About The Islander. (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2019)
THE ^ISLANDER Published by Permar Publications www.theislanderonline.com ssislander@bellsouth.net July 8, 2019 Established in 1972 Proposed business raises questions The site of the former Pumpkin Patch vegetable market on the northwest corner of the intersection of Highways 341 (New Jesup Highway) and 303 (Blythe Island Highway) in Glynn County has been proposed for a new business. The property includes two lots, the one facing Hwy. 341 with the building shown here, and the lot to the rear. The rear lot ends approximately where the car on the far left is located. Islander Staff Photo - Permar MPC recommends approval of food truck / entertainment business By Matthew J. Permar County appeals ZBA decision By Pamela Permar Shierling The Glynn County Commu nity Development Department filed an appeal last Wednesday (July 3) of the County Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) June 6 decision prohibiting use of Village Drive to access Guale Preserve. The ZBA decision also re quired further development of the preserve to trigger a site plan to be heard by the Is lands Planning Commission. Guale Preserve, formerly part of Musgrove Plantation, is 258 acres owned by the St. Si mons Land Trust (SSLT). The property was purchased from the Brenn Foundation, owned by the Bagley family, in three phases for $11 million, which included a $3 million federal Fish and Wildlife grant com ing through the Georgia Dept, of Natural Resources. The use of Village Drive to access the boat launch, which is currently not in use, has been a sticking point with the Village Bluff (aka Ger man Village) Property Own ers Association (POA) since the property owners found out the SSLT planned to open the boat launch to the public and access it by way of Village Drive. The POA repeatedly asked the SSLT to find another way through Guale Preserve to the boat launch. The SSLT has refused. When the Community De velopment Department staff administratively approved a construction permit for Guale preserve, the POA was told they had to appeal it through the ZBA which they did. It took three tries before the appeal was heard on June 6. The ZBA affirmed Com munity Development Direc tor Pam Thompson’s decision to approve the construction plans for Guale Preserve but Turn to Page 8 Appeals board appealed During their regular meet ing last week (Tuesday, July 2) the Mainland Planning Commission (MPC) split their vote 4-3 to approve a site plan for a new business at 4411 Hwy. 341. The property, located at the intersection of Highways 341 and 303 (Jesup Hwy. and Blythe Island Hwy. respec tively) is the former site of the Pumpkin Patch. The new business will also include the adjacent lot to the west creat ing a 1.2 acre site. The property owners were listed in the staff report as Fred Birchmore and Loretta Cramer, who were also listed as the applicants. Neither Birchmore nor Cra mer were at the meeting. A married couple, Tony and Sherry Clark, spoke on behalf of the applicants saying the plan is to put a restaurant in the old Pumpkin Patch build ing. In addition the site will have two spots for food trucks, a stage for live entertainment and a bar. The property is zoned High way Commercial (HC) and restaurants are a permitted use. Currently there is nothing in Glynn County quite like this business. According to the owners it is based on a busi ness in Dallas, Texas, and will be called ‘Boomer’s Brews Grub and Tunes.’ According to the staff report presented by Planner III Mau rice Postal, there were several issues to be considered. Postal noted the applicant has applied for an occupa tional license as a full-service restaurant and for an alcohol license. Both applications are currently pending. In order to be what the county considers a “bona fide” restaurant, the business has to a. ) offer a substantial entree for selection by patrons; b. ) de rive at least 50% of its total annual gross income from the sale of prepared meals; and c. ) alcoholic beverages, malt bev erages and wines may only be served as an accessory to food service. If the business does not meet these three require ments and wants to serve alcohol, they are considered a “drinking establishment,” which would require a Special Use Permit for the HC zoning Turn to Page 4 MPC Vol 47 Issue 27 BGDA okays bond resolution for Frederica Academy By Pamela Permar Shierling Last week (July 2) the Brunswick Glynn County De velopment Authority (BGDA) approved a resolution agree ing to issue revenue bonds for the benefit of Frederica Academy. The Development Author ity will act as the conduit for the $2.7 million in tax free bonds which will be issued by United Community Bank (UCB). Steve Fenlon from UCB told the BGDA that the inter est income UCB earns is tax free and that the interest sav ings from the tax free debt will accrue to Frederica Academy. Fenlon also asked, after Turn to Page 9 BGDA Meet the new GICCA principal By Pamela Permar Shierling Dr. Joe Depenhart began his new position at the Gold en Isles College and Career Academy (GICCA) on July 1 and we caught him in his of fice on July 3. To say the least Depenhart is “squared away.” He gradu ated from high school and im mediately joined the Army at age 17. “During my 22 years in the Army I had 13 different duty assignments including two assignments in Germany, Hawaii, Alaska, two recruit ing assignments, and was de ployed to Afghanistan and the former Yugoslavia,” he said. “Because the military em phasizes education, I earned two degrees during my service Turn to Page 2 GICCA pricipal County-Wide News - Read County-Wide Page 3 - FAA accepts Camden's launch site operator's license application Page 4 - Letters Page 10 - Pew News Lost African American cemetery located • Clean & Green winners Page 11 - Sports with Dave Jordan Page 16- Back Talk 0 94922 29970 3
