Pooler’s City Council recently OK’d a slight zoning change to the master plan for upscale subdivision Savannah Quarters to allow a developer to put in more multi-family units — despite objections from an original developer of the community.
John Joyce of Jacksonville-based Joyce Development Group, had asked the council to amend a section of the Savannah Quarters Planned Unit Development standards and master plan to allow stand-alone multi-family units in addition to commercial on a 160-acre parcel owned by New York Life Insurance Company.
Joyce Development is working with New York Life to develop the land, part of the 2,600-acre Savannah Quarters community.
The previous zoning had allowed for some multi-family units over the top of commercial space, but not by itself. Joyce said they also planned to keep 30 percent of the parcel as open space to allay concerns about density and traffic congestion, according to meeting minutes.
The parcel, referred to as phase 7 in developer parlance, is located just south of Interstate 16 and east of Pooler Parkway. On the master plan map available through Savannah Quarters’ website, this parcel is referred to as the “Urban Entertainment Complex.”
Several commercial projects planned as part of the Savannah Quarters, including the entertainment complex, stalled during the recession. The zoning change would allow Joyce Development to market multi-family sites to homebuilders in addition to commercial space to retailers.
John Northup, an attorney representing Southwest Quadrant Development Company and Glen Hall, one of the original developers of the Quarters, voiced concerns about the amendment.
Northup said the whole intent of the planned-unit status was to allow comprehensive development through a unified vision. This status was granted to Savannah Quarters in the late ‘90s because it had just one owner — now it has three.
“Any changes to the zoning of Savannah Quarters (planned units) should not be affected in a piecemeal fashion but take into account the entire (development),” said Northup.
He said they had hoped the city would deny the changes to phase 7 and instruct the three owners to come to the table and work out changes or modifications beforehand.
“Even with the city approving the zoning changes, it doesn’t get around the deed restriction,” said Northup.
Existing covenant restrictions on this parcel would prohibit multi-family development, according to Northup. He said these deed restrictions make it so no one particular part of Savannah Quarters is overdeveloped, such as having too much of one type of housing.
Robert Byrd, Pooler city manager, said the city is not privy to any side agreements, such as deed restrictions, and only makes rulings based on city regulations.
Over the last 15 years, Savannah Quarters has been divvied up through a couple of different entities, but is now owned by three main groups: SunCal, a California-based master-planned community developer, Southwest Quadrant Development Company and New York Life.
SunCal owns the majority of Savannah Quarters, having bought 1,800 acres from previous owner Medallist Development in March 2013.
According to meeting minutes, Alderman Stevie Wall said the amendment to phase 7 was less dense and a good project.
David Cecchele, a representative of SunCal, said he had no objections to the amendment.
The measure passed in a 5-0 vote. Byrd said any site plans for the land would still have to come before the council.