Rezoning tied to corrected deed: planning board recommends AR‑2 for Old Lewisville parcel after boundary fix

The Effingham County Planning Board on July 8 recommended rezoning 570 Old Lewisville Road to AR‑2 as part of a boundary correction tied to a conveyance of 45 feet to 600 Old Lewisville Road. Planning staff said the 45‑foot transfer corrects a previously unrecorded deed and plat from 1998; recording the new plat will cause the 570 parcel to fall below the five‑acre threshold for AR‑1 and trigger rezoning to AR‑2. The board’s recommendation, with a condition limiting further splits of the rezoned parcel, was unanimous and will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for final action on Aug. 5.

Planning staff Chelsea explained that a 40‑foot conveyance was recorded in 1998 but the deed and plat were not brought into conformance at that time; the new proposal calls for a 45‑foot conveyance that will be shown on a recent survey dated May 30, 2025. Lisa Ortiz, the realtor representing the applicant/agent, said the change is needed because an existing permanent structure currently encroaches on the prior line and the corrected line provides required setback relief.

Board members asked whether the boundary issue could be resolved by adjusting property lines without using rezoning. One board member said the parcels combined appear to total more than 10 acres and asked whether a reconfiguration could preserve two five‑acre parcels; the applicant’s representative said the properties are under contract and the parties want to record a corrected plat to complete the sale. The board also noted that the rezoning request did not show intent to further subdivide beyond the current adjustment.

The board approved a motion recommending rezoning with the condition that the 570 parcel not be further split beyond what is being proposed; development services must review and sign the plat and the plat must be recorded before zoning becomes effective. The item will go to the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 5, and the applicant was advised to attend that meeting.