Oconee County Chairman Wants To Talk About Safety, But Other Proponents Of Daniells Bridge Road Projects Acknowledge Development Potential

More On Tuesday

Tom Kittle, who really is at the center of the Daniells Bridge Road extension and flyover, made his case for this project and the related widening of the road in a straightforward fashion at the Oconee County Board of Commissioners meeting last Tuesday.

These two projects, in his view, will facilitate the flow of traffic from outside of Watkinsville to Epps Bridge Parkway, thereby relieving existing congestion at the Oconee Connector, and will open up additional land, including land he owns, for development.

Athens Ridge Fight And Arrest Are The Exception, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Records Show

Alternative To Athens Coming

The fight and arrest on a charge of underage possession of alcohol early in the morning of Jan. 4 at Athens Ridge, the student housing complex on Old Macon Highway, was an exception, a review of records of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office shows.

Going back to when the townhouse complex opened at the beginning of the academic year in August, records show only one other incident that clearly involved alcohol. That event also was this year, on the morning of Jan. 1.

Decision On Daniells Bridge Road Projects Delayed Again By Oconee County Board of Commissioners

Come Back Next Week

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners, unable to find a consensus, took no action last night on the two project framework agreements with the Georgia Department of Transportation for the widening of Daniells Bridge Road and for the Daniells Bridge Road extension and flyover of SR Loop 10.

Commission Chairman Melvin Davis pushed the four voting commissioners to give tentative approval to the projects, but none of the commissioners supported that decision.

Oconee County Commissioners Make No Progress On Courthouse Future In Two-Day Planning Session

Also No Agreement On Strategy

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners ended its two-day planning session on Friday pretty much where it started the day before in terms of the future of the Courthouse, which it also acknowledged is one of the most pressing issues facing the Board and the county.

Commissioner Jim Luke said at the end of the day that he is very concerned about the county’s space issues but that he didn’t think the Board was close to finding any solutions.

Bed Bath & Beyond And Party City Coming To Oconee County’s Epps Bridge Centre

Now At Athens Promenade

Oconee County has issued a permit for a 39,000-square-foot building at Epps Bridge Centre to house both Bed Bath & Beyond and Party City.

The new building will be located to the west of Marshalls in the last open area in the central core of the strip mall that lies between the Oconee Connector, SR Loop 10 and Epps Bridge Parkway.

Daniells Bridge Road Widening And Flyover On Oconee County Board of Commissioners Agenda Again

Call For Decision On Contract

The project framework agreements with the state for the widening of Daniells Bridge Road and for construction of an extension of Daniells Bridge Road and flyover of SR Loop 10 are back on the agenda of the Oconee County Board of Commissioners for approval on Tuesday night.

The two projects would create a new traffic artery to move traffic from Watkinsville to the Epps Bridge Road commercial corridor and then Athens that would parallel Mars Hill Road, now being rebuilt at a cost of $30 million.

Oconee County Commissioners Told They Should Consider Increasing Property Taxes This Year

One Commissioner Speaks For Increase

Given the costs of paying for the enticements to bring Caterpillar to the area, the need for new judicial facilities, and the plans to build new roads and maintain the existing ones, Oconee County commissioners should consider an increase in the county’s property tax rate.

That was the message of Wes Geddings, county finance director, in the opening session of a day-long planning meeting held by the Oconee Board of Commissioners at a conference venue in Athens-Clarke County today.