Residents for Liberty County GA
Follow the Residents for Liberty County GA Facebook group for regular updates, discussions, and information regarding “all things Liberty: growth, zoning, environmental, and governmental processes.”
Below you’ll find two maps. The first—”Current”—shows the current warehouse presence in chiefly East Liberty County. Thanks to rezoning and developer pressure, numerous warehouses have recently been proposed and rapidly approved for construction. Drag the slider to see the second map—”Future”—to see how many warehouses will pop up in the next 5 years. Note these new warehouses’ proximity—and therefore threat—to surrounding wetlands.
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Here you see East Liberty County’s recently adopted land use map. The gray area is Sunbury/Islands Subarea—where most of the industrial rezoning has taken place. Over the last several months, in accordance with this map, many agricultural zones (demarcated in green) have been rezoned into industrial (gray), which immediately abut the residential zones (yellow and orange). The proposed commercial zones (red) are insufficient to provide any sort of adequate buffer for the existing communities, not to mention any that will be built to house the workforce drawn to Liberty as industry grows.
Decades ago, planning was a thoughtful process that considered the impact of industry on infrastructure, existing and future communities, and the natural environment. Sufficient buffer zones—called transition zones—between residential and industrial zones were created to protect neighborhoods from the noise, light, and odor of industrial operations. Today, progress and the scramble for economic gain has reduced that buffer to 100 feet.
In essence, a transition zone is an area between industrial and residential zones. It is a way to taper land use from “heavy” (think industrial: 24-hour lights, traffic from trucks, noise from machinery and operations) to “medium” before hitting the “light” use (think residential: commuter car traffic, schools, playgrounds). These transition zones can be commercial, containing local businesses and public spaces, or conservation areas.
For example, a transition zone could be a “character area” that combines the more condensed development of town homes with green spaces or conservation areas.
As more warehouses move into Liberty, these buffers will feel smaller and smaller. The community has proven through perseverance and fortitude that they are willing to fight for their neighborhoods; we will be with them whenever we can.
Follow the Residents for Liberty County GA Facebook group for regular updates, discussions, and information regarding “all things Liberty: growth, zoning, environmental, and governmental processes.”
Visit the LCPC’s website for regular updates on Public Comment periods, land use plans, public meetings, and more regarding development in Liberty County.
The Current | 5/24/23
Coastal Courier | 3/16/23
Coastal Courier | 3/9/23
WTOC 11 | 1/19/23
Coastal Courier | 1/19/23
Coastal Courier | 1/11/23
Coastal Courier | 12/14/22
Coastal Courier | 12/14/22
Please contact Susan Inman, Mid Coast Advocate, to learn more about our work in Liberty County.