Commission OKs land rezoning

The developers of Mullins Crossing cleared the first hurdle toward a proposed second phase Thursday with the Columbia County Planning Commission's blessing of a rezoning application.

Frank Mullins Jr., the president of Mullins Land Co., sought a rezoning of 22.24 acres at 4263 Washington Road from Residential-2 to Commercial-2. The parcel is the site of the old Mullins family home and lies between the shopping center and Brown's Feed and Seed.

The rezoning application will go before the commission for final approval Sept. 19.

Mullins said he does not yet have tenants in place, but demand for the first phase of Mullins Crossing was so high that businesses have remained interested in locating there once the second phase is complete.

"We're hoping to get tenants in place that will take it to another level," Mullins told the planning commission.

Mullins said he would like the second phase to include more restaurants and make Mullins Crossing even more of "a complete destination" for shoppers.

Site plans have yet to be developed, he said, and he could not speculate on the possible square footage of the new phase or the number of tenants.

Like the first phase, the second phase of the development will fall within the building design requirements of the Evans Town Center, said Jeff Browning, the director of county planning and zoning.

Those requirements restrict the size and placement of signs, prohibit the use of metal exterior paneling and overhead loading doors on the front of commercial buildings and flat roofs on town homes and apartments. They also restrict building materials on faades to stucco, brick, stone, wood shingles or siding.

"We've tried to meet and exceed the Evans Town Center requirements so far, and we intend to do that and take it further (with the second phase)," Mullins said.

Browning said county planning staff and the developers discussed the possibility of adding an entrance to the development off Old Evans Road. The parcel that the second phase is intended to sit on connects to Old Evans Road near the railroad tracks.

Browning said a new entrance would be unlikely because of the future expansion of River Watch Parkway and a probable addition of a bridge over the tracks.

Also on Thursday, the planning commission approved the rezoning of 191.37 acres on Hamilton Road outside Grovetown from Residential-Agricultural to R-2, Residential Cluster Overlay. Developer Bill Beazley said he intends for the future subdivision to offer homes for single adults and retirees in the $140,000 to $150,000 price range.

A preliminary site plan presented to the board showed 413 home sites with an average density of 2.15 lots per acre.

In other business, the planning commission:

- Approved the rezoning of 1.82 acres at 586 Old Wheeler Road from Special-1, a designation for churches and schools, to M-1, light industrial.

- Approved final plats for the Estates at Jones Creek on Evans to Locks Road; Ashwood Landing V-B on Niagra Falls and Long Creek Falls; and Highwoods at Indian Springs Phase 1-A off Chamblin Road.