural parcel so it can be sold as three 15‑acre residential lots, drawing objections from nearby residents who said the change would worsen road safety, increase traffic and risk local water supplies.

Marco, the presenter for the property owners, said the site is currently agricultural and that the applicants plan to "sell off as 15‑acre plots." He said the project would not subdivide below 15 acres under the proposed agricultural‑residential designation.

The meeting’s residents repeatedly raised traffic and safety concerns about the single access road. "We don't need the traffic," a resident said, describing the road as "really bad" and warning that more development would bring more large vehicles and safety risk. Another resident said the road’s condition already contributes to dangerous driving conditions and that additional homes would accelerate wear: "It's just going to make it worse." County staff offered to request the public‑works route plan and provide residents with the maintenance schedule.

Several residents also questioned how the proposal might affect groundwater. During back‑and‑forth at the meeting, speakers referred to the Denver aquifer and to what they described as a deeper aquifer the applicant said it would use for additional wells; the presenter said the proposed wells would be drilled deeper and thus would "not affect Denver". Residents expressed uncertainty about which aquifer underlies the site and cautioned that adding more wells could change local groundwater use.

An adjacent property owner, James Miller, submitted an online comment read at the meeting and objected on procedural grounds, saying, "I was not given formal notice of this reszone" and that the application should be disapproved for lack of proper notice. He also listed concerns that the rezoning would add traffic, noise and affect deeper aquifer use.

County staff responded that this session was an early community meeting and explained the formal process: once the Rollins submit a formal application, county departments will review it and the item will proceed to public hearings before the planning commission and board of county commissioners. Staff said notices for a public hearing will include a posted yellow sign and mailed notices to properties within a quarter‑mile of the site and that the hearings will be published in the Elbert County newspaper (now described as primarily online). Staff also said county rules set minimum lot size constraints and explained that 15‑acre lots under agricultural‑residential zoning could not then be further subdivided into 10‑acre parcels under current rules.

Residents asked about potential sale scenarios, including whether a 10‑ or 15‑acre parcel might be sold to a nearby business, Total Welding. Marco said selling a piece of the parcel to Total Welding was possible under some configurations but reiterated county subdivision limits would apply.

The meeting closed with staff saying comments would be kept on file and that interested residents could contact the county planning office for materials if and when a formal application is submitted. No formal vote or decision was taken at the meeting.