Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Oconee County Commissioners Agree To Pay For Work On Rejected Plan To Reconnect Old Mars Hill Road To Mars Hill Road

Davis’ Plan

Oconee County Commissioners tentatively agreed on Tuesday night to pay the $10,000 bill for the design work ordered up by Chairman Melvin Davis without Commission approval last year to connect Old Mars Hill Road with Mars Hill Road.

The Commission ultimately rejected Davis’ plans, but not before county Public Works Director Emil Beshara had requested that Moreland Altobelli Associates Inc. alter the design for the roadway.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Oconee County’s Epps Bridge Centre Getting Another Restaurant And A Boutique

Only 3 Left

Oconee County issued building permits for two tenants at Epps Bridge Centre in May and June, leaving only three suites in the main core of the shopping complex with Space Available signs.

Woks Up will join six other restaurants or food shops in the central building cluster opposite University 16 Cinemas, which has a restaurant inside it.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Oconee County Economic Development Director Did Favorable Analysis Of Dealership Rezone After Planning Commission Negative Vote

Not Available To Public

Three weeks after the Oconee County Planning Commission voted against a proposed rezone on SR 316 for auto dealerships, county Economic Development Director J.R. Charles sent members of the Board of Commissioners an “Economic Impact Analysis” that said the project would benefit the county.

Charles also sent the report to Jon Williams, president of Williams and Associates, who was representing those asking for the rezone, saying “Thought you would like to have it in your back pocket if you have to speak at the Commission meeting.”

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Oconee County Announced Major Sewer Spill Into Barber Creek At Malcolm Bridge Road

Force Main Break

Oconee County on Tuesday announced a major sewer spill into Barber Creek at Malcolm Bridge Road as a result of a break in a forced main leading to the county’s Land Application Site on Rocky Branch Road.

The actual break in the sewer line occurred sometime before noon on Monday, according to an email message Oconee County Utility department Director Wayne Haynie sent Tuesday afternoon.

Oconee County Planning Commission, Concerned About Traffic At Oconee Elementary and Middle Schools, Turned Down Rezone

Approved Another Despite Traffic

The Oconee County Planning Commission was concerned about traffic on Hog Mountain Road in its rezone hearings on Monday night, but not where Hog Mountain Road meets U.S.441 at Ray’s Crossing.

Instead the Commission was focused on the impact of two proposed fast food restaurants with drive through operations on school traffic just west of Butler’s Crossing.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Rezone For Shopping Center At Corner Of Hog Mountain Road And U.S. 441 On Planning Commission Agenda

Plus Three Other Rezones

The Oconee County Planning Commission will hold public hearings on four different rezone requests tomorrow (Monday) night, including one that will have impact on everyone who uses the already busy intersection of Hog Mountain Road and U.S. 441.

ABE Consulting, on behalf of property owner Toccoa 85 LP, is asking the county to rezone 1.7 acres, with frontage on and access to both Hog Mountain Road and U.S. 441, to allow development of a small commercial shopping center.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Oconee County Had Draft Plans For The Route Of The Calls Creek Sewer Line At Least A Year Before It Told Public

Property Appraised Too

Oconee County has been working on specific plans for construction of a sewer pipeline down Calls Creek since at least March of 2015, or nearly a year before it revealed those plans to citizens living along the creek.

The county began making specific plans for the 24-inch pipeline after it appraised at least two key pieces of property, one on the Middle Oconee River and the other adjoining the county’s existing wastewater treatment plant on Calls Creek.