[{"_1":2,"_135":-5,"_136":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111,123],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6387030,"mediaKeyId","2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7","parentId",2117263,"title","Votes at a glance: Oconee County Board of Commissioners, Jan. 7, 2025","audioSeconds",2302,"startMs",3066000,"endMs",5368000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7&start=3066&end=5368","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7/thumbnail_3066000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6387030/Oconee-County/Georgia/Votes-at-a-glance-Oconee-County-Board-of-Commissioners-Jan-7-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387030-aeb863619bfaea705eaab6e57fe9d7d0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142558&Signature=efaXURLzEJcpYWN0X2IFUMvzu345CMfGlqJM6pzvqjQfg4oN~u6rmlfc1ipNlFMPenwOklVOW65odsqpFdj5~06oWt6LxAyI30PEJubUo86XAnB8omtMNvRf8JKPaeoQ3zhi~5A8SDTE8VCAJ3Q3Yjqm~lO4bMB6AILzimp4qouwHLtNj0a7t4XM8f6S7K4u8qjGwJmbIvCKiLJMNhLjfKESHVt6zcGqE3XlE~lDW~VqWchdlbSyhBNqvZPjaxZdctvS-f1MkGkyeR-o5yJsdWRANf332ZujhUd9k8ZZ3-aroa8bM5BTC9JXb7YjcPDyv3~K-DR3RWpo7jmkAFbPvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oconee County GA Government","date","2025-01-07T00:00:00Z","article","At its Jan. 7 meeting the Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted on a slate of land‑use, budget and procurement items. The key actions below were taken by voice vote unless otherwise noted in the transcript.

• Approve rezone P24‑0217 (Townley Family Partnership) — Approved with seven conditions, including a 10‑year moratorium on final plats for the rezoned acreage (see separate article). (Motion moved by a commissioner; motion carries.)

• Approve special use P24‑0216 (Prince Avenue Baptist Church expansion) — Approved with four conditions; Planning Commission edit to require traffic impact study at preliminary site plan submission accepted. (Motion carries.)

• Approve special use P24‑0210 (Dixon Family Trust recreational overnight cabins) — Approved with planning‑commission modifications and an additional condition limiting stays to 30 days. (Motion moved and carried.)

• Variance P24‑0211 (Dixon Family Trust – gravel drive / parking / curb & gutter) — Board aligned with staff recommendation: denied the request to leave the existing Hog Mountain gravel drive as a commercial access; approved requests to allow vegetated ditches in lieu of curb-and-gutter and to allow compacted/graveled parking adjacent to rental units, subject to conditions.

• Variance P24‑0226 (Burgess Jennings Mill LLC / JG Griffith Investments LLC — fence at proposed Goddard School) — Approved with three standard conditions.

• QuikTrip buffer waiver (Veterans Memorial Parkway) — Waiver of the UDC 50‑foot incompatible‑use buffer granted; staff to verify landscaping as shown on development plan.

• Pay matrix adjustments (public safety and others) — Approved: pay matrix changes effective Jan. 5, 2025 (noted a $5,000 increase for public safety grades 10+ and a $2,100 base increase for other grades); estimated FY25 cost described in staff report.

• IT managed service provider RFP award — Contract awarded to Athens Micro at tier 1 services (monthly rate reduced from $17,310.50 to $16,871), effective immediately on approval.

• Sheriff’s office donation and FY25 budget amendment for vehicles — Approved acceptance of anticipated donation (~$102,000) from the Sheriff’s Office Foundation and related revenue‑neutral budget amendment to purchase two vehicles and equipment.

• FY26 budget submittal plan — Board approved the FY26 budget schedule and submittal timeline; tentative budget adoption scheduled for June 3, 2025 and public hearings in May.

• GDOT traffic‑signal application (US‑78 / Shops at Oconee) — Approved application to GDOT; developer to pay installation cost and the county may be responsible for monthly operating power costs if installed and accepted by GDOT.

• Stormwater management plan revision (BMP 2 wording) — Approved a wording change to require review of public education/outreach content on the stormwater website at least twice per year and update as needed.

• VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) grant acceptance — Approved acceptance of the FY2025 VOCA award for the Western Judicial Circuit, $143,475, with the usual grant administration to continue; the 25% match was waived for the federal fiscal year.

• E‑911 VIPER / MDT upgrade (law enforcement mobile data terminals) — Approved contract with ProLogic to replace 55 MDTs and peripherals at a cost not to exceed $201,151; funds reserved in assigned fund balance; budget amendment approved.

• Purchase of 1,650‑gallon fire tanker truck (Station 5) — Approved purchase not to exceed $215,000 with budget amendment from the 2021 SPLOST funds.

Several items were routine or had no public opposition; the board closed the meeting without convening executive session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOC Regular Meeting January 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of motions the board decided on Jan. 7, including zoning cases, variances, budget and procurement actions.","taxTitle","Oconee County, Georgia","taxId",28542,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6387034,"Commissioners waive 50‑foot commercial buffer for QuikTrip site on Veterans Memorial Parkway",90,4224000,4314000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7&start=4224&end=4314","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7/thumbnail_4224000.jpg","/articles/6387034/Oconee-County/Georgia/Commissioners-waive-50foot-commercial-buffer-for-QuikTrip-site-on-Veterans-Memorial-Parkway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387034-4da757c68972dc3ce39c19f1a56b3af5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142558&Signature=CDm0zO-gzWkQNkDqojY~XGt0XV5IFuN3iqSHYGb-ZRUeNmTShASddLwf5n5ujLb9BPvBnHG7Ztf1tphn0UQnNlO6D3Gtbnvc1ENjsKFQyUjBC6~pgpB9s0DydEXg9kkopShn1VypF22hZN1pzxLSJO0SmxYRfjGXLvjCOmQAk5fNNJsUFlevaNZv3ETK-wHbb81bPUSDdTdRK0pFMvgRlxfVccRXH4yHVRrGFaDqr6R7HVb~3ayFQkS~WgSoZsL2GOjhZll-S6sJvw6muSObv0EscWMVduBDHcapMQjaOG2t65qLprM4iS9UHbsQ-T~w4tBB5~nQadGepqD1y7Pbdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved a waiver request Jan. 7 allowing QuikTrip Corporation to reduce the Unified Development Code’s 50‑foot incompatible‑use buffer between a proposed B‑2 commercial QuikTrip on Veterans Memorial Parkway and nearby AR (agricultural‑residential) parcels.

County staff said QuikTrip owns adjoining parcels and that the comprehensive plan’s future‑land‑use map shows commercial use in the vicinity, supporting the waiver criteria in Article 8 of the UDC; staff recommended approval. Commissioners voted to grant the waiver; no public comment was recorded at the meeting.

The waiver will allow the developer to proceed with the submitted site plan subject to standard permitting and landscaping shown on the development plan; planning staff will verify landscaping and other requirements during final review.","The board approved a waiver to reduce the UDC’s 50‑foot incompatible‑use buffer for a proposed QuikTrip site, finding surrounding land owned by the applicant and the future land‑use map supports the waiver.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6387039,"Variance granted for decorative picket fence at proposed Goddard School on Research Parkway",439,3759000,4198000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7&start=3759&end=4198","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7/thumbnail_3759000.jpg","/articles/6387039/Oconee-County/Georgia/Variance-granted-for-decorative-picket-fence-at-proposed-Goddard-School-on-Research-Parkway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387039-55828e6bea9801c3ba480f509f37dbfc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142558&Signature=FNznjwqYn2QVcfgW8p24KkhA9ogMl1mNdA3hRzbUG8XELHn50RwpbPY1EUDuCi4KDzf4Sb5DKwNGAosO-xWOAP8n42cgSA0Omf9YMWPw7FoyPUnkYxviVdsYH6D8T7Dr33ooF9c0mFBLlEracEXZZK701751JRcgcGWoj2grEZsr7MMJqz84U3ubQCLFNX4aoeLycREWcTmZzrKFvPUFY6B4jr3szQknXaD5Ep75ajDNh7~F8h9W3t7Mup3IkkxZGwiDkrBf2YlawtGkaoZll8iiPr3R2XfDNOIij3rSmBWkPKZ1XOExQmrAJ8HyWUkWe3ABfwNceXGsYghQ0iveYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A variance to the Unified Development Code to permit a six‑foot decorative metal picket fence (with a three‑foot hedge in place of a six‑foot privacy wall) around a proposed Goddard School at 1100 Research Parkway won conditional approval from the Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 7.

