Lee County officials talk of plans for 100-acre recreational site

LEESBURG — The Lee County 100-Acre Recreational Planning Committee held a meeting Tuesday to discuss the potential use of the property in an effort to create a recreational and economic asset.

Committee Chairman Luke Singletary discussed the broad range of interest in the project and said he was encouraged by the diverse background of those serving on the committee.

“We have the city input, Development Authority input, Parks and Recreation, engineering background, a banker or two that will participate when they can,” Singletary said. “We’ve got ag background. The idea behind this whole committee when we thought about putting it together is we have a hundred acres of beautiful property that we need to come up with an idea of what is most beneficial for the county, its residents, economic development, and put together something that will benefit everybody in the county. Not just ag, not just team sports, not just the school system.”

Lee Marshall Jim Wright presented a brief video presentation that included an aerial view of the site and a brief summary of the current development of the location.

“We have been working down there for a number of months, and Lee County and Leesburg Public Works have been working to clear walking trails,” Wright said. “We have three-quarters of a mile cleared … the trail runs along the Flint Ridge, which is 46 feet above the creek. That’s unusual for Lee County. The lower trail is the Muscogee Trace Trail, going with a Native American theme.”

Wright detailed the topography of the site as well as potential layouts of roads providing access to the water and circling the site. Currently there are eight picnic tables and a covered pavilion on the property. Limited signage has been provided for the trail system, although at this time the property is not open to the public. Wright outlined the partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in the development of a proposed boat landing on the property.

David Dixon, a Lee County resident and member of the Flint Riverkeeper organization, gave an overview of the landing, explaining that this would be a smaller landing than Sutton’s Landing as it would be utilized specifically for non-motorized vessels. When open, the landing will provide public access to the Kinchafoonee Creek, approximately 5 miles above Sandy Beach and 10.5 miles above Sutton’s Landing. There is also a waterfront site with a sand bar that might offer another potential site for additional public access to the creek.

During discussion of expanded use of the county’s waterways for recreational purposes, Tom Sumners, a member of the committee with property on the waterway, asked that an effort be made to educate the public not only on landowner rights but overall etiquette on the water.

Dixon and Wright agreed that there were obvious issues with litter and potential trespassing associated with increased usage of the waterway, but that in most regard things were improving as those using this resource valued it. They did note that open-container and BUI issues led to some individuals leaving empty containers along the route.

“We have an unidentified individual out there that we call the ‘Bud Lite Bandit,’” Wright said.

“Every sandbar along the way we find a can. I collected a whole 24 pack one time,” Dixon added.

Singletary interjected that those using the waterways since access in the county had been increased valued the waterways and the opportunity to use them, and in many instances were now “self-policing” these issues. County Manager Christi Dockery said that the county is working in conjunction with DNR on a flyer to place at the current landing, and these topics could be included.

In opening the discussion, Singletary said, “This is where everybody’s input is important. I think we can all agree on the walking trail part and the boat ramp. There’s been a lot of talk since this idea started up until now, ranging from recreation ball parks to amphitheater to ag center to RV site.”

He went on to say that over the years, some of these ideas and uses might need to be readdressed, especially as use of the waterways have grown.

During the discussion, a variety of potential uses for the property was circulated including a multi-use structure, greenfields for team sports, a livestock/equestrian arena, tent and RV camping, hiking, archery, shooting ranges, an amphitheater, a food truck court, and boat landing. A focus on multi-use of features was a common thread of discussion as well as the success of the state facilities at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agriculture Center in Perry.

“I haven’t talked to anybody for a while, but Perry needed what they called feeder locations for smaller shows,” Lisa Davis, president of the Lee County Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Lee County Development Authority, said. “I can reach out to them again. The thing there is it’s a multi-use facility.”

Sumner mentioned that a group of interested citizens in Lee County had actually begun the process of developing a similar site in Lee County over a decade ago.

“Myself and a group of other individuals in the county went to several places, including Perry,” he said. “The folks told us then they would love for us to do something. … They were excited about us doing something with our location and access.”

Sumner recounted a visit by the developers of the Perry facility to his farm, where they met with other individuals in the community who’d expressed support for a facility in Lee County. He said that at that time, leaders in Lee County committed a million dollars in SPLOST funding and a landowner was prepared to donate the property for the project. However, when those funds went toward other projects, including the library, the offer of land was retracted, leading to the end of further action on the planned facility.

“You can get bogged down in talking about all the things you can do and end up doing nothing,” Sumner said. “So from the economic standpoint, where do you get the most bang for your buck?”

He went on to caution the committee that there were many other facilities other than Perry — some large and others small — that had been developed with this goal in mind and that for a variety of reasons did not get it right.

“This is where you pull in the people like Perry that have done it right and grown,” Sumner said. “They made mistakes but they learned from those mistakes.”

One concept that evolved during the meeting was moving a variety of government agency office to the site where there was a permanent presence and connection, be it county extension offices, 4H and FFA programs, as well as other county offices.

The overall consensus of the committee was that the potential for a successful facility in Lee County would not only be a benefit for educational and recreational opportunities for the citizens of the county, but it could serve as an economic catalyst leading to future development of amenities associated with tourism, including potential hotel development.

Prior to adjourning, the committee expressed an interest having the opportunity to review the plans and documents developed in the previous venture that Sumner had been a part of and having Davis re-establish contact with the staff at the facility in Perry.

Staff Photo: Tom Seegmueller