Statesboro Votes to Annex State Rep Lehman Franklin’s Redevelopment Property

In late 2022, recently sworn-in Rep Lehman Franklin of HD 160, including parts of Bulloch and Bryan counties, made an application to the the City of Statesboro. In involved an aggressive plan for redevelopment involving one of the twenty-one, mostly land-related corporations, he controls as lead officer fiduciary.

His owner application was for the annexation and re-zoning of 41 acres of his property from unincorporated Bulloch county into the City of Statesboro.

The Planning Board then presented a proposal to the public as a combined annexation and zoning map amendment to build a large multi-family complex on acreage zoned for single family housing on spacious 1/2 acre lots. Both matters went to the Planning Board on Jan 3, and with strong neighborhood opposition and many logical concerns regarding community cost, the board denied both requests.

In the meeting on Jan 17, the city manager, Charles Penny, claimed that they cannot "grow" without getting more land. The council, in a 4 to 1 has now accomplished part of Franklin's request in DIRECT opposition to the counsel and unanimous vote of its Planning Board. They granted the annexation, “claiming” they would handle the zoning map amendment later in “careful” consideration of the citizens “next time.”

However, at the Jan 3 meeting, lot developers made public statements that they may not be interested in annexation without the zoning change. This causes citizens to be suspicious of the circular process they witnessed. And, a likely plan to entirely subvert the concerns of the adjoining citizens, amounting to over 50 families present at the meeting.

Some Questions that Need Answers:
Is fast-tracking redevelopment for State Rep Franklin, eager to benefit from redevelopment to support his district’s Hyundai Metaplant, the new private exception? What other developers are benefitting from this possibly legally riddled fast track?

As State Chairman of the Georgia Automobile Dealers’ Association, a registered LOBBY GROUP, is Franklin pleased to satisfy his deep-pocketed members by showing that his county is preparing for the growth with disregard for his constituents ADJOINING HIS LAND?

Is Governor Kemp, who attended his Lobby Chairman election at Sea Island in June, banking on his GADA efforts inside the General Assembly, while ensuring redevelopment in the county is going to Franklin’s advantage?

Would Kemp or his state-funded regional development boards make a phone call to influence a local authority or connect someone to a redevelopment benefit to return favors to Franklin?

Why is the Bulloch County Commission moving so strongly unilaterally to change the entire "comprehensive long-term plan" for the county without a referendum, and grant so many millions in ad valorem exemptions and inducement contracts to these new companies with no approval of the people? Why are there no referendums on massive changes to such zoning ordinances signed by formal Resolution between the county, Brooklet, Portal, and Register, while the county website claims it is just a "policy document"?

Why is GriceConnect and the Statesboro Herald continually failing to report on the open ethics investigation of Lehman Franklin by the Georgia Government Transparency and Finance Commission? Is Franklin Automotive car dealer advertising money so valuable to the local press that it is "hush" money?

Watch the compelling testimony from one of the most prominent heritage neighborhoods of Bulloch County!

Speakers:
Raybon Anderson - former Bulloch County Commissioners and former member of a state-level board to establish best policies for local redevelopment under Gov Sonny Perdue

Dr. Susan Riley - former 8-yr member of the Bulloch County School Board, and partner in a medical practice with her husband

Sarah Thompson - former military officer, constitutional advocate and impacted neighborhood resident

Marcus Toole - Community Outreach Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Bulloch County