Ken Bell, counsel for the applicant, said the Goddard School — a national private preschool operator — uses the open picket‑style fence at many campuses to balance security with visibility for caregivers and passersby. Planning staff recommended conditional approval; no public opposition was offered at the meeting. Commissioners voted to grant the variance with three standard conditions.

The approval allows the applicant to proceed with site design reflecting the approved fence style, subject to the planning department’s standard conditions and any required permitting for site work.","The board approved variance P24‑0226 to allow a six‑foot decorative metal picket fence and a three‑foot hedge in lieu of a six‑foot privacy wall around a daycare site at 1100 Research Parkway, citing security and visibility preferences.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6387044,"Commissioners OK Prince Avenue Baptist Church special use for event facility with traffic‑study timing change",324,3153000,3477000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7&start=3153&end=3477","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7/thumbnail_3153000.jpg","/articles/6387044/Oconee-County/Georgia/Commissioners-OK-Prince-Avenue-Baptist-Church-special-use-for-event-facility-with-trafficstudy-timing-change","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387044-626dfdab3202000f7565123f96995b7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142558&Signature=WHAX6VgXLm4ONQ7RrSGnRlkfdxBerLogs4d2jY9etQZE-AtaNhqtE-hWjNCWW2xxYN4b8ampb3FiF0o1sYxCJfSNmpn34WLZsbKuD1W4YXJGeXp9MCnc1VCYRkyYQImGs7bF8AHtJwSDUH1qyZKYlQ8pBVTz8pjmHnNjEBDiHAwi9ctHg1Ixzc5jFYVMCQj7v4ORLZivOAMaATo~9DTKaosMrI9kAVZbLFuw13eMjGevmxUY8DjgldEm6v2ehIYY9CmkOm1Y4TxvJIvPDwIFyMKG99knOQQkcEOf7wmF15wKN9F9dCtQKhqefPBHcKx40xJhAPfMn4z7h0Npdk3Y1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved special use P24‑0216 on Jan. 7 to allow Prince Avenue Baptist Church to expand its campus with a 60,000‑square‑foot event facility and additional parking spaces on a 74.41‑acre property on Ruth Jackson Road.

County planning staff presented the application and recommended conditional approval with the county’s standard conditions, including completing a traffic impact study. The Planning Commission proposed a change to condition 4 to require the traffic impact study to be submitted “prior to submission of the preliminary site development plan,” rather than earlier; staff said it was amenable to that amendment. Jeff Carter of Carter Engineering Consultants represented the applicant and said the church may add parking ahead of constructing the building and that the revised timing for the traffic study would allow staged parking work without triggering an early traffic study requirement.

