Oconee County Land Use Committee Invited TDR Committee To Tuesday Meeting

Request For Proposals On Agenda

The Oconee County Citizen Advisory Committee on Land Use and Transportation Planning has extended an invitation to members of the county’s Transfer of Development Rights Committee to meet jointly on Tuesday night at the Community Center in Veterans Park.

The Land Use Committee issued the invitation after a discussion of nearly 90 minutes on Aug. 13 in which individual members expressed confusion about their mandate, opposition to a TDR program on the mistaken belief that it involves the federal government, and frustration with the Committee leadership.

Epps Bridge Centre Has Received Building Permits From Oconee County For Two-Thirds Of Total Space

Most Outparcels Still Unbuilt

Oconee County has now issued at least some form of building permit for nearly two-thirds of the total commercial space in Epps Bridge Centre, the new shopping mall at the Oconee Connector and SR Loop 10.

Most of those permits are for the core of the shopping center, which preliminary site plans indicated would make up more than 80 percent of the total mall space.

Bioscience Authority Appointments On Agenda For Board of Commissioners Meeting On Tuesday

Late Addition

Oconee County Clerk Jane Greathouse just before noon on Friday added a new item dealing with appointments to the Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority to the agenda for Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting .

Earlier last week she added to the agenda a water and sewer project update by Utility Department Director Chris Thomas. Thomas is to review recently completed water and sewer projects, those underway, and future projects

Fairway Outdoor Advertising Has Removed Old Signs, Illuminated Third Side of LED Display On Epps Bridge Parkway

Sales Tax Increase A Dream

Fairway Outdoor Advertising removed its three signs at Ruth Jackson Road and U.S. 78 earlier this month and has illuminated the third side of its LED sign at Epps Bridge Parkway and the Oconee Connector.

Despite what county officials said would be the case, however, the county will see no increase in sales tax revenue as a result of the new, large illuminated signs Fairway has installed at two locations on Epps Bridge Parkway.

Contrasting Parking Lots Mark Oconee County, Atlanta Highway Shopping Malls On Saturday

New Permits Too

The contrast on Saturday between Oconee County’s Epps Bridge Centre and the shopping centers on Atlanta Highway in Athens-Clarke County was striking.

Epps Bridge Centre was celebrating the official opening of three Gap Inc. stores, and cars filled the parking lot in front of the stores later in the day.

The parking lot in front of the closed Old Navy store in the Athens Promenade on Atlanta Highway was nearly empty.

Leader Of Better Georgia Told Oconee County Democrats Georgia Citizens Are Progressive

Dogs And Guerrillas

Most Georgians are more progressive than their elected state leaders, Bryan Long, executive director of Better Georgia, told a small group gathered for the Oconee County Democratic Committee meeting on Aug. 15.

Long didn’t define what he meant by progressive, but he said Georgians are in favor of better funding for education, are opposed to laws severely restricting a woman’s right to decide on matters of her health, in favor of funding needed government services, and in favor of infrastructure investment.

Oconee County Has Not Yet Investigated Zoning Issues Raised by Garrett Family Rezone Request

EPD Received Complaints

When the Garrett family sought local and state permission to convert its recovered materials processing facility on Dials Mill Road into a materials recovery facility earlier this year, it invited both public and government scrutiny of its current operations.

As a result of that scrutiny, four citizens filed complaints with the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources about the recovered materials processing facility at 1441 Dials Mill Road or about Roll Off Systems, headquartered nearby on B. Garrett Drive.