Larry Drive Subdivision Project Moves Forward

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The proposed subdivision on Larry Drive is officially moving forward, as the Vidalia City Council agreed to rezone the area for the development during the Council’s meeting on Monday, April 13. The Council’s Chambers were standing room only on Monday, as residents of nearby neighborhoods attended the meeting to see if the Council would approve the rezoning, as the change had been ap- continued from page

proved and recommended by the Planning and Zoning Board.

On March 25, the Vidalia Planning and Zoning Board met to decide whether to recommend the zoning change of 51.23 acres on Larry Drive from A-1 (agricultural), as it currently has pine trees on the property, to PUD (Planned Unit Development) to allow the owner – Ricky Mitchell – to build a residential subdivision to address a workforce housing shortage. Each home is slated to be between 1,200 and 1,400 square feet, with the target prize range being between $220,000 and $292,000.

Citizens addressed the Board with their concerns regarding the development, but the Board still agreed to recommend the change on a 4-1-1 vote, with Board Member Brian McDaniel objecting to the recommendation and Board Member Russ Bell abstaining from voting. The final decision now lies in the hands of the Vidalia City Council, which will vote on the zoning change at the Council’s monthly meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, April 13. In preparation for this vote, the Council hosted a public hearing on Monday, April 6, to hear from the developer and the public on their perspectives of the proposal.

On Monday, April 6, the Chambers were just as filled during the Public Hearing, as the citizens came to speak to their representatives about the project, which will build 50 starter homes on 51.23 acres to address a workforce housing shortage. Each home is slated to be between 1,200 and 1,400 square feet, with the target prize range being between $220,000 and $292,000.

City Manager Josh Beck started off the hearing as he addressed concerns that the Rural Workforce Housing Grant that Mitchell had informed the Council that he intended to seek would be used to help fund the construction of homes or down payments, as he told the audience that the $2.5 million grant would only be used for infrastructure for the development. Beck also clarified that studies had been done to address traffic and emergency response issues within the community, and that provisions would be put in place to ensure the homes were not rented, but bought.

During the meeting, Mitchell’s daughter Ingrid Dykes spoke to the Council and citizens on behalf of the developers, as she explained that the project was not designed to take away from the neighborhood, but to add to it and continue to help the growth of the City. She remarked that the group had been open to changing their plans because of the public’s concerns, and had even decreased the number of homes and increased the lot sizes, but still felt the housing was needed. “If we want our children to come back after college, if we want to attract industry, and if we want Vidalia to continue to grow and remain competitive within the state of Georgia, we have to provide housing options for people. So, the question becomes, do we as a City want to grow responsibly or stand still and let the opportunity pass us by? I believe that we all want a strong, thriving Vidalia,” she concluded.

Harry Moses and Fred Godbee spoke in support of the project, citing the need for housing that had been expressed in recent housing studies and the importance of the residences to support the growth of the city.

Greg Crosby spoke on behalf of the citizens opposing the development, as he told the Council that these homes did not match the density, size, and structure of homes within adjacent neighborhoods, and that the price of the houses did not seem to be plausible for starter homes. “I don't really agree with what the plan could do,” he remarked. “The nearby subdivisions, from Julie Drive to Larry Drive and everything in between, we're looking at .37 to .77 homes per acre density. I still maintain that it's substantial and that this development is not in harmony with the surrounding neighborhood. So we don't maintain the high availability for this plan and the layout and the transitions inadequately address what is needed to be in harmony with the neighborhood.”

Several other citizens spoke out against the development, citing reasons, such as increased traffic, safety concerns, environmental concerns, and more.

Crosby spoke again at the Vidalia City Council meeting on Monday, April 13, as he asked the Council to oppose the rezoning.

He thanked the developers for reducing the number of homes in the subdivision’s plans but still questioned if the new neighborhood would match the structure and harmony of adjacent neighborhoods. “Surrounding neighborhoods are defined by large blocks and lower density; the homes in the new proposal are clustered in 20,000 to 30,000 square-foot plans,” Crosby remarked. “Planned home sizes are a lot smaller than what’s around [the proposed subdivision]. There isn’t a single existing home in the surrounding neighborhoods that’s in the range that’s been proposed for this development.”

Crosby stated that he understood that the Council had made provisions for the homes to not be rental homes, but that the agreement allowed for the Council to vote later to change this provision. “I couldn’t help but wonder why open that door at all, since this is a popular topic. I just wanted to point that out. I’m also concerned about the restrictions being amended,” he told the Council. “We have to ask what’s enforceable, and that’s what you’re looking at.”

He concluded his address by telling the Council that although the development is planned in stages, once the first few homes are built, “the damage has been done,” as he urged them to truly think about the decision before voting.

Prior to the vote, Councilman Loyd Mobley, who represents the Ward in which the neighborhood is located, commented on the proposal. He said that he had talked to a majority of his constituents and truly considered their thoughts, as he encouraged them to continue sharing their perspectives on proposed actions within the city with him in the future.

“I know we’ve heard a lot of reasons why not, [and] some reasons why, but I can tell you that we need the project. We need it. Another thing that I can tell you is that we have the right developer to do it. I know Ricky Mitchell – he can do it right and he will do what he says,” Mobley remarked. “I know that when it comes down to it, [the question is] is it in the right place? I don’t have a crystal ball; I can’t tell you that. But a lot of you have told me that it’s not in the right place.”

He recalled that when he ran for election, he promised his constituents that he would do what was best for both them and the City. He announced that because of a majority of the neighborhoods surrounding the proposed subdivision opposing the development, he would be opposing the rezoning.

After the comments, the Council officially voted on the rezoning, passing the change on a 4-1 vote, with Councilman Mobley opposing.

An exact timeline of the beginning of the development’s construction was not shared.