ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — In Glynn County, a vote by the Islands Planning Commission Tuesday night got a lot of pushback. It was a packed house as residents urged the commission not to amend an ordinance that would allow a local company to house its employees in a four story development. In the end, Sea Island Company got the green light.
"A four-story dormitory building with four habitable stories is not appropriate for this community," a St. Simons Island resident told the planning commission.
The 84-unit, 4 story multifamily development on Sea Island Road will provide housing for employees of Sea Island Company, a family owned hospitality and real estate corporation. Attorney Christopher Jordan who represents the company says the site plan was approved in January and workforce housing is in demand.
"The entire goal here is to bring them closer to their jobs because it's traditionally been a great challenge trying to find workers they can find a way to get to and from where they live throughout the county and outside the county," Attorney Christopher Jordan said.
Glynn County ordinance only allows three stories to be used as living space, but the commission made an exception Tuesday night allowing people to live in all four stories of this specific housing development. It will be built next door to St. Simons Christian School.
"The school wants to be a good neighbor here but we don’t love that there's four habitable floors looking down on our school so I can't say we're happy, but we are trying to be a good neighbor and collaborate," St. Simons Christian School Attorney Taylor Haley said.
The commission says the property is zoned for multifamily housing and is not restricted to Sea Island Company employees, despite the company saying it plans to use it for workforce housing. Parents of students voiced their opposition and a long list of complaints.
“We are concerned about pedestrian safety. We are concerned about parking filling up," parent Teresa Batten said.
Robert Ussery, chair of the planning commission, voted to approve the amendment to the ordinance because he says workforce housing is a benefit to the entire community.
"This building it could look just like that right now, with three floors, be just as high, they could spread it out and get the same number of units on the site somewhere else so we aren't doing anything by saying no," chair Robert Ussery said.
The vote drew a lot of emotion.
"If a kid gets hurt it's your fault," a woman yelled from the crowd. This still must be approved by the Glynn County Board of Commissioners before the ordinance is amended.