Franklin County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a Planned Unit Development for the Serenity Seaside Resort in Eastpoint

 Franklin County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a Planned Unit Development for the Serenity Seaside Resort in Eastpoint.

The PUD removes the R2 zoning which would have allowed residential usage for the property including mobile homes as well as the c4 zoning which is general commercial.

The PUD allows 44 residential units, a 40 unit hotel and 60 cottages on about 56 acres at the intersection of Island Drive and South Bayshore Drive near the St. George Island bridge.

Much of the construction will be done on about 16 acres with a density of about 2.4 units per acre while 40 acres will be left as green space.

The developers say they expect the resort portion of the development will create about 30 full time jobs.

The development will also provide about 10 thousand square feet of event space for the community, as well as a coffee shop and a restaurant which will be open to the public.

The developers said they will also donate 1500 dollars per house sold to Franklin County's affordable housing efforts.

There were concerns raised about traffic and congestion as well as the impacts the development could have on nearby wetlands and the bay but in the end the commission felt the development would be beneficial.

The PUD was approved unanimously.

http://live.oysterradio.com/