Bulloch County Commissioners voted Tuesday to deny a rezoning application which would have permitted a developer to build a new subdivision in the south end of the county off Highway 119. The decision was 4-3 with Chairman David Bennett casting the deciding vote.
At issue was an application by Robert Bell of River Bluff Properties LLC. to rezone 61 acres from AG-5 to R-40 for the building of 59 single-family homes.
Staff had recommended approval of the application while the Planning & Zoning Commission voted 3-1 to deny the request.
Presentation from River Bluff Properties
Chris Gohagan of Taulbee Rushing Snipes was present to speak on behalf of River Bluff Properties LLC. His presentation focused on the staff report, saying they were factors concluded by staff that supported approval of the request.
He noted that staff determined that the project would not adversely impact the neighboring properties, schools, the Sheriff’s Office, fire, etc. He also said the application was in support
Smart Bulloch 2045 plan adopted in June 2024, which designated the property ‘rural neighborhoods.’
“This body invested heavily in a housing study,” Gohagan said, referencing an expected 20% growth over the next decade – over 20,000 people.
He said it’s a difficult balance, “If this is going to be denied, is there a viable reason why?”
We believe there are ways to build the project that fit in the community and meet the needs of the county.
Jason Riner from Parker Engineering offered reconfiguration diagrams that would show a change to the 119 spur, eliminating the spur and converting the area to a four-way stop. This would be done by GDOT.
Public Opposition
Eight individuals signed up to speak in opposition of the project, to which Chairman Bennett afforded each two minutes, to extend the time for speaking
Bennett noted for the record that he had been contacted about the application and wanted those noted for the record:
Ogeechee Riverkeeper had contacted about issues with surface water.
Coastal Communities United expressed concerns over traffic, overcrowding, and septic issues.
Lisha Nevil, member of Bulloch County Board of Education – shared concerns about strain the development will put on Stilson Elementary.
Clint Proudfoot said he had concerns about infrastructure, environment, safety, and quality of life. He and his family moved from Bloomingdale in 2022. “We never imagined one house per acre basically in our front yard…What is the purpose of zoning at all?” Proudfoot said there’s been 31 accidents at that intersection (of 119) since January of last year, including one involving the survey crew for the project and one that required LifeStar to land in his front yard.
Bruce Simon – “We do not need more development in this county right now. This will be a burden on emergency services and I wish you guys would deny it,”
Mary Rogers said Bell purchased the property from her brother. “My concern is on a personal level,” she said, speaking on the generational possession of the property. “If this is allowed, it’s going to become a domino effect, especially in that area and it won’t stop.”
Edgar Emmit told commissioners he was concerned about the 2.1 children per household and whether Stilson Elementary could accommodate the growth. “Where’s that new school going to go?” he asked. “That, and the traffic. I don’t think even a roundabout is going to hold all the traffic in there.”
David Jackson, an Eldora Road resident, shared about the changes in the county in just three years. The traffic is unreal in the three years I’ve been there. It’s like the Daytona 500 from 6am to 8am and from 4pm to 6pm. It’s steady. Now you’ve got semi-trucks that are supposed to take 119 to 80, now they’re coming up Eldora Road.” He expressed concerns about the roads and drainage in Bell’s communities not being up to code.
Casey Martin, a neighboring landowner, told commissioners about the presence of gopher tortoises. He also read a letter from a person from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources who visited the property in May 2025. He located more than 30 gopher tortoise burrows on his site visit.
Response from River Bluff Properties
Gohagan returned to the podium to respond to questions on behalf of RiverBluff Properties.
- Wastewater/surface water – every septic system will be approved by Bulloch County Health Department to ensure they’re safe
- For traffic, there are design changes coming at 119 and Mud Road.
- Impact on schools: there is a new school coming online and southeast Bulloch can accommodate without an undue
- Density – if you recognize the growth that’s coming, then density is a good thing. If we’re going to bring on 20,000 citizens and 4,000 new buildings, it’s a better use of land to put them on a more dense site, though opinions may differ, he said.
- Too many zoning changes – At one point, the entire county was AG-5. Zoning is fluid and it’s been a rural neighborhood for over 20 years.
- Emergency response – Anticipated improvements to Stilson fire station and plans for a new fire station. These houses don’t go up tomorrow. Looking at a time for build-up.
