More than 2,400 residential units are under development in Statesboro city limits

At least 2,427 housing units are planned — including 290 student apartments (with up to 691 beds) in a multi-story building next to Georgia’s South campus, more than 300 apartments elsewhere in Statesboro, and 1,004 townhomes and 690 townhomes Single-family subdivisions mostly located on the edges of the city – were in various stages of city development OK’d as of mid-October.

“Right now, this does not include small developments of less than 20 (units each),” said Kathy Field, city planning and development director. “The list is going to get very long.”

While presenting an informal report, compiled with input from Planning and Housing Director Justin Williams, to the mayor and council during an Oct. 17 work session, Field noted that her staff was aware of another 437 single-family units and townhomes in “two upcoming projects,” Which would require it to be annexed to the city.These two pending projects will bring the total to 2,823 units.

“You’re pretty close to 3,000 units. That’s what we’re seeing,” Field said. “Now, it’s not going to happen all at once. You know, it happens slowly, and there’s a development process that they have to go through.”

It reviewed the steps approval projects would have to go through: first, annexation of any sites not already within city limits, then zoning changes or variances where appropriate and approval of zoning plans for projects where property is being subdivided for sale. After that, the land disturbance permit is considered preliminary to the final building permit.

List of projects

These are the developments I counted according to location, development company, and approval stage:

• S&S Railroad Bed Road – After annexation in October 2020 and rezoning in May 2022, W&L Developers may build 41 townhome units. A land disturbance permit was pending plan review, but the property was not subdivided. Field noted that subdivision is not required in rental properties.

• Kawana Road — Valnoc LLC plans to build 200 townhomes and 31 townhomes. This was approved as a planned unit development, a previous zoning designation in Statesboro, in a rezoning in March 2021. A land disturbance permit was issued, but construction was temporarily halted after the developer changed, Field said.

• Bryant’s Landing — This is a senior living community planned by WH Gross Construction for the old Julia P. Bryant School campus along Stockyard Road and Donnie Simmons Road. The field description is 59 multifamily units. A land disturbance permit has been issued and a building permit is ready to be issued for work to begin soon.

• Fernhill Farms – This project on land annexed along Lakeview Road in July 2021 with immediate rezoning is intended for 80 single-family homes. It is moving forward under the city’s zoning incentive program, with a land disturbance permit issued and the land prepared for construction.

• University Plaza — This is the multi-story, ground-floor student housing project planned by Rael Corp for the former University Plaza shopping center on Chandler Road. Field’s slideshow indicated it would have 290 units. She said 691 beds. Rhyl’s website lists 250 units with 636 beds. But she said building plans were under review while the demolition was being carried out.

• Veterans Memorial Homes – Horizon Homebuilders plans to build 172 residential units under a rezoning approved in May 2022. The project, behind the Jimmy Britt Chrysler dealership, was under development, with “building permits imminent” as of mid-October.

• Jones Mill Road Townhomes — Simcoe Investment Group’s 151-unit townhome project was approved for rezoning in August 2022. As of mid-October 2023, the land disturbance permit application was under review.

• East Main Street Townhomes – Another project from Horizon Home Builders, this one is from the August 2022 rezoning and is scheduled to include 245 units. But no land disturbance permit has been issued or development plans submitted.

“So these projects take some time to process,” Field said. “I guess that’s my point.”

• S&S Rail Beds Development — The L&S Acquisitions project, which also received rezoning approval in August 2022, proposes 140 single-family homes. No land disturbance permit has been issued or development plans submitted as of mid-October 2023.

• 1 Miller Street Project — Dominic Spencer is the developer of this proposed 168-unit multifamily residential project. No land disturbance permit had been issued or development plans submitted as of mid-October.

• Cawana Road Townhomes No. 1 — Simcoe Investment Group’s project, approved for rezoning in January 2023, calls for 34 townhome units. No land disturbance permit has been issued or development plans submitted yet.

• Cawana Road Townhomes No. 2 – The Simcoe Investment Group project, with rezoning approved in January 2023, also proposes 71 townhouse units. No land disturbance permit has been issued or development plans submitted yet.

• Bel Air Estates — Developer Lamar Smith’s plan for a 126-home detached single-family subdivision on Beasley Road resulted in some revisions during the city’s annexation debate, which was finally approved in April along with the rezoning. But it appears to have moved forward quickly, as development plans are under review and awaiting final zoning approval as of October.

• Gordon Street Subdivision – Developers David Pearce and Mitchell Ball plan to build 41 single-family attached homes in this development for which subdivision plats were approved in August. Development plans are under review, and no nuisance permit has been issued for the land yet.

• Miller Street Project No. 2 — KB Rentals LLC proposed building 182 single-family attached homes and received rezoning approvals in October. No land disturbance permit has been issued or development plans submitted yet.

Through a chart displayed on a screen during the work session, Field listed those projects as proposing 377 single-family detached homes, 223 single-family attached homes, 914 townhouse units and 517 apartments, for a total of 2,031 future residential units.

October approvals

However, it also noted that proposals for 216 multi-family dwelling units (apartments) on Lovett Road, 90 townhome units on Westside Road, and 90 single-family detached homes on Stockyard Road were before the City Council for various stages of approval. During that regular evening meeting.

In fact, the council that evening approved Hillpointe LLC’s 18.56-acre rezoning on Lovett Road to MX, Statesboro’s new mixed-use zoning classification, for commercial and residential development. The council also approved a preliminary zoning plan submitted by Tim Stone (for about 93 units, the council agenda said) on Westside Road.

But after hearing concerns from some neighbors, the council put a resolution on Mitchell Ball’s preliminary plat for the subdivision at Stockyard Road and Timber Road until its Nov. 21 meeting.

However, it was approved at the zoning stage. So all three of those projects, totaling at least 396 units, are added to the 2,031 units, for a total of at least 2,427 units in the plans at some stage of approval as of October.

Field then described two other projects, which would require annexation and would add a potential 437 units if approved.

Expected in November

“Then we have two projects coming up, both of which will be annexations, coming up next month, which are 335 single-family units on Burkhalter Road, as well as 102 units on Langston Chapel Road.” He said.

Councilwoman Paulette Chavers asked if any of the projects have been completed.

“No, no, no, they’re too slow to move,” Field said. “But the company that has come a long way is the company behind the Chrysler dealership. They had a lot of infrastructure that had to be put in place, a lot of zoning provisions that they had to complete, and they’re pretty much there for it. Period.”

Maybe $400 million

City Manager Charles Penny said the list will be brought back with periodic updates. He also provided a cautious estimate of the real estate value these projects could add to the city’s tax base.

“If all this development happened, and I will say this, it would probably be worth more than $400 million,” Binney said. “But from a budget standpoint, we would never speculate on those revenues until we see those things in action.”