Sunday, January 27, 2013

Epps Bridge Centre In Oconee County Has Building Permits For 60 Percent Of Core

Georgia Square Mall Tenants Included

The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office has issued building permits for about 260,000 square feet of space in Epps Bridge Centre, accounting for more than 60 percent of the core of the shopping center.

The county also has under review site plans for one of the 12 outparcels for the mall. Those site plans must be reviewed by the county’s Development Review Committee before the Code Enforcement Office can issue a building permit.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Oconee County Commissioners Discuss Broad Issues at “Visioning” Session in Veterans Park

Davis: Pad is “Blank”

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners spent just less than five hours today in a “visioning” session at Veterans Park, discussing topics from zoning, sewerage treatment, traffic, Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax initiatives, citizen advisory committee membership, and farmland protection.

Nothing concrete was decided at the meeting, and, in fact, BOC Chairman Melvin Davis warned that the comments of commissioners should be taken as preliminary, rather than “the final thoughts” on any given issue.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Oconee County Planning Commission Recommends Partial Change in Pebble Creek Subdivision Rezone Conditions

Confused Slab Request

The Oconee County Planning Commission tonight rejected the request by the new owner of Pebble Creek subdivision to be allowed to build smaller homes on the now-vacant subdivision on SR 15 in the far south of the county.

The group did recommend that CAAT Holdings LLC be allowed to build the homes on slabs rather than with basements or crawl spaces, provided the slab construction meets current code standards.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Owner Of Pebble Creek Subdivision Seeking Permit To Build Smaller Homes On Slabs

Former Owner Opposed

The current owner of unbuilt Pebble Creek subdivision on SR 15 in the south of the county is asking for a modification to the 2004 rezone conditions to allow it to build smaller, less expensive homes on cement slabs at ground level.

The request, which is scheduled to be before the Planning Commission on Jan. 22 and the Board of Commissioners on Feb. 12, already has drawn opposition, including from E. Dwayne Wilkes, who owned and rezoned the property in 2004 and still has land abutting the empty subdivision.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Oconee County Sheriff’s Plans To Boycott Company For Arms Sale Policy Has Obstacles

Legality An Open Question

If Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry plans to follow through on his promise to boycott Dana Safety Supply because the company has decided not to sell some firearms to the general public, he will have to change the procedures he follows for purchasing weapons.

At present, the sheriff goes through the regular purchasing procedures of the county, where state contracts control many purchases and were low bidders are selected if they can provide the product.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Oconee County’s Representatives to Georgia House Not In Full Agreement On Redistricting

Issue Can Wait, Williams Says

Oconee County Rep. Regina Quick said she has asked legislative counsel to draft a bill restoring Oconee County to a single district in the Georgia House of Representatives, but it appears leadership of the House, not its members, will decide if the legislation even gets a hearing.

Oconee County Rep. Chuck Williams told me on Tuesday he will not support Quick’s initiative without approval of House leadership. If both representatives do not agree, the legislation is almost certain to die without action.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Oconee County Issued Four Building Permits Today for Epps Bridge Centre

Extend Strip Mall Shopping

The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office by the end of the day today had issued eight building permits for five different structures at Epps Bridge Centre.

Three of those permits were for the University 16 Stadium Theatre, the most recent issued today for the interior space for the 70,412-square-foot building. Permits for the foundation and for the shell were issued in October.

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Oconee County Commissioners Approve New Debt for Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir

Treatment Plant On Hold

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously last night to approve loan documents from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) that add $5.8 million in new county debt for construction of the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir in Walton County.

The BOC took the action following a financial analysis by County Administrative Officer Jeff Benko showing that the county can handle this and all future debt for the reservoir and other projects without a water rate increase, though he did not guarantee that a rate increase would not be necessary in the future.

Monday, January 07, 2013

Oconee County Board of Commissioners Scheduled To Approve New Hard Labor Creek Debt

Projections Difficult

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to give final approval tomorrow night to loan documents that will add $5.8 million in new county debt for construction of the Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir in Walton County.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Melvin Davis has promised county officials will provide information to the public on population projections, future water use estimates, and plans for retirement of the debt before the Board makes its decision.

Sunday, January 06, 2013

Oconee County Voters Name Economic Problems As Most Important, Survey Finds

Many List No Problem

Oconee County residents are most concerned about economic issues facing the county, including the need for economic development and for growth in employments prospects, according to a scientific survey of registered voters conducted just before the elections last November.

The voters also are concerned about the county’s schools, about strains on the county’s infrastructure and about the weak housing market.