Rezoning planned for Whatley Place
The North Augusta Planning Commission raised the ire of many Aiken County residents during a Thursday meeting when they recommended a rezoning that would allow for a second phase of townhomes in the Whatley Place subdivision.
Many homeowners along the 500 block of Five Notch Road complained to commissioners that new townhomes in the area would overtax schools, increase traffic, lower property values, increase stormwater runoff and more.
Despite the complaints, the planning commission approved the request to rezone 20 acres of undeveloped land from medium lot, single-family residential to small lot, single-family residential.
The property is located just inside the North Augusta city limits.
The recommendation will likely appear before the North Augusta City Council for a vote at their Sept. 17 meeting, said North Augusta Director of Economic and Community Development Skip Grkovic.
Homes are added to Sweetwater
The North Augusta Planning Commission recently allowed for some major changes to the planned Sweetwater development on Edgefield Road near Interstate 20, Exit 5.
Developers requested an additional 359 residential units in the 274-acre, mixed-use development.
In addition to homes, townhomes and apartments, Sweetwater will feature nearly 1 million square feet of commercial development.
Though commissioners approved the change from the original plan, they included 42 conditions on the plan developers must meet while building Sweetwater.
The conditions place limitations on such items as signage size, parking lot lighting, impervious surface and more.
Representatives of Sweetwater developers said they expect that the development will take five to 10 years to complete.
Also at the planning commission meeting
- Commissioners approved the final plat for townhomes at Georgia and Briggs avenues owned by North Augusta City Councilman Jason Whinghter.
The development features 13 lots on 1.17 acres.
- Planning commissioners approved a preliminary plat for a new townhome development near the North Augusta Golf and Country Club, even though the land is outside the city limits. Called The Pinery, the 34.5 acre development is owned by the North Augusta Management Group, which also owns the golf course.
The 103-lot parcel is at the intersection of Gregory Lake Road and Country Club Hills Drive in Edgefield County. However, the complex will use the city's sewer system, which gives city officials the right to weigh in on the project.
Also, Grkovic said the land will likely be annexed into the city in the near future.
