Bryan County planning panel defers rezoning near historic Burnt Church Cemetery after public outcry

The Bryan County Planning and Zoning Commission voted to defer action on a developer’s rezoning application for 38.86 acres at State Route 144 and Belfast River Road after residents raised repeated concerns about the adjacent Burnt Church Cemetery, traffic congestion and stormwater runoff.

The request would change the property from A5 (agricultural) to B2 (general commercial). Staff told the commission the applicant has asked for a one‑month deferral to the July planning and zoning meeting in Pinbrook to negotiate with the property seller and address community concerns; staff indicated it supported that deferral so the item could be scheduled for a possible August hearing before the Bryan County Board of Commissioners in Richmond Hill.

Residents who spoke during the public comment period urged the commission to retain A5 or, at most, a lower-intensity B1 zoning. Philip Corbin, committee chair for buildings and grounds at Richmond Hill Presbyterian Church, said, “The church does not want to change the zoning at all. We want the zoning to stay A5,” and warned a B2 district would allow uses the community does not want.

Other speakers raised similar objections tied to the cemetery and local character. Tamara Bender told the commission the proposed commercial uses would “permanently destroy the tranquil environment essential for grieving families and historic tourism,” calling Burnt Church Cemetery “an irreplaceable cultural resource and final resting place that demands dignity.” Several residents, including pastor Ryan Ogden, cited storm‑drainage and emergency‑access concerns for churches and churchgoers adjacent to the site.

Multiple commenters cited the rezoning application’s traffic estimates from the materials on file: 14,874 projected average daily trips with a stated peak hourly count of 494. Hugh Hardy, who maintains the cemetery, questioned the numbers’ internal consistency and said the cemetery already floods during heavy rain. “They say it’ll generate another … 14,874 average daily trips,” Hardy said while describing his experience maintaining the site, and then asked the commission to examine the traffic study more closely.

The applicant’s attorney, Maddie Blair, representing the developer, acknowledged community concerns and described the rezoning step as an early stage in a long review process with county engineering oversight. Blair said the traffic estimates submitted with the application were intentionally conservative to reflect the highest‑traffic permitted uses (for example, a gas station), and that the county engineering review will address drainage. “We do sincerely value it,” Blair said of the public’s comments, and asked that the commission allow the applicant time to respond and negotiate with the seller.

After hearing from roughly a dozen residents and the applicant’s representative, the commission closed the public hearing and approved a motion to defer the rezoning to the July planning and zoning meeting in Pinbrook so the applicant can work through concerns and supply any additional materials. The commission recorded no formal amendment to the application; the deferral schedules further review rather than approval or denial.

Next steps: the applicant may revise materials or negotiate changes before the July meeting; if the commission ultimately recommends approval, the rezoning would next be considered by the Bryan County Board of Commissioners, with staff noting a likely appearance on an August agenda in Richmond Hill.