Planning commission OKs apartment rezoning requests

The Columbia County Planning Commission unanimously approved rezoning requests Thursday for an apartment complex along Old Evans Road.

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Evans-based JBC Development sought the rezoning of 14.87 acres at Old Evans Road and Freeman Avenue from Residential-2 to Apartment-Residential, according to a county planning agenda.

Bill Corder, an engineer with Blue Water Engineering, spoke at the meeting on behalf of developers and said preliminary engineering for the site was under way.

The number of units in the development was not disclosed at the meeting. Under county requirements, 10 percent of the land must be set aside for greenspace, said Columbia County senior planner Tom Tully.

"Staff does believe this is an efficient buffer to shield" existing homes from further commercial development in the area, Tully said.

Planning commissioners also unanimously approved a townhouse development near the intersection of Washington and Hardy McManus roads.

W. Allen Blalock asked the board to rezone 21.7 acres at 4874 Washington Road from Residential-1 to Townhome-Residential.

The property is undeveloped and borders the existing Villages at Greenbrier townhomes.

County codes require at least 10 percent of the land to remain undeveloped as greenspace, Tully said.

In other business, planning commissioners:

- Approved a rezoning of the former Leah Volunteer Fire Station at 6605 Washington Road from Residential-4 to Commerical-2.

- Approved a county-initiated rezoning of the Bruster's Ice Cream property at 516 North Belair Road from Commercial-1 to C-2.

Items approved at the meetings will go before the Board of Commissioners for final approval May 1.