• The proposed project is a single-family detached community with a maximum of 720 homes, or a density per upland acre of 2.2 (well below the industry norm for new projects and considered a low density subdivision by The Urban Land Institute, NAHB “Typical American subdivisions” and published land planning guides).

• We are pursuing Kingsland annexation to provide municipal sewer which allows design efficiency that results in the following:

• An additional common and preserved open space of ±22.5% is proposed, resulting in a total ±37.5% common and preserved open space on the upland acreage. This includes of a voluntary additional marshland buffer of 25-ft which provides a total 50-ft marshland buffer. This is double the state mandated buffer requirement. In comparison, the septic development common and preserved open space is ±15% and the marshland buffer is 25 ft.

• The incorporation of significant community amenities, where otherwise would not be feasible or supported by the new community.

• Camden County’s Unified Development Ordinance allows for 3 dwelling units per acre when municipal utility services are available. In trying to be sensitive to the surrounding area and the specific project site, the proposed density avoids an additional 259 dwellings for the project which is a 25% reduction in density.

• The proposed conceptual site plan is provided in the download section below, and will be continually updated based on community feedback.

• The project will have a range of lots sizes to provide a variety of home styles and architecture. The smallest lot size will be a 60-ft lot and the largest will be 80-ft and larger.

• The resort style amenity package includes a dock, pool & clubhouse, walking trails, pocket parks and active lawns for neighborhood gatherings.

Environmental & Stormwater

• Terracon has provided a summary of the archaeological survey for the property and is provided in the download section below. An intensive Cultural Resource Survey has been completed on the property in accordance with federal and state regulations. A total of 719 shovel tests were excavated on the parcel.

• Four archaeological sites were identified within the project area and consist of low-density (less than 12 artifacts per site) prehistoric scatters of materials. No human remains or evidence of prehistoric structures or burials have been identified within the project area. Two of these sites produced only two artifacts each, and by the current standards would not be considered an archaeological site but would be isolated finds. The remaining two sites produced a low amount (fewer than 12) of artifacts each and were recommended by the surveyors as not eligible for the NRHP (define). All the sites are small in size and considered not eligible for the NRHP.

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has completed a Delineation Concurrence and Approved Jurisdictional Determination on parcels 119 002 and 119 003. There are defined waters of the United States on the parcel, and are regulated by the jurisdiction of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The Approved Jurisdictional Determination is provided in the download section below.

• The FEMA flood map for the property is #13039C0405G, effective on12/21/2017. The majority of the property is in an Area of Minimal Flood Hazard - Zone X.  The flood map is provided in the download section below.

• The approximate site upland acreage is ±337.5 ac

• Approximate area outside of any flood hazard is 225 ac

• Flood Zone X unshaded is 51 ac, Flood Hazard AE8 Zone X is 30 acres, Flood Hazard AE9 Zone X is 31.

• By law, the project must follow the Georgia Stormwater Management Manual, ensuring that post-development stormwater discharge rates do not exceed pre-development flows. The Stormwater manual can be downloaded here.

Utility Investigations

• Detailed utility studies were prepared by Carter & Sloope, conducted by a licensed professional engineer, to evaluate the existing water and sewer infrastructure and outline the necessary improvements to support a +-720 home residential community. The full technical reports are available for download below.

• The anticipated cost for water and sewer infrastructure is approximately $3.4 million. All costs associated with engineering and installation of the improvements will be provided by the developer. Once construction is complete and the improvements are accepted by the City of Kingsland, the infrastructure would be formally dedicated to the City for its use.

Traffic & Road Capacity

• A Preliminary roadway corridor study completed by Thomas and Hutton confirmed that Harrietts Bluff Rd and Sheffield Island Rd have sufficient capacity today to account for the proposed community. The preliminary study is provided in the download section below.

• Thomas and Hutton completed a detailed Traffic Impact Study to make certain these roadways and impacted intersections can support the increased traffic from the proposed community. The TIS report is provided in the download section below.

• Required traffic improvements will be completed during project delivery in coordination with the City of Kingsland and Camden County.

Sheffield Island Road - Box Culvert

• We share the concern of the community regarding the current state of the Box Culvert on Sheffield Island Road. We have engaged Thomas & Hutton, who are licensed registered professional engineers, who have experience with other bridge replacement in this region to assist in identifying the path to improve and/or repair the crossing.  A copy of the report is available to download below.

