Columbia County planning committee schedules public hearing on Morris Callaway Road abandonment and OKs consent package including mitigation credits

The Columbia County Development Planning Services Committee moved Tuesday to schedule a public hearing on abandoning and selling roughly 1,200 feet of Morris Callaway Road and approved a package of consent items including a purchase of stream and wetland mitigation credits for the Herb Farm Road project.

A county staff member said the mitigation purchase — from Finsy Swamp Bank and Yan Yam Grama Mitigation Bank — would provide 0.64 wetland credits and 1,761 stream mitigation credits and “These total up to $270,365.” The staff member told the committee the purchase would be paid from House Bill 170 funds and recommended approval; the item was placed on the consent agenda for a future committee vote.

The committee also agreed to place Resolution 26-16 on the consent agenda to order a public hearing on the proposed abandonment and sale of the 1,200-foot segment of Morris Callaway Road, which staff said was established in 1964 and currently has no residences along it. Staff said Kinetic Infrastructure Solutions owns land around the segment and that abandoning the road would make that property contiguous; if the company seeks to acquire the parcel it would need to bid through the county’s process.

Staff presented acceptance of the 2026 Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (L‑MIG) safety action plan from the Georgia Department of Transportation, recommending work such as sign replacement, raised pavement markers and re-striping. The staff member stated the county share would be $52,085; the transcript’s figure for the GDOT share was not clearly stated in the meeting record. Members placed the grant acceptance on consent.

Development services staff reported Mendoza Mexican Grill LLC has applied for an on-premise beverage license for 508 Oxbow Drive. Staff said the applicant posted required notice on 06/17/2026, that no opposition was known, and recommended approval; the committee moved the license to consent.

Planning staff presented two easement-encroachment agreements: one at 801 Prairie Lane to allow a covered patio inside a 10-foot side-yard drainage and utility easement, and another at 3104 Wildflower Court to permit pool decking and a 4-foot sidewalk within a rear and side drainage and utility easement. Staff said it had reviewed both requests and had no concerns; both items were placed on the consent agenda.

Members received informational reports including the June 26 planning department workload report, the May 26 plan review workload report, the development services monthly report, the financial report and a list of temporary-event alcohol permits. No public commenters signed up; Chair (Speaker 1) adjourned the meeting at 08:56.

Next steps: the committee will hold the advertised public hearing on Resolution 26-16 at its next meeting and then forward any recommendation to the county board for final action.