Statesboro seeks housing developers with juicier subdivision incentives

Statesboro’s city federal government is inviting developers to submit programs for its freshly revamped residential subdivision incentive program as officers request to encourage building of new proprietor-occupied residences in just the city limitations.

Right after an initial favorable vote on a 1st looking through Dec. 1, City Council on Dec. 15 unanimously accredited the ordinance amendment overhauling the incentive method.

“Since I have been in Statesboro I hear developers say all the time, ‘We just can’t afford to build in Statesboro,’ so (new subdivisions) kind a ring all-around the town,” City Manager Charles Penny advised the mayor and council in November. “Hopefully, with these incentives, we may well get some homes on assets which is previously inside the town, but it may well also be an incentive for some assets which is contiguous with us to be annexed into the town.”

Under Report 1 of the updated plan, the city will shell out builders of authorised subdivisions a $10,000 for every-good deal incentive for enhancement of owner-occupied, solitary-family household subdivisions in just R-15 and R-20 zones and prepared unit developments, selected as PUD zones. Moreover, for every approved system, the metropolis will install purely natural fuel lines in the subdivision at no charge to the developer.

GICH provision

The new application also has an extra part, Post 2, particularly for neighborhoods recognized by the neighborhood Ga Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH, staff as needing revitalization. To present incentives for more compact houses to be developed than would be standard in R-15 or R-20 zones, Report 2 calls for that subdivisions proposed for incentives in GICH neighborhoods be zoned R-8. However, city officials famous that they intend to permit rezoning to that designation in GICH neighborhoods where by it does not presently exist.

To qualify, subdivisions in GICH spots must be limited to new house owners creating amongst 80% and 120% of spot median income. These are thought of to be reasonable-revenue people.

The essential incentive spelled out for subdivisions in GICH neighborhoods is also a $10,000 for every-whole lot payment and cost-free pure gasoline pipeline installation. But for Metropolis Council-accepted subdivisions in this group, the city will also waive all allow and sewer tap charges and building inspection fees not expected by the state.

A household subdivision incentive method had been on Statesboro’s ordinance guides at minimum since 2001. But the previous incentives had been dependent on incremental unit pricing and seemed almost nothing like the new $10,000 for every-large amount lump sum.

The old incentives experienced been tricky to recognize, and qualifying for the software was very subjective, present town Arranging and Growth Director Kathy Area explained to the council through a work session.

Scoring method

Incentives are not guaranteed to all candidates meeting the general necessities under the revamped method, either. The total of funding out there will be limited by the city’s annual budgets. But the revised ordinance sets up a scoring program for analyzing developers’ options.

For Short article 1 subdivisions, developers can get bonus details by accomplishing items this sort of as such as higher-conclusion amenities in aesthetic layout and constructing supplies or including usable open space or recreational amenities or a tree-preserve program.

Post 2 specifies bonus conditions for GICH neighborhood housing, with some dissimilarities. In these areas, removing of dilapidated or blighted constructions as a section of the subdivision development system can also get details. So can a system that delivers parcels now zoned R-4 into an R-8 single-family members zoning district.

Each short article supplies what officials are calling a “score card” displaying points offered for each and every precise factor.

Would-be developers can down load the software software or look at the incentive system ordinance in its entirety at www.statesboroga.gov/subdivision-incentive. For the fiscal calendar year 2021 round of incentives, purposes will have to be submitted by 4 p.m. March 1, according to a city media launch.

Apps need to be submitted both in person to Kathleen Industry, director of organizing and development at Town Hall, 50 East Key St. or by emailing her [email protected].