No members of the public spoke against the application during the hearing. After commissioners confirmed the revised traffic‑study timing was acceptable to staff, a motion to approve the special use with four conditions, including the Planning Commission’s edit to condition 4, passed by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Planning staff will require the traffic study at the preliminary plan stage and will review site design, access and stormwater measures as part of subsequent permitting.","The board approved a special‑use permit allowing an event facility and expanded parking for Prince Avenue Baptist Church, accepting a Planning Commission edit to require a traffic impact study at preliminary site plan submission rather than earlier in the process.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6387049,"Board approves Dixon Family Trust plan for 11 rental cabins with conditions and limits on gravel access",1846,3494000,5340000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7&start=3494&end=5340","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7/thumbnail_3494000.jpg","/articles/6387049/Oconee-County/Georgia/Board-approves-Dixon-Family-Trust-plan-for-11-rental-cabins-with-conditions-and-limits-on-gravel-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387049-e362dc630973430c4dc228f58fff1bea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142558&Signature=A3gR-oSy0sS8LjXJ1rRhIT-lJ5huQr-d~7ecOA5cwW1yS3qqpHF35~fBtK~I3PY5lvxrCdKNS0tekqWqij5UbXi4Qlx1yyd1lr9mCoLzLsWni8E~0c6HlyVNEXWHvXrppbx5bsrJ40xZV48AJFStW3Va8h0EHBpXfsHxbVIOLQWMc0jsASUb7D7YwYNbu5yWNXA10YRMB38vguyaAWAb75UKtYHwap-dOEyTJ-YzCX27rMwpeYCNh5gR2kU5tHA4fQLJUJE3-AJDJ0pPZ6g22UfQvevE6GZ0gsJ82yc15CoPL0n11saX6O1iBWM~ZmVh64DnUG0NIJgbZHA5MRCQ~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved special use P24‑0210 for the Dixon Family Trust to build a small cluster of recreational overnight rental cabins and approved related variances with conditions after public comment and discussion about access, buffers and erosion.

Applicant materials presented by Mick Kittle of SPG Planners described a clustered development of about 11 cabins on a roughly 19‑acre portion of a larger family property (the applicant cites a total holding of about 470–475 acres). Each cabin was described as roughly 1,000 square feet with one to two bedrooms; the applicant projected high‑end nightly rates in presentation materials. The proposal included a centralized common lawn, a communal fire pit and walking trails, and proposed a 75‑foot vegetated buffer along property lines adjoining existing residences. The planning commission recommended approval, including the 75‑foot buffer, and proposed locating the fire pit centrally.

Staff recommended conditional approval for the special use and recommended denial of one variance request. The variance package (P24‑0211) asked to allow: (1) an existing gravel residential drive off Hog Mountain Road to remain as an owner‑service drive (instead of being paved to commercial access standards), (2) vegetated ditches instead of curb and gutter for the commercial access drive, and (3) compacted gravel parking rather than paved parking next to rental units. Staff supported the latter two and recommended denial of the gravel access remaining as an unpaved commercial access; the board adopted staff’s recommendation.

At the hearing neighbors expressed concerns about noise, transient guests and precedent for short‑term rentals in rural areas, and about topography and erosion risk on sloped parts of the site. Several speakers asked whether stays would be limited; commissioners added an extra condition to the special‑use approval limiting any individual overnight stay to no more than 30 days. The applicant agreed on the record to supplement vegetative screening where existing vegetation is thin and confirmed they would meet fire‑apparatus weight/load standards for access points.

After discussion, a motion to approve the special use (P24‑0210) passed with the planning‑commission additions and one extra condition limiting stays to 30 days; a separate motion aligned the variance decisions with staff recommendations (denying the request to keep the Hog Mountain gravel drive as a commercial access and approving the other two variances). The board recorded the approvals and directed the planning and fire departments to ensure design and life‑safety requirements are met before permits are issued.","The county granted special‑use approval for a small overnight cabin community on roughly 19 acres of a larger family tract, adding a 30‑day maximum stay limit and denying one variance request to keep a primary gravel driveway from Hog Mountain Road.",{"_33":124,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":125,"_41":126,"_43":127,"_45":128,"_47":129,"_49":130,"_51":131,"_53":132,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":133,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":134,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6387054,"Oconee commissioners approve Townley Family rezoning with 10‑year final‑plat limit",2619,479000,3098000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7&start=479&end=3098","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2117263-a6ac18eadd56a5797b0c901239e858f7/thumbnail_479000.jpg","/articles/6387054/Oconee-County/Georgia/Oconee-commissioners-approve-Townley-Family-rezoning-with-10year-finalplat-limit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6387054-d866ae8c6571b379c6fa66cda55b675d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771142559&Signature=hY8XajwgIJenvRwoLONFEgbp7ir1IGT7T~Q9k2eJbvdsEcGci1LOGCIMSMBW5y55anHpASOMmnIMc1hN3YgARvn4NydcUBLB6X1olF7KXJTM74S1pkrh-ab2yBxs4zy~Trz49plS9s~VtqYktBbfOmxe1MHPSQGt7dMwStGCY94tYhz1DjTYpXNLDfq90FkGDkfBgS1bu7XnRwG~HyVJujv9RsC6dRRRUFAAy96rlhVNr7sRmVwVDpI~BfYXVX~Fy3OAFIdS4CgJayH2oPTf4hcKA-htpXNIcJNC1m0LGYmdYyBG8erd6VKJDUw~mmIsVjCujlYdoEK90Y7chXAWVQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 7 approved rezone request P24‑0217 from the Townley Family Partnership, clearing roughly 299.94 acres along Hog Mountain Road, Hodges Mill Road and Rocky Branch Road to an Agriculture‑Residential (AR) designation from Agricultural (AG). Commissioners attached seven conditions, including a 10‑year prohibition on any final plat approvals for the rezoned portion and a 15‑foot open‑space/buffer requirement with landscaping and a berm.

