Statesboro Annexes State Rep Lehman Franklin’s Land for Redevelopment

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. It involved an aggressive plan for redevelopment of his land, part of one of the twenty-one, mostly land-related, corporations that he controls as a lead officer fiduciary. His 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 city council 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 vote 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.”

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 Hyundai Metaplant redevelopment with disregard for his constituents ADJOINING HIS LAND?

Speakers:

Raybon Anderson - former Bulloch County Commissioners, former member of a state-level board to establish best policies for local redevelopment under Gov Sonny Perdue, property owner of land directly adjoining Franklin’s redevelopment property, and business owner of Anderson’s General Store a quarter mile from the land
Dr. Susan Riley - former 8-yr member of the Bulloch County School Board, neighborhood stakeholder, and partner in a family medical practice located a quarter-mile from the land
Sarah Thompson - former military officer, constitutional advocate, and impacted neighborhood stakeholder
Marcus Toole - Community Outreach Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Bulloch County