About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 2008)
500 JSLflND€R_ • Dave Barry - 8 • Editorial Back Talk - 20 • Health -14 • Movie Review Body of Lies -12 • Pew News -18 ■ Surfin’ the News Published by Permar Publications • P.O. Box 20539 • St. Simons Island, Ga. 31522 • 912-265-9654 • ssislander@bellsouth.net October 20, 2008 Established 1972 Vol 36 Issue 42 Judge hears eminent domain case appeal By Matthew J. Permar What turns faster - the wheels of government or the wheels of justice? OK, it’s not just a rhetorical question, it’s a trick question too - they both turn slowly. And right about now I’m betting the Glynn County Commission is wishing the wheels of justice would turn a little faster in their eminent domain case to obtain the last two pieces of property they need for the Comity Detention Center expansion project. On Wednesday, Septem ber 10, Special Master Pat rick O’Conner ruled in favor of Glynn County saying Bruns wick businessman Bob Torras, Sr. must sell his two pieces of property at 406 J St. and 1914 Newcastle St. in the downtown block between I and J Streets to the comity for the jail proj ect. Torras appealed O’Conner’s decidsion and on Monday, Oct. 13 Atlantic Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Charles Rose, Jr. heard the case. After the one day hearing, during which most of the evi dence was presented by Tor- ras’s attorneys, Judge Rose did not indicate when he would make his decision. Torras’s supporters, oppo nents of the jail project, said they did not expect a ruling last week because Judge Rose said he had a three-day trial to preside over after the eminent domain appeal hearing. Torras’s attorney’s, Todd Brooks of Brunswick and Wal ter Hartridge of Savannah, asked Judge Rose to overturn O’Conner’s decision based on three points. One - Hartridge held that the Georgia Landower’s Bill of Rights and Private Property Act of 2006 did not give equal protection to landowners. The lawyer said the law gives property owners protec tion from having their land taken under eminent domain by the state. It does not, Har tridge said, provide landown- Turn to Page 5 Eminent domain appeal County to demolish pier putt-putt course • New course already under construction By Matthew J. Permar The Glynn County Com mission voted unanimously last week to have their Pub lic Works Department begin demolition of the miniature golf course in Neptune Park in the St. Simons Island pier village. In lieu of seeking competi tive bids on the project, Public Works Director John Carter said his crew could do the job for $6,700, which included $500 for disposal of the mate rial, $5,200 to sod the area and $1,000 for irrigation. All costs are estimates. Carter said that allowing his department to handle the project they would be faster than using the bid process. Carter said any materi als worth saving, such as the brick and the larger shrub- Turn to Page 9 Putt putt course Retired Fire Chief receives state award By The Islander Newspaper Lee Stewart, retired City of Brunswick Fire Chief, recently was named 2008 Fire Chief of the Year by the Georgia Asso ciation of Fire Chiefs. The award was announced during the association's annual joint conference with the Geor gia State Firefighter's Associa tion held in Macon in August. Stewart will receive the honor February 3, 2009, during Fire fighter Recognition Day at the Capitol in Atlanta. Stewart, who retired from the City position in June, served as Brunswick's Fire chief for 20 years and as a Glynn County firefighter for 13 years before becoming chief. Stewart began his career in Florida as one of the first in the state to receive a Fire Science Degree. Other degrees include Business Administra tion, Marketing and Manage- Turn to Page 5 Retired chief awarded South End controversy This house at 902 Halifax Square in the South End of Brunswick was build as a single family residence in 1900. Sometime later it was turned into apartments which may now be out of compliance with current city zoning ordinances. The owner has applied to the city for a conditional use permit to operate it as apartments. Islander Staff Photo City Commission defers on conditional use application It's one of those beautiful, oak-tree canopied neighbor hoods that makes the south end of Brunswick such a desir able address. But, it's not without occa sional controversy and this time the controversy is about an apartment house at 902 Halifax Square that many neighbors say is operating ille gally. In addition, the neighbors are concerned because apart ment house owner Jon Palmer Fortune rents solely to men who are in either drug or alco hol recovery. And as they often do when faced with a knotty problem or controversial decision, last week the Brunswick City Com- By Matthew J. Permar mission deferred Fortune's request for a conditional use permit to operate the apart ments on a 4-1 vote during their Wednesday, Oct. 15 meeting. Mayor Bryan Thompson, who said he was not comfort able with Fortune's request, was the sole vote against the deferral. While neighbors were con cerned about the nature of Fortune's tenants, the central issue was whether the apart ment house was operating legally. According to City Planner Arne Glaeser, the building was built in 1900 as a single-family residence on property that is currently zoned General Resi dential (GR). At some point the house was converted into five apart ments. City resident Hal Hart, who once lived in and still owns the house next door to Fortune's property, told the commission that 902 Halifax Square was an apartment house in the 1950's when he was growing up. Glaeser reported that dur ing World War II many houses in that area were broken up into apartments and have been allowed to remain because multi-family dwellings were allowed under the GR zoning. But the trend has now Turn to Page 5 Conditional use