• Report Findings: “Sheffield Island Road has an edge of roadway elevation of approximately 6.2 feet, as indicated on survey provided by AKM Surveying, dated 11/20/25. To meet the design elevation derived from the GDOT hydraulic manual design standards for non-state routes over tidal creeks, the roadway is required to be elevated to an elevation above 6.55 feet. We recommend the roadway be elevated to at least elevation 6.6. Based on survey information, this would require the resurfacing and leveling of approximately 1,500 square yards of roadway.”

• As part of our proposal to annex the property, we (the developer) propose to complete the raising of the roadway and complete the recommended improvements, at our cost, during active site development.

Fire & Life Safety

• Ingress & Egress: Georgia law (GAC – Subject 120-3-3-.04(e)) requires two separate entrances to the proposed subdivision. At full build-out, we propose at least five (5) entrances to the community in our current land plan.

• As identified during our utility assessment studies, the current water line in Sheffield Island Road has inadequate pressure, with a calculated flow at 20 psi of 660 GPM. The state fire flow requirement is 1,000 GPM. We have identified a solution to resolve this issue and will undertake this improvement as part of the community development. The full technical reports are available for download below.

Op-Ed - Published in Tribune & Georgian (11/27/2025)

Camden County Needs Sheffield Island to be Done Right

As many people in Camden County know, our development firm has been engaged in conversations to acquire and build a resilient and sustainable residential community at the end of Sheffield Island Road.

Given the unique beauty, history and ecological importance of the property, we have committed to construct the project in a responsible manner openly collaborating with the community and local leaders, as well as working with relevant independent and local experts.  As we’ve actively engaged in public conversations about the project, some residents have expressed concerns, often with strong passion.  That’s understandable, given that much of the development in Camden County in recent years has been irresponsible, particularly with the largely unchecked expansion of clear-cut, septic-served, cookie-cutter residential subdivisions featuring maximum density on every inch of land area.  To be blunt, much of the recent development in the region has, in our opinion, been done wrong.

Since 2009, the Sheffield Island property has been zoned R-1, which allows the construction of a Conventional Subdivision with lot sizes of 75-ft wide by 135-ft deep.  The relatively low requirements contained within the Unified Development Ordinance allow a project to be delivered with zero minimum open space, and without concern for the issues raised by the community.  In short, the property is already zoned for the development of 760 single family lots, and the door is open for the project to be done wrong.

We intend to do Sheffield Island right.  Our proposal preserves more than 115 acres or 37% of the upland areas as open space - that's the equivalent of preserving nearly the entire Camden County High School campus, PSA and ballfields combined.  As well, a voluntary marshland buffer more than twice the standard size, safeguards the marshes, waterways and wildlife that make the property precious to us and the community.  It includes future-proofed stormwater systems and expanded natural buffers designed to handle the increased likelihood of rising sea levels and storm surge.

Our plan also provides over $5 million of privately funded public road, water and sewer service improvements that otherwise would not be required as part of a proposed project for the site.  Solving some of the existing County challenges that currently aren’t budgeted for and that residents are demanding be addressed.  The longer-term economic impacts are also substantial with a forecast of $5.5 million in new annual ad valorem taxes generated as modelled by Thomas & Hutton, plus there will be the creation of construction jobs, new retail spending among other economic benefits for the area. 

The current obstacle for the development of the property comes from the fact that it is not served by a public sewer.  That means any development would rely on a septic-based approach, placing tremendous negative environmental strain on the land requiring clear-cutting of the existing old growth canopy.  By comparison, we believe that developing the property served by a public sewer system would be a far more environmentally, and over the long term, economically sustainable, approach for the community at large.

To develop a non-septic community, the property would need to be annexed by the City of Kingsland, which would then offer its utility service to those who desire connection.  Annexation requires consent by the Camden County Commission, which will largely determine whether the future direction of Sheffield Island will be right or wrong.  To be clear about what’s actually at issue, the Commission will be voting on whether the property can be annexed by the City of Kingsland, not on whether development will proceed, which is already allowed by right.

We are committed to doing this project, and doing it right.  And we hope our actions thus far will be seen as strong evidence that we are sincere about truly collaborating with the community.