The Liberty County Commission has approved a zoning change for Isle of Wight to permit developer Claude Dryden to build a subdivision on Isle of Wight with up to 232 homes.
The same zoning request had been proposed for the City of Midway along with annexation into the city limits. The Midway City Council turned down that request. The zoning was for the Planned Unit Development designation and allows more flexibility for the builder.
Several residents of Isle of Wight appeared to express opposition to the change. Most critics of the plan focused on traffic at the junction of U.S. Highway 84 and Isle of Wight Road. A shopping center is on the east side of the intersection and a county recycling station on the west side along with Quarterman Road.
Most residents said they were worried about additional traffic at the intersection. They asked about the possibility of a traffic light or a turn lane to control traffic.
Engineer Marcus Sack said the Georgia Department of Transportation would not approve a traffic light at the intersection without statistics to back up the need for the improvements.
Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission Executive Director Jeff Ricketson said the most recent count showed 1,700 trips per day, which for the GDOT is apparently not enough to justify traffic control measures.
One resident said that the developer was a nice guy and built nice houses but putting additional homes on Isle of Wight Road, “Seems insane. I don’t see it working.”
Another resident was concerned about traffic on Quarterman Road which intersects Isle of Wight Road. “I don’t see how you can make that safe,” she said.
Sack said, “It’s human nature to see all those cars . . . .” But it’s really not that bad. Sack said he lives on Isle of Wight and he did not see a problem. “Traffic is subjective,” he said. What’s terrible to you may not be terrible to me.”
Also at the Aug. 4, meeting the commissioners reviewed a draft of a proposed ordinance to regulate parks for recreational vehicles. The ordinance is being advertised in the Coastal Courier and is expected to be adopted at the next regular meeting in September,
At their mid-month meeting Thursday the commissioners are expected to approve an intergovernmental agreement that will reduce the cost of the bonds issued for Liberty Regional Medical Center.
Also on Thursday’s agenda, commissioners will discuss the procurement of new ambulances along with the replacement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the Shuman Center.