By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Council OKs shopping center plat
Placeholder Image

The Hinesville City Council held a special meeting Wednesday morning to review, discuss and approve the final plat for the Magnolia Oaks Shopping Center at Airport Road and Highway 196 West.
A request for the council to approve a “concept proposal” of the final plat without a copy of the signed final plat was presented by Darren Tuitt from the Durban Group of Charlotte, N.C., at the May 16 council meeting. The council declined Tuitt’s request but agreed to hold the special meeting if his company would get the required documentation to the council.
With the Liberty County Planning Commission’s recommendations, the council in November 2007 approved the concept only of the proposed subdivision plat for Magnolia Oaks. At the May 16 council meeting, Tuitt insisted the electronic copy of the final plat provided by the LCPC was essentially the same as the signed final plat. The council declined his request, insisting on all documentation, including information about concerns the council raised in 2007.
The special meeting was called so Tuitt’s company could have all the documentation necessary to refinance the project by the end of the month.
“Do we have all the information and signed documents?” Councilman Keith Jenkins asked as soon as the special meeting was convened.
Gabriele Hartage of the LCPC told the council the required, signed documentation was available and in the hands of the council. She said the 17.98-acre shopping complex owned by Hinesville Retail Investors, LLC includes an 11-acre parcel that contains the Food Lion store, additional shops and parking area.
Responding to Mayor Pro Tem Charles Frasier’s concerns about access points to outparcels, Hartage noted that two outparcels on Highway 196 and three outparcels on Airport Road could only be accessed from existing access drives and from the Food Lion shopping complex. One access drive is on Highway 196 and two access drives are on Airport Road, she said.
Hartage also noted that when Airport Road is widened to four lanes, outparcels on Airport Road will lose some property to an expanded right-of-way.
With no further comments or questions by the council and no public comments, all three council members present approved the request.
Prior to Wednesday’s meeting, City Manager Billy Edwards said this was not the first time the council had been asked to approve something without the documentation for them to review. Edwards, who has worked for the city since 1978, said that in the previous situations, the council did as it did during last week’s meeting, postponing a decision until they had all the required information.

Sign up for our e-newsletters