A developer hopes to break ground on his first residential community, bringing another housing option to the north end of Bryan County.
Taylor Smith, owner of Kelly Street Development, submitted a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) report to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which was then reviewed by the Coastal Regional Commission of Georgia. The project would consist of 267 rental homes in Ellabell. Smith plans to bring a rezoning request of 65 acres from rural residential to multi-family residential sometime this fall.
Blitchton Village is the brainchild of Smith who recently started his own development company less than a year ago after working for another developer. Now, he is venturing out on his own with the help of his brother,
Steven Smith. The two collaborated to draw up plans for the proposed community project planned for a site across from Ken's IGA near the intersection of Highway 80 and Highway 280.
If the project is approved, construction is not expected to begin until December 2027 and will be built in multiple phases. Smith said he was working in Atlanta when he learned about the site and thought it would be good to pursue given the employment opportunities taking shape in the region, such as the nearby Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America.
"There's a lot of demand and jobs here to support the demand," said Smith.
He went on to say it is important to deliver a different style than what is offered in other cities like Pooler.
"We've developed a new product where we got creative around land planning, so we're taking out garages and that's so that we can eliminate that expensive square footage and deliver an aesthetically, superior home," said Smith. "You give up a garage for that but you have usable front porches that can fit rocking chairs and picket fenced front yards."
Smith said the full design has not been completed, so the conceptual plan could change. Pricing for the rentals has not been determined but the homes will consist of two, three and four bedrooms, as well as two to three bathrooms. A small commercial district is being planned for the development as well.
The development will blend new construction with what Smith describes as a nostalgic design, featuring ranch-style homes typically seen in small towns.
"I think this is going to look good in the community in 50 years and as landscaping matures it'll just look better whereas I think some projects look dated as soon as they are delivered," said Smith.
He also stressed the need to provide workforce housing.
"We're targeting the incomes of the people who work in the (Hyundai) plant and support the plant," said Smith.
This is Smith's first project after starting his own company. He said that it has been in the works for the last six months. He plans to meet with homeowners in the area and is prepared to handle pushback from those who oppose growth.
"It's coming," said Smith. "If you know that it's coming, knowing that you can get a project that's going to look good in 50 years, I think you will recognize that this is a good-looking project for the community. I'm sympathetic to people who have lived out here for a long time."
He also pointed to the housing market and said that increasing the number of residential units could be beneficial for generations to come.
"If they want their kids to be able to afford to live in the community that they grew up in, the only way to do that is through more supply," said Smith.
Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Developer submits plan to rezone 65 acres for housing | Exclusive
