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Hardeeville council authorizes action to secure Village Drive access for new fire station
Summary
Council approved a resolution authorizing staff to pursue transfer of Village Drive to the city—using a friendly condemnation process if needed—to provide access to a donated five‑acre parcel for a planned Fire Station 82; staff cited HUD financing on an adjacent property as the reason for seeking a faster legal mechanism.
Hardeeville — The Hardeeville City Council on June 4 voted to authorize staff to move forward with acquiring certain property interests commonly known as Village Drive to provide access to a five‑acre parcel intended for a new Fire Station 82. The council approved Resolution 2026‑06‑4A by voice vote.
City staff described the approach as a “friendly condemnation” that would allow the city to obtain title to the private road and eliminate an access impediment for the donated site. Staff told council that three property owners who hold interests in Village Drive have indicated willingness to transfer the road to the city, but one parcel serving as collateral for the Aberly Chase apartment financing is HUD‑insured; obtaining HUD’s formal approval to transfer the portion could take an uncertain and potentially lengthy period. Staff said the friendly condemnation route would provide a more certain and timely path to clear access so the city can proceed with contracting for construction.
Council members pressed staff on development controls and annexation: if the larger peninsula tract remains in Jasper County, the city’s ability to restrict future curb cuts and development would be limited; staff said annexation and master‑plan conditions could address access and curb‑cut concerns if the developer chooses to seek city annexation later. On project timing, staff said they expect to be under contract with a builder by early fall to meet site and lease transition timelines.
During public comment Dr. Paula Murphy, a local educator and realtor, said she supports moving forward on the site because of safety concerns. Council adopted the resolution without further amendment.
What’s next: staff is authorized to file the acquisition action, complete title work and carry the parcel forward for design and procurement of the new fire station; council and staff discussed annexation as a separate step if and when the property owner seeks to join the city.
Speakers in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript and include city staff who presented the resolution and a public commenter who spoke in favor of the proposal.
