Farmers Market Launch, Egg Hunt, Enviro Fest, And Welcome Center Reopening All Scheduled For Saturday In Watkinsville

***Earth Day Event Also Announced***

It should be busy in Watkinsville on Saturday.

The Oconee Farmers Market launches its 16th season at 8 a.m. Saturday in front of the Courthouse on Main Street in Watkinsville.

House Bill 302 Prohibiting Cities And Counties From Regulating Housing Design Still Has Life

***Resolution Creates Study Group***

Georgia Rep. Vance Smith, a Republican Pine Mountain, north of Columbus, has not given up his efforts to prohibit cities and counties from regulating design standards for one and two-family residential properties.

House Bill 302, which Smith authored, did not make it out of the House Rules Committee during the just-completed session of the General Assembly.

Oconee Commission Postpones Action On Rezone For Commercial Development At Mars Hill Road and U.S. 78

***Delay Until May 7***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night granted the request of Butts County developer Bill Jones for a postponement of consideration of a rezone of 32 acres for a commercial development at Mars Hill Road and U.S. 78.

Jones had told the county that he plans to build a JP convenience store and gas station with 20 fueling positions and a Burger King at the intersection where a BP station now stands.

Bogart Library Reopening Includes News That State Budget Provides Funding For Future Upgrade Of Watkinsville Library

***Ribbon Cutting And Tour***

The good news of the grand reopening of the Bogart Library on Saturday morning got even better as the ribbon cutting ceremonies progressed.

“I want to thank you all for coming out and welcome you to your newly renovated and expanded Bogart Branch Library,” Valerie Bell, executive director of the Athens Regional Library System, said at the start of the ceremonies a little after 11 a.m.

Oconee Commissioners To Decide On Rezone For Shopping Complex On Mars Hill Road At U.S. 78

***Planning Commission Recommended Denial***

A Butts County businessman is asking the Oconee County Board of Commissioners at its meeting on Tuesday evening to approve his plans for a 32-acre commercial development on Mars Hill Road at U.S. 78 that could include a hotel and a big box store–possibly a Publix grocery.

Plans for the initial phase of the project call for a JP convenience store and gas station with 20 fueling positions and Burger King with a drive through lane to replace the BP station and small shops already at the northwest corner of Mars Hill Road and U.S. 78.

Oconee County To Consider Converting Sewage Treatment Facility On Rocky Branch Road To A New Park

***Commission To Consider Plant Decommissioning***

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners will consider decommissioning its Land Application System sewage treatment facility on Rocky Branch Road and converting it into a park, Commission Chair John Daniell said at the first-ever State of the County presentation on Wednesday.

The nearly 250-acre site also could accommodate a new fire station and a new facility for the Fleet Maintenance, Water Resources and Public Works departments, Daniell told the nearly 70 people assembled for the presentation.

Oconee County Moves Forward With Plans To Build Its Own Broadband Infrastructure

***Seeking Partners For Service***

Oconee County took first steps Tuesday night toward building broadband infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet both in the northern developed and southern undeveloped parts of the county.

The Board of Commissioners told County Administrator Justin Kirouac to go forward with seeking qualified partners to build off a proposed fiber network to provide Internet services to homes and businesses.