Residents press city over tree buffers, construction traffic as Hardeeville plan moves to council

The Hardeeville planning commission voted Tuesday to forward an initial master plan for the Peninsula Tract to the city council after residents raised concerns about tree buffers and construction-traffic routing.

A resident who spoke during the public-comment period said homeowners had been told by the developer that there would be a large preserved buffer near the lake. "We were told by Pulte between 3 and 400 feet buffer of trees," the resident said, and asked staff and the developer for exact measurements showing what will remain on the left and right sides of the water.

Those questions matter, residents and commissioners said, because construction traffic from new phases could route past existing homes. One commenter asked whether connections to Village Drive or East Argent were planned and what protections (berms, boulevards, designated construction routes) would be required to keep heavy trucks off neighborhood streets.

The presenter said current build rates have been about 200 to 250 homes a year and that permitting and market conditions will determine pace. "It would really be when we get through all the permitting process and start development that you would have that 3 to 4 years or 5 to 7 years," the presenter said when asked about overall build-out. He also told the commission the minimum retained tree buffer at the project’s pinch point dictated by the wetland permit is 238 feet and that some areas may exceed 400 feet.

A staff member told attendees the commission will assemble clearer visual exhibits for a follow-up workshop and said staff would provide the detail residents requested. "We do have a follow-up workshop on Monday," the staff member said; the meeting was later confirmed as a 2 p.m. workshop to go over exhibits and emailed questions.

Another participant urged limited connectivity solely for emergency vehicles, saying the city is "in the process of commencing condemnation proceedings to acquire Village Drive" and that Carolina Drive is likely to become a public road; the speaker said a limited, emergency-only connection would shorten fire and rescue response times for the area planned for more development.

After public comment and staff remarks, commissioners moved to forward the initial master plan recommendation to the city council for further consideration and at least two readings. The motion carried on a voice vote.

Planning staff also gave a brief report on the comprehensive-plan process and welcomed two new code-enforcement officers; staff reviewed current projects including early reviews of townhomes on East Argent Parkway, a pre-construction meeting for Waterford Pointe Apartments next to the YMCA, and final initial-master-plan approval for Osprey Village.

The commission scheduled the follow-up workshop for Monday at 2 p.m. and will refer the plan to city council for the next steps in the approval process.