The rezone request covers multiple parcels and, according to the applicant’s consultant, would allow a maximum of 120 lots under AR zoning; 88 of those lots are on land currently zoned AG and are the portion subject to the rezone. Jeff Carter of Carter Engineering Consultants, representing Townley Family Partnership, told commissioners the site fits the county’s suburban neighborhood character: public water is available, schools and a planned park are nearby, and the proposed lots would have a two‑acre minimum.

The county staff report recommended conditional approval; the planning commission recommended denial. Staff’s draft conditions included a 15‑foot open‑space strip along exterior boundaries and rights of way, a 10‑foot‑wide, 4‑foot‑tall berm with evergreen plantings, and an 8‑foot concrete multiuse path along roads that would connect Rocky Branch Road and Hodges Mill Road. The applicant proposed three alternative buffer planting options and asked that the multiuse path requirement be waived if a connecting road is not built. Commissioners approved the rezone with the applicant’s proposed modifications to the buffer language and the other conditions as presented at the meeting.

Several residents urged denial during public comment, citing traffic and infrastructure concerns on U.S. 53 (Highway 53) and nearby roads, rising property taxes tied to higher‑priced nearby sales, and preservation of farmland. Susanna Heimel said the Townley request would add 120 homes to the county and, combined with a nearby project at Dooley, could total 463 homes in the corridor. Carolyn Elster and Pam Hendricks described longstanding safety concerns making left turns on Highway 53 and urged commissioners to consider infrastructure limits and the county’s history with master‑planned developments.

Commission discussion emphasized that the 10‑year prohibition on final plats — a condition the applicant accepted — is intended to allow lots currently recorded to “draw down” over time and to limit near‑term development intensity. County staff said the moratorium rationale was based on a drawdown estimate of permitted lots and typical permit rates, and the applicant confirmed acceptance of the condition during the hearing. After a motion to approve with the revised conditions, the board voted in favor; no recorded roll‑call tally was provided in the transcript.

The approval changes the zoning on the subject parcels to AR with the seven attached conditions and directs planning staff to implement the final‑plat timing and buffer details during subsequent preliminary and final plat review.","The board approved rezoning roughly 299.94 acres near Hog Mountain Road from AG to AR for a proposed residential subdivision, attaching seven conditions including a 10‑year moratorium on final plats and revised roadside buffers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Oconee County Board of Commissioners, Jan. 7, 2025

Commissioners waive 50‑foot commercial buffer for QuikTrip site on Veterans Memorial Parkway

Variance granted for decorative picket fence at proposed Goddard School on Research Parkway

Commissioners OK Prince Avenue Baptist Church special use for event facility with traffic‑study timing change

Board approves Dixon Family Trust plan for 11 rental cabins with conditions and limits on gravel access

Oconee commissioners approve Townley Family rezoning with 10‑year final‑plat limit