Planned Keller property development shows balance needed for more housing, road improvements

At the corner of Little Neck Road and Highway 17 sits some 275 acres of open fields. Powerlines sprawl over portions of the vast greenspace known as the Keller Property.

Under a planned development that recently received MPC approval, the open space could transform into rows of retail, multifamily housing and community greenspace. However, the MPC's approval did not come without concerns from residents, who say the road infrastructure bordering the property is not prepared to support a development of this scale.

Under the current plan, the development would put 534 multifamily housing units and 308 senior living housing units on the property over an eight-year phased implementation timeline. That's an estimated 1,500 in added population at the end of it, according to a phasing plan done by Miles Hansford Attorneys at Law.

Keller PODPlan by savannahnow.com on Scribd

The large-scale development, which will also incorporate commercial uses and retain portions of the natural lands, is making its way through Savannah's planning wheels at a time the Coastal Empire faces a housing shortage of almost 10,000 units, a number calculated before the news of Hyundai's metaplant bringing 8,000 jobs to the region. Many leaders in the area have pointed to the need for greater density housing to address the housing crunch.

Support from the MPC was unanimous, a 13-0 vote, although some MPC members expressed the imperative to tackle road capacity in the area. The item will now go to city council for final approval.

From residential agriculture to mixed-use

The site's southwest corner is planned for commercial and retail pods along Little Neck Road and Highway 17, with the residential complexes sitting just behind it to the north. Preliminary visions for the retail village include "Lowcountry architecture" and a "pedestrian-friendly atmosphere," according to a presentation on the development.

Potential commercial uses mentioned in the MPC staff report include self-storage facilities, a variety of restaurants ranging from "high-turnover sitdown" to drive-thru fast food, and a convenience store/gas station. The convenience store is expected to be an Enmarket, according to property owner Charles Roberts with Hopeton South Land Trust LLC.

"We've got a lot of retail. We understand retail," Roberts said. "We understand it's got to be easy to get to whether it's on a bike, golf car, car or walking."

There will also be a 2-acre "town green" that could be used for a range of entertainment options such as concerts and movie nights to farmers' markets and birthday parties, according to the MPC presentation.

The property also runs up against 64 acres of salt marsh, which comprises 24% of the property. The current design aims to preserve the marshland and another 97 acres of open greenspace, which would comprise about 60% of the total property.

The developer is keeping the array of greenspace to alleviate concerns of wildlife and habitat conservation. Some known plants or animals with high conservation status known on the site include the Georgia Indigo Bush and the Hooded Pitcherplant. The MPC report details the petitioners response to those concerns:

“The Applicant and Developer will follow all federal, state, and local regulations regarding the protection of certain species applicable to the Subject Property. The Applicant is mitigating the impact of the proposed development through open space and salt marsh that will protect wildlife and be utilized by the public for recreational activities,”

Community concerns, needed road improvements

Just across the street from the planned development sits Bethel Missionary Baptist Church off Ogeechee Road. One of the churches Deacons, Florida Hunt, brought concerns to the MPC.

Roberts, the developer, said throughout the meeting that the phased approach would reduce the traffic burden. But Hunt said that the church has already moved service times back an hour and a half due to congestion making it hard for people to arrive at services.

"That's my problem right now," Hunt said.

A traffic study by A&R Engineering found that level of service along nearly all future entry points are likely to operate at a "D" grade or better during peak hours. Level of service is the metric traffic engineers use to determine the quality of roadway traffic.

Others expressed concerns about potholes and poor surface conditions along Little Neck Road. The MPC's recommendation was made under the condition the developer contribute pro-rata costs towards improvements recommended on the traffic study, most of which include the installation of traffic signals. The developer agreed to those conditions.

The concerns in public comment about the quality of roads in the area also prompted members of the MPC to question city and county leaders on what solutions may come to the area. Savannah City Manager Jay Melder said he recently met with county officials do discuss potential improvements.

Melder said part of the issue is identifying funding sources to address improvements, one of which could be a Transportation Special Local Option Sales Tax previously shot down by voters. Chatham County owns the rights of way surrounding the development, and widening Little Neck Road could be one path forward.

"We have been in discussion to go about how to solve that problem," said Chatham County Manager Michael Kaigler.

Evan Lasseter is the city and county government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Planned Keller property development receives unanimous MPC approval