I am very fortunate in that I have a lot of "eyes in the sky" so-to-speak. Not much happens development wise in this area that someone doesn't ask me about it.
      The latest ground disturbance to have my email hopping is the land clearing fronting Highway 80 East across the road from Applebees and Lowes.
      If you are facing the entrance to Belair Estates, you will see the clearing on either side of the entrance way.
      No doubt, it is a dramatic change to the property, and most likely upsetting to those living next to it who have had privacy from Highway 80 East all of these years.
      From what I have been able to find out, here is the "skinny."
      One of the owners of the tracts being harvested is local attorney Lehman Franklin Sr.
      Franklin said the property is being cleaned up so that it can be marketed "better."
      It appears to me, based on the Bulloch tax assessor's website, that about 65 acres are affected, and those acres, for the most part, border Belair Estates and stretch between Highway 80 and Jones Mill Road.
      No permits have been pulled for construction, and no development plans have been submitted to the city.
      "We have no plans for development of the property right now," Franklin said. "At one time, we looked at building a type of cluster housing. Now, we would like to clean it up, and sell it."
      Franklin said he has a preliminary plan in place for marketing the acreage.
      "I am going to put a For Sale by Donald Nesmith sign on the property," he said.
      "That should do it."
      Franklin did say that with a chuckle, and obviously tongue-in-cheek, but for those of you who may not know, Nesmith is a very successful developer whose projects always seem to do very well.
      He is one of the legends in our local real estate industry.
      Maybe Franklin's off-handed comment is not such a bad idea after all.
      So, until next Tuesday, I bid you au revoir.
      Got a scoop for Jan? Call her at (912) 489-9463 or email her at jmoore@statesboroherald.com