Neighbors—take a look at this video of what is sitting off Alex Cockman Road right now at the proposed 83-lot Floresta Springs (Elmer Keck) subdivision.
That is a commercial-grade corrugated culvert pipe, graded red clay banks, a wide clear-cut corridor through the pines, and tons of crushed quarry gravel.
Number of First Plat votes held by our County Commissioners to approve this subdivision so far? ZERO.
When nearby residents first asked the County's Watershed Protection Department why trees were coming down, they were told the developer (Ania Onn, LLC) was only permitted to cut a "small path" and remove a "small number of trees" for soil testing.
Does a graded gravel road with a heavy culvert pipe look like a "small path" for soil testing to you?
Even worse: after vigilant neighbors blew the whistle and sent photos to the County, the developer was simply told to pause work. No formal written Stop-Work Order on the record. Zero citations. $0 in fines.
If a regular Chatham County homeowner tried to clear land, grade a road, or build without permits, do you think we would just get a polite tap on the shoulder? Why should an LLC get a clean slate after treating County ordinances—and our elected Commissioners' upcoming vote—like an afterthought?
Why This Matters Right Now: On Monday, November 16th, the Floresta Springs First Plat application goes before the Chatham County Board of Commissioners for approval or denial. Under Chatham County Subdivision Regulations § 1.14(G), when a developer clears protected trees in violation of development regulations prior to First Plat approval, the County has the legal authority to withhold First Plat approval for 3 to 5 YEARS.
How You Can Help in 2 Minutes:
1️⃣ Email our County Commissioners and tell them: Don't reward rule-breakers with a rubber stamp—invoke Subdivision Regulations § 1.14(G) and DENY the Floresta Springs First Plat!
What is the point of having rules on the books if developers aren't held accountable to them?