The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office on Friday issued building permits for three of the five buildings to make up The Falls of Oconee speciality retail center on Old Macon Highway opposite the Athens Ridge student housing complex.
The permits are for the shells of the three buildings only and give no indication of how the buildings will be used.
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners last night placed a condition on the rezone it approved for Presbyterian Homes of Georgia in order to control the movement of traffic from the site onto U.S. 441 until a traffic light is installed.
Before the vote, Oconee County Public Works Director Emil Beshara advised the Board that much of what will be done at the continuing care retirement community’s main entrance and exit on U.S. 441 is not under the control of the county.
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 tonight to grant Presbyterian Homes of Georgia its rezone request to build a continuing care retirement community on 70 acres fronting U.S. 441 and Wellbrook Road.
The commissioners stipulated that Presbyterian Homes must limit traffic leaving the main entrance to the campus on U.S. 441 to right-hand turns.
The Oconee County Chamber of Commerce has asked the Oconee County Board of Commissioners to approve tomorrow night the rezone request of Presbyterian Homes of Georgia for a continuing care retirement community on U.S. 441 and Wellbrook Road.
The Chamber told the commissioners that the PHG facility will have “significant” economic impact on the community and “add to the quality of life” of citizens, but it did not address the issues of safety and traffic, which are most likely to be the primary focus of the commissioners tomorrow night.
Oconee County’s two weekly newspapers last week reported explanations for the lack of funding of the Bogart Library renovation and expansion in the state budget passed by the General Assembly last month that are at odds with the public record of the Georgia Public Library Service.
The Oconee Enterprise quoted Sen. Bill Cowsert as saying the Bogart Library project was not listed as a top priority by the Board of Regents, the budget of which includes the requests of the Georgia Public Library Service (GPLS).
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 last night to move the Planning Department, Code Enforcement and three other offices out of the Dolvin buildings within the year but gave no indicate where it will move them.
Commissioner Jim Luke, who voted against the motion to terminate the lease for the Dolvin buildings, said he did so because he wasn’t confident the county would have a place to put those offices.
The public might get at least a hint tomorrow night of county plans for handling future space needs when the Board of Commissioners considers termination of the lease on the government offices across the street from the Courthouse.
County Attorney Daniel Haygood told me in an email message this afternoon that he is anticipating the Board will give a one-year notice to the landlord that the lease will be terminated.
