A look at SC BOC action on Rezoning Requests, And Objection From Nearby Resident
At the July 23 regularly-scheduled meeting of the Stephens County Board of Commissioners, Board members considered and voted on an application from RLP Investments, LLC for rezoning on three parcels of property in order to accommodate planned workforce housing construction.
The rezoning requests were placed for two parcels on Racetrack Road and one parcel on Coker Road, equalling roughly 60 acres, where RLP LLC owner Rick Phillips has plans to construct approximately 60 homes, according to rezoning application paperwork.
Phillips addressed Board members about his plans for the project, stating that the home would be ‘starter homes’ with price tags between $280,000 and $320,000. He also stated that the project would add about $150,000 per year to the county’s property tax collections.
After hearing from Phillips regarding his plans for the property, Board members listened to Virgile Alexander, a property owner who lives on and has owned property on Coker Road since 2016 adjacent to the proposed residential projects, who spoke against the rezoning requests, saying that the negative impact on the community and the county would be irreversible. (Note, today’s news broadcast only included a portion of Alexander’s statement to Board members, due to time constraints. We have attached his full statement here.)
After considering the comments, commissioners vote in favor of the rezoning requests.
WNEG News spoke with Commission Board member Chris Rickman about whether the county can encourage grown and development, without negatively impacting the rural character of the community.
WNEG News also spoke with Phillips about his response to individuals who may be concerned about this project, and about growth in general.
