Deny Blackstone Camp Rd Rental Multi-Family Apartments

We the undersigned residents of Columbia County are opposed to building rental multi-family apartments on Blackstone Camp Road.

The Developer is requested to rezone the Planned Unit Development (PUD) Parcels 6 & 10 to single-family residential and conduct all impact studies associated with updating the PUD.  The Developer is also requested to work with the Columbia County Board of Commissioner to find options for development consistent with the Columbia County Growth Management Plan (GMP) Vision 2035.

The Blackstone Camp Rd area is all single-family residential housing. There are no multi-family rental apartments. The developer has grandfathered 2002 PUD apartment zoning (17 years ago) in the middle of this single-family residential area well before Columbia County designated apartment locations adjacent to or in activity (urban) centers outlined in the Columbia County GMP and the Planning Services 2010 Multi-Family Housing Study.  There has been no new zoning approvals for apartments in Columbia County since 2011.  The developer's apartment construction request would not have been allowed if the property had not already been zoned for apartments. 

These apartments will cause increased public safety risks including Stallings Island Middle School traffic safety and rental apartment case load as documented by the Columbia County Sherriff’s Department per the County’s report on multi family housing. 

Increase traffic congestion on Blackstone Camp Rd at the access to Furys Ferry Rd, Stallings Middle School, River Island entrance and Point Comfort Rd access to Stevens Creek Rd.

Potentially increase environmental impact (quality of life) including lighting, noise levels, storm water pollution into Jones Creek and reduction of conservation community land trust status. 

Background:
The developer is requesting Columbia County construction approval to construct 298 rental multi-family apartments with 655 parking spaces on Parcel 6 of the River Island PUD on Blackstone Road next to Stallings Middle School and across the street from the River Island Community entrance.
This property has been zoned (A-R) for apartments since 2002. From 2002 to 2019:
• No zoning impact study has been done.
• No traffic study on Blackstone Camp Rd and Point Comfort Rd has been conducted.
• No environmental impact assessment has been conducted taking into account noise, light, air quality or other sources of pollution.
• Stallings Island Middle School was constructed, bringing not only traffic to Blackstone Camp Road but students walking to school and related safety risks.
• Multiple single-family residential communities have been developed in the area surrounding Stallings Island Middle School and immediately adjacent to the proposed apartments.
The developer updated the PUD in 2007 & 2013 adding parcels for development.  The developer has on-going PUD development and the zoning provision to rezone property to prior zoning if not developed within 5 years is in question for this PUD.