- Domino effect – This body is entrusted with each application and commissioners have to look at each application on a case-by-case basis
- Schools – 2.1 children per household – but it’s impossible to predict. Staff predicts 36, not 135.
Commissioner Timmy Rushing said he was going to get answers for people ‘on both sides.’
When is the fire station going to come online down there: Chief Tapley said the plans are underway with the architect and the firetrucks are there, staffed with volunteers. Construction will begin in the next few months. Tapley said EMS will be there January 1, if the budget is approved, but fire will not be there until July 1, 2026 due to funding.
County Engineer Ron Nelson shared that GDOT told him the changes to 119 were expected in the next year. The project has been funded but an exact date of prioritization has not yet been determined.
–The Highway 119 Spur – planned to be removed during FY 2025 – July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.
–The intersection with Mud Road and 119 – Will become a two-way stop.
Board of Education member Lannie Lanier was called to the podium to answer questions from Rushing about when schools would be built. “I’m calling you up here to get the monkey off my back,” Rushing said to Lanier.
Members Lisha Nevil and Jennifer Mock were also present.
“We don’t know how many children would come out of this development, but they would be zoned to Stilson Elementary. The rub comes when you add additional students to the elementary schools,” noting the school system has always worked to keep the teacher-student ratio low in the lower grades,” Lanier said.
“Thirty-six children – there’s not two empty classrooms to accommodate those children, so you’d have to have more children in every classroom…Stilson performs very well. If you want to increase from 18 to 25 students, your performance is going to decline.”
He also said the School Board recently approved a budget with a deficit. The reason, he said, is because the state cut funding tremendously, to the tune of $6 million, because the tax digest had grown so rapidly in volume and increased values.
“Bulloch County was put in a higher wealth category and we didn’t qualify for as much state funding as we had been receiving. That’s $6 million we had to absorb quickly,” saying the state funding will continue to decline. “We only have two options – to cut or to raise taxes. And we don’t look forward to doing either one.”
As development continues, Lanier said, higher taxes are on the way. “We can put mobile units behind schools, we can do that, but it’s very cost ineffective.”
Rushing replied that there was no legal reason to deny the application and there would have to be a tax increase to fight it in court if commissioners denied it.
Commissioner Comments
Commissioner Ray Davis asked if HB 581 was considered in the staff analysis. Planning Director James Pope said it was not. He said the fiscal impact was considered based on the current millage rate.
Commissioner Nick Newkirk asked about the Shuman Road property, which
“I’m with the crowd tonight. I ran on listening to the public and that’s what I’m going to do tonight. The school’s overcrowded. Every time you try to do a school choice, there’s no room. Which means they’re overcrowded. The infrastructure is not there.”
Commissioner Toby Conner said he appreciated how everyone has handled themselves. “I talked to quite a few of you and I asked you to do that. At the end of the day, Mr. Robbie Bell’s in business. Business is business. There’s no need for any of the hoola. Mr. Robbie has been in contact with some of y’all and contact with me. He’s tried to explain his reasoning and how he’s willing to work with the county…I’m with that and I understand that. He’s done a lot more for this county than that that he’s never asked to recognized about. I cannot in good gracious trust what any of you tell me, what Mr. Robbie tells me. All I know is the facts. And the fact is we’re not ready. I don’t trust anybody.”
Commissioner Anthony Simmons said the Planning & Zoning Board is merely an advisory board. “Just because they say we need to turn down something doesn’t mean we do. We have the last word,” he said.
Commissioner Timmy Rushing said “If Robbie wants to come mention it, he told me he will wait ‘till all this is changed…I can tell you what he told me. He said he would be willing until the spur is took out and fire got down and the EMS and whatever anybody wanted him to do.
Bell spoke from the audience that the houses would be available in mid-2027 and would sell out in 2029. “It’s two and a half years to four years from now…That should give y’all more than enough time.”
Commissioner Ray Mosley said he wanted to throw his two cents out there and that “the county needs to either follow the plan or the plan needs to be adjusted or re-written.” He said he’s been consistent about asking “Did you reach out to the residents in the area?” and Bell did.
Ultimately, Commissioner Davis made a motion to deny the application for rezone. It was seconded by Newkirk. Newkirk, Conner, and Davis voted to DENY to the application with Mosley, Simmons, and Rushing voting to APPROVE the application for a rezone. Chairman David Bennett broke the tie by voting with Newkirk, Conner, and Davis to deny the application.
