Possible rezoning of former Sea Palms office discussed at GIRW

By Pamela Permar-Shierling

Three Glynn County commissioners discussed development, traffic, and safety yesterday, Monday, August 10, at the Golden Isles Republican Women’s monthly meeting.

In response to a comment about the possible rezoning of the former Sea Palms office on Frederica Road plus the former Sea Palms driving range that adjoins it on Sea Palms West Drive, District 2 commissioner Bob Duncan said that “the rezoning doesn’t affect us.”

Duncan lives in the Glynn Haven subdivision.

The current zoning is Planned Development General (PDG). The requested rezoning is for Planned Development but would include commercial uses. The project Development Plan submitted to the County states it will serve as a mixed use commercial development that will include retail, restaurants, professional office space, golf, and other public recreation amenities.

The rezoning is expected to be on the Islands Planning Commission Sept. 16 agenda.

In response to another comment about traffic on St. Simons Island Duncan said that all the traffic was due to all the services island residents require including landscaping, cleaning, home repairs, and deliveries from on line shopping.

He suggested residents should combine their trips as well as their on line shopping purchases which would decrease the number of package deliveries required.

Duncan also said tourist traffic was only a small part of the Island’s traffic.

On the subject of the Frederica Road / Sea Island Road roundabout, Duncan said the county is in the final stages of right-of-way acquisition.

“Since that intersection is a transportation node, all the utilities must be relocated,” he said. “The  County will wait until the utilities are almost relocated before starting construction which should take a year to finish.”

The County is also moving on the roundabout at Atlantic Drive and Frederica Road. This roundabout needs to be done prior to the Frederica Road / Sea Island Road roundabout so traffic will not be held up by the light at Atlantic and Frederica Rd.

Glynn County Commissioner at Large Post 1 Bo Clark discussed the County’s public safety department.

“Our Fire Rescue is ranked the number 12 department out of 159 counties. We are blessed with excellent public safety officers,” Clark said.

When Fire Station #9 at Chapel Crossing is on line, emergency response time will  be cut by 10 to 15 minutes, he said.

Clark also talked about E-Bikes and the fact that Glynn County Police are watching local bike paths and sidewalks to make sure that only E-bikes are using the paths.

If it does not have operable pedals and uses an electric motor of more than 750 watts, it is not an E-bike. It is considered a motor vehicle under Georgia law.

E-motos and dirt bikes require registration, a valid drivers license and insurance.

Common violations the police are seeing include riding electric dirt bikes or e-motos on sidewalks or bike paths; riding high powered bikes disguised as e-bikes; underage riders operating unregistered vehicles; excessive speed in pedestrian areas; reckless operation endangering others.

Violations may result in a $1,000 fine.

For e-bike details see https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1516415100525079&set=pcb.1516415430525046

Clark also touched on social media briefly saying, “If you hear something about Glynn County please fact check the County’s FaceBook page or website.”

At Large Commissioner Post 2 and BOC Vice Chairman Walter Rafolski discussed the Gateway project and the Frederica Road Improvement Project.

“The Gateway is designed to slow traffic coming on to St. Simons Island and will have three roundabouts,” he said.

“The largest roundabout will be at the end of the Torras Causeway. There will be a roundabout at Kings Way and Sea Island Road and a third roundabout at Sea Island Road and Demere Road,” he said.

Future planning for Frederica Road improvements include roundabouts at Palm Drive which is the main entrance off Frederica Road into Sea Palms; McIntosh Ave. and Frederica Rd. which is the entrance into Oglethorpe Park.

Rafolski said the County is considering the possibility of a roundabout on Sea Island Road at the entrances to CVS and Harris Teeter.