'Necessary for us to grow': Guyton residents talk new housing development

Ruth Nesmith has lived at the corner of Gracen Road and Old Louisville Road in Guyton for decades.

The quiet community she used to know and love is a little bit louder now as growth has taken shape in Effingham County . The sounds of traffic will grow even louder in the coming years as Guyton City Council approved the rezoning of 100 acres Tuesday night from agriculture to residential for a new housing development.

“We have enough homes out here,” said Nesmith. “All of our farmland is getting bought up. It’s getting crowded out here. We are getting tired of it out here.”

More: Former president Donald Trump to serve as keynote speaker at NRA event in late October

According to Mayor Andy Harville, there are no procedures in place in planning and zoning that would require a traffic or regional impact report to determine how the development would impact the community, but it is something he and council will look into in the future.

"With an increase in larger developments requesting annexation into the city we’re looking to create a more comprehensive application/approval process," said Harville. "At this time the development in question will consist of approximately 90-110 houses, on half an acre lots in size, water service will be provided by the City of Guyton."

Guyton City Councilman Theodore Hamby thinks the development is a testament to “smart growth” – and that some growth must take place in order for the city to attract new commercial properties.

More: In Savannah, Helene debris could be 'problematic' if caught in high winds from Milton

“Whenever you add more rooftops, that increases your tax base and it increases revenue for small businesses,” said Hamby. “What businesses look for is a city that has a great deal of citizens to buy their goods and services. You may even see a new business or two coming out because of the population increase. Overall, it's a good thing for the citizens to have this take place...I know there's some people that are very worried about trees and wildlife, but we're not building warehouses. We're building homes. This nation has a housing crisis and if we can do anything to help that, I'm all for it while creating jobs, providing homes for folks - making the standard of living and Guyton much better than what it was say a year or two ago.”

Nesmith's son Franklin Norris, who lives in the same area as the new development, agrees that growth in the city can be a good thing, especially for future residents to come.

“I don’t have a lot of issue with it because there are already two subdivisions up there,” said Norris. “I believe it is necessary for us to grow like all other cities. We have to have somewhere to put the people. We don’t have enough housing for everyone that is here. I know Effingham struggles with development but they have to remember, we have to have some place for our children.”

Latrice Williams is a general assignment reporter covering Bryan and Effingham County. She can be reached at lwilliams6@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: 'Necessary for us to grow': Guyton residents talk new housing development