Lee sells land for townhouse development

LEESBURG, Ga. — The developers of a commercial and residential development planned along the yet-to-be-built Westover Road extension agreed to purchase 1.5 acres of land from Lee County on Tuesday to provide them with the necessary greenspace to proceed with the development.

Gary Eller, a local Realtor and developer, agreed to pay $9,372 for a narrow strip of land adjacent to Grand Island Golf Course. The strip will be used as a golf cart path.

Eller, a principal in Nordstar LLC, said work on his development is waiting on the completion of the Westover Road extension linking Ledo Road and Fussell Road. Work on the roadway is expected to begin in November.

Once the road is completed, Eller said he will have commercial development along Westover Road extension and townhouses between that development and Grand Island Golf Course, which is owned by the county.

“There will be a private road leading off IHOP Drive going to townhouses sitting on a hill with a panoramic view of the golf course,” Eller said. “These will be upper end, some of them 2,200-square-foot units with six townhomes per building and double garages on front.”

Eller said all the housing will be owner-occupied and not available for rent.

Commissioners also heard a report from Chad Slaughter and Phillip Saussy of J. Smith Lanier & Co. about the benefits of a wellness program the county has initiated for county employees through its insurance provider.