Elbert County to consider plan for 842 Blue Sky Ranch homes near Elizabeth
The proposal would increase the development cap from 193 homes on about 970 acres; county hearings are scheduled for Oct. 6 and Oct. 28.
Elbert County’s Planning Commission is scheduled to consider a plan Oct. 6 that would increase the Blue Sky Ranch development cap from 193 to 842 homes on about 970 acres northeast of Elizabeth. The Board of County Commissioners hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.
The amendment would revise the existing Miller Ranch planned unit development, allowing smaller lots and a new layout of detached single-family homes. Lots would range from 6,000 square feet to more than 3.5 acres, with larger lots around the perimeter and smaller ones inside. The proposed development exhibit allocates about 377 acres, or 40.4% of the site, to open space, parks and easements. The application also proposes neighborhood parks, a community center and trails. The county staff report identifies 842 as the current proposal; its project history lists 948 homes in 2025 and 842 in 2026.
Staff reported receiving 43 public comments by Oct. 1, most opposing the proposal. Residents raised concerns about traffic and road capacity, water, emergency services, wildlife and the project’s fit with the area’s rural character, according to the compiled comments. Some asked for lower density, larger lots or stronger safeguards. In a Sept. 29 letter, neighboring property owners Don and Cathy Ernst supported the revised plan, citing larger lots, buffers and a proposed tree-preservation park.
The developer would pave County Road 154 from Wild Horse Trail to County Road 29, and County Road 29 from County Road 154 to County Road 166, at the start of the project, according to County Public Works’ updated review. The department cited construction traffic, safety and emergency-access concerns. It found preliminary traffic, drainage and geotechnical reports satisfactory, but requires final engineering reports and construction plans before final-plat acceptance. Additional off-site road improvements would be determined at later construction stages and included in a subdivision improvement agreement; the review does not specify who would pay for them.
The state water office found the proposed water supply adequate, subject to abandoning an existing well before subdivision approval. It also cautioned that the groundwater source is nonrenewable and its economic life could be shorter than 300 years. If the amendment is approved, the staff report says, further plats, engineering review and a revised metropolitan-district service plan would be required.