Planning commission recommends disapproval of proposed GasPro station at 500 Furious Ferry Road
July 03, 2026 | Columbia County, Georgia
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The Columbia County Planning Commission voted 4–1 on July 2 to recommend disapproval of a major planned-unit-development revision that would allow a GasPro convenience store and fuel pumps at 500 Furious Ferry Road.
Staff said the proposal presents parking and circulation concerns and does not fit the “character” of the existing development, despite being an allowed use within the community-commercial area. Planning staff described a concept plan that initially showed buildings on the corner and later was revised; staff noted the site sits inside the corridor-protection overlay and said the minimum parking counts could likely be met but that the plan’s layout would not function well.
Man Pre Singh, the applicant, told commissioners he would not withdraw the application and presented an updated site plan that eliminated a proposed corner building and added roughly 80 parking spaces in one portion of the lot. Singh said the plan includes buffer fencing between neighboring townhomes and that deliveries could be accommodated without interfering with existing docks.
The hearing drew a long public-comment period with competing testimony. Gagan Batra, an Evans resident, urged approval on safety grounds, saying southbound access to fuel would reduce risky left turns and citing traffic-volume increases on Furious Ferry. Several business owners and residents echoed that view, arguing a convenience store could bring customers back to a struggling shopping center and increase tax revenue.
Opponents warned the revised plan could create safety and access problems. Dr. Troy Akers, a resident and first responder, said the switch from an announced withdrawal to an on-the-record application felt “duplicitous,” raised concerns about fire-lane access and lost customer parking for nearby businesses, and said tournament-day congestion would be exacerbated. Dinked (pickleball) management and other tenant business owners said peak-period parking is already constrained and that moving parking farther from storefronts would harm small businesses.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to recommend disapproval; the motion was seconded and carried by a voice count recorded as disapproval 4–1. The Planning Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners for final action on July 21, 2026.
What happens next: the Board of Commissioners will hear the recommendation on July 21. The Planning Commission’s action is advisory; the Board may approve, modify or reverse the recommendation.
Staff said the proposal presents parking and circulation concerns and does not fit the “character” of the existing development, despite being an allowed use within the community-commercial area. Planning staff described a concept plan that initially showed buildings on the corner and later was revised; staff noted the site sits inside the corridor-protection overlay and said the minimum parking counts could likely be met but that the plan’s layout would not function well.
Man Pre Singh, the applicant, told commissioners he would not withdraw the application and presented an updated site plan that eliminated a proposed corner building and added roughly 80 parking spaces in one portion of the lot. Singh said the plan includes buffer fencing between neighboring townhomes and that deliveries could be accommodated without interfering with existing docks.
The hearing drew a long public-comment period with competing testimony. Gagan Batra, an Evans resident, urged approval on safety grounds, saying southbound access to fuel would reduce risky left turns and citing traffic-volume increases on Furious Ferry. Several business owners and residents echoed that view, arguing a convenience store could bring customers back to a struggling shopping center and increase tax revenue.
Opponents warned the revised plan could create safety and access problems. Dr. Troy Akers, a resident and first responder, said the switch from an announced withdrawal to an on-the-record application felt “duplicitous,” raised concerns about fire-lane access and lost customer parking for nearby businesses, and said tournament-day congestion would be exacerbated. Dinked (pickleball) management and other tenant business owners said peak-period parking is already constrained and that moving parking farther from storefronts would harm small businesses.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to recommend disapproval; the motion was seconded and carried by a voice count recorded as disapproval 4–1. The Planning Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Columbia County Board of Commissioners for final action on July 21, 2026.
What happens next: the Board of Commissioners will hear the recommendation on July 21. The Planning Commission’s action is advisory; the Board may approve, modify or reverse the recommendation.
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