Georgia County Government - March 2008 - (Page 17)

Development Picture In Pembroke and Richmond Hill one can still find evidence of the towns’ traditiona lly dif ferent characters. Pembroke, historically a quiet railroad tow n, remains more rura l, while Richmond Hill is more of an exclusive suburb of neighboring Savannah, 11 miles north. Both are in the throes growth, in a region second only to growth in the booming metro Atlanta region. “Our communities are urban in the south end, still, and pretty rural in the north,” Burnsed adds. “But it is definitely cha ng ing. Pembroke’s popu lat ion is growing, and we see developers coming in to create bigger residential developments, not necessarily high density, but larger.” The third interchange off I-95 is a coveted project for Rayonier Paper Company, and not just county leaders. The paper giant owns some 3,300 acres of the land prospectively slated for the interchange, a total of 22,000 acres adjacent and plans a mixed-use community here, including building the roads and infrastructure. “Eventually, the development will have 10,000 mixed single-family residential units, as well as commercial developments for a ‘walkable’ community design. It’s a long-range project, expected to take the next 10 to 15 years to complete,” Burnsed notes. To counteract “sprawl,” says the chairman, Rayonier will determine the design criteria, configuration and layout of the community and undertake required wetlands mitigation, and develop water and sewer infrastructure under the development arm of Rayonier, Terra Point. Genesis Point will be built on a marsh and a major creek, all of which is protected land, requiring significant wetlands mitigation. Wildlife Management Area (WMA) lands surround it. Homes will go for $1.5 million and more. With so much marsh and riverfront development, no one is surprised at the rising property valuations here, having made property taxes a “hot topic” in Bryan County, according to Burnsed. While the county has put in place exemptions to alleviate some of the perceived problem on the part of long-time residents, particularly older residents, “We are concerned about whether we’re placing an unfair burden on newcomers,” Burnsed Bryan County obtained this Mobile Command Vehicle in 2007 through Homeland Security grant monies. The fully loaded mobile communications and emergency response vehicle operates independently and can be dispatched to any location in coastal Georgia in the event of an emergency. says. The chairman notes that the local “tax uprising” of a few years ago had come mainly from 65-and-older county residents, prompting the county to get together with the school board and the cities of Pembroke and Richmond Hill to ask for a $50,000 school tax, county and city exemption for those property owners 65 and older. “Today these citizens pay a tax bill based on a 40 percent valuation, minus $50,000. Voted into approval by local residents, it was effective Jan. 1, 2007,” Jones adds. “This exemption will benefit those individuals with the exemptions by about $1,000 per year, per property.” Jones adds that every other property taxpaying citizen received a $30,000 exemption, to make things equitable. Adds Burnsed: “We have another plus for the future – an incentive for senior citizens,” more and more of whom are also choosing to retire in Bryan County and other coastal counties. Burnsed regards seniors as the optimal new residents. “These people are law-abiding, productive and use the recreation and health care networks – but not schools. They’re an advantage for us.” He adds that seniors coming to the coastal region today can indeed afford the homes here, too. The county is also seeing its share of “move-backs” from Florida, and native Floridians seeking lower insurance premiums, Jones says. The rate of growth is holding steady at about 6 percent to 7 percent per year, he notes. Industrial Parks, Growth Br ya n Count y’s business pa rk, Interstate Centre, has done well. Located at I-16 and U.S. Hwy. 280, the park is 10 minutes from I-95 and has full water, sewer, electricity, gas and fiber optics on site. Interstate Centre began in the year 2000 with 275 acres and currently has four tenants, the largest of which is Oneida, the worldwide f latware manufacturer, which moved its New York State plant here. The first company to locate in the park was the German producer of advertising film for outdoor display, Oracal, which is considered a high-tech operation, the kind which the county hopes to attract more of. To f u r t her boost indust ria l pa rk prospects here, two years ago Bryan County entered into an agreement with Technology Park of Atlanta (TPA) to create Interstate Centre II. TPA BRYAN COUNTY continued on page 18 MARCH 2008 www.accg.org County Administrator Phil Jones and County Engineer Dale Dudley. 17 http://www.accg.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government - March 2008

Georgia County Government - March 2008 Contents President's Message County Matters Guest Editorial: Our Future Depends On Statesmanship Bryan County in Step With State Coastal Plan Solid Waste Management in Georgia Hazardous Waste Management in Georgia Extension News: Georgians Growing Older, Fatter County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - March 2008

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