Anthony Glenn, Charles Glenn and Lee Becker updates on Barnett Shoals vote and water issues
I think we should urge these three folks to run for the Board of Commissioners in the next election, except that I think one of the BOC now staggered terms slots coming up next is Chuck Horton. The following are from emails from Dr. Anthony Glenn, Charles Baugh and Lee Becker, heroes all for attempting to engineer a little opposition to the development stampede so willing to stamp any corner of the county clean of pesky woods, trees, tranquility, clean water, river banks, archeology and historic areas.
Morning folks,
As many of you know by now, the BOC approved the rezone request for the construction of a 196-lot subdivision next to Creekside Country Club on Old Barnett Shoals Road. There were many solid arguments against this development, and most centered on the reasonable idea that the density of the development was too high for the area. Concerns were even disclosed over whether the bridge crossing the Oconee River on Barnett Shoals Road was structurally sound enough to support the additional weigh load of a needed 12” water line versus an 8” line which the bridge apparently was designed to handle. I found it odd that more caution wasn’t granted to this concern given the recent event in Minneapolis.
For those that weren’t there, here’s how the voting occurred:
Chuck Horton made a motion to deny the rezone request. This was seconded by Jim Luke. The vote was 2:2 with Don Norris and Margaret Hale voting against the motion. Chairman Davis voted against the motion, thus killing it. Norris then made a motion to approve the rezone. This was seconded by Hale. The vote was 2:2 with Horton and Luke voting against the motion. Davis voted for the motion, thus approving the rezone. Oddly enough, Hale was the swing vote on this one. As you may recall, she often forms a voting block with Horton, with Luke being the swing vote. Davis’ vote was consistent with his tie-breaking voting record.
Here are links to a couple of editorials speaking out against the vote:
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/080907/letters_20070809011.shtml
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/080907/letters_20070809012.shtml
With 1 acre lots now allowed in a region designated as “low-density residential” and “transitional agriculture” on the Land Use Map, the precedent is set to allow higher density in similarly designated areas throughout the county. For example, recent battles in the Bishop area now have a new standard for comparison.
As for the other issue with the Rocky Branch sewer plant, it was essentially tabled with no action from the BOC. See this article for more details:
http://onlineathens.com/stories/080907/news_20070809034.shtml
Regards,
Tony Glenn
From: Anthony Glenn [mailto:aglenn@uga.edu]
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 7:01 PM
To: 'Anthony Glenn'
Subject: BOC meeting Tuesday, August 7th at 7:00 pm
Good evening all,
This email list has been quiet lately due to several factors (slow down in the county’s build-out as well as my own hectic work schedule the past few months), but I did want to bring tomorrow’s BOC meeting to your attention. A couple of important issues are in the works. The first is the Rocky Branch water treatment facility, which is detailed below in the messages from Charles Baugh and Lee Becker. Also take note of this article available online from the Oconee Leader (http://www.theoconeeleader.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=9 ).
The second big issue is a proposed rezone of the property adjacent to the golf course on Barnett Shoals Road. You may remember this issue from earlier this year. It’s also been covered recently by the papers. Hopefully you’ve had a chance to study this one. It in many ways is a similar scenario to what we have faced in south Oconee, and will undoubtedly face again. The main difference is that this proposal is for high density (1 house per acre) in an area that is without sewer/water infrastructure. From what I hear, such infrastructure stops at the river, and if water and sewer capacity (see the issue above) is extended across the river, that whole area of the county will become 1 acre home lots very quickly. This has serious growth implications for both Oconee and Clarke counties given the positioning of the county line.
Please make it to the meeting if you can.
Many thanks,
Tony Glenn
From: OconeesFuture@aol.com [mailto:OconeesFuture@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 12:01 PM
To: GAONMND@aol.com
Subject: Sewer Policy and Rocky Branch Treatment Facility Expansion
Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc.
P. O. Box 1301
Watkinsville, GA 30677
Following is a message from Lee Becker, Friends of Barber Creek with information about the Tuesday, Aug. 7 Board of Commissioners meeting where the county sewer policy and bids for the Rocky Branch treatment facility design will be considered. Currently the county policy is to allocate sewage treatment capacity between new residential and new commercial construction. The options discussed briefly at the last BOC meeting were basically the same; 50/50 residential and commercial.
While the county is considering this they continue to rezone for residential using public water and septic tanks. At the same time the State EPD is expressing concerns about the impact of septic systems on water quality. The county already has a number of old subdivisions with failing septic systems and no plan to deal with the problem. It appears a substantial retrofit of public sewer will be necessary for some of these subdivisions. Currently the county has no ordinance requiring proper maintenance and inspection of septic systems.
All these issues need to be worked before we continue to make piecemeal decisions about sewer capacity and allocation of the capacity to new residential and commercial construction. At a minimum a substantial part of any new treatment capacity which is allocated to residential should be used for existing problem private systems.
The citizens who live along the creeks into which the treated sewer water is proposed to be dumped should have the greatest protection from future poorly maintained and operated facilities as possible.
It would be good for the members of the BOC to hear from interested citizens on this issue.
Charles Baugh
Dear Friends,
Chairman Melvin Davis has put on the agenda for late in the August 7 meeting of the Board of Commissioners an item that could have a big impact on Oconee County, and particularly on those who live along and care about Barber Creek.
The Board will be asked to "Consider approval of LAS Design Proposal and Sewer Policy Clarification."
This will come up after the Board considers eight rezones, including a controversial one on Old Barnett Shoals, and makes appointments to five County committees, including the Planning Commission.
This would seem to be an inappropriate time to decide on a project very conservatively estimated to cost $6 to $8 million and make decisions about how the sewage capacity gained from the proposed upgrade will be allocated between commercial and residential users.
Citizens will not get to see the bid until the meeting and will not know about the proposed sewage use policies until some proposal is announced at the meeting. It seems there will be little discussion of options.
I've written to Mr. Davis asking him to delay any decision on the important project. The text of my message is on my blog, at http://www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/
Please try to attend the meeting tomorrow night. One member of the Board will be there, but it would be a great help to have others present.
In addition, if you can, write to the members of the Board of Commissioners asking them NOT to take any action until citizens can review the bids and the proposals and until Friends of Barber Creek can meet with the Board to discuss our requests regarding flooding, water quality, and monitoring.
Here are the names and email addresses of the Board members:
Melvin Davis, (Chairman), mdavis@oconee.ga.us
Margaret Hale, margarethale@oconee.ga.us and marghale@aol.com
Chuck Horton, chorton@oconee.ga.us
Jim Luke, jluke@oconee.ga.us
Don Norris, dnorris@oconee.ga.us
Thanks
Lee
Lee Becker
lbbecker@mindspring.com
Morning folks,
As many of you know by now, the BOC approved the rezone request for the construction of a 196-lot subdivision next to Creekside Country Club on Old Barnett Shoals Road. There were many solid arguments against this development, and most centered on the reasonable idea that the density of the development was too high for the area. Concerns were even disclosed over whether the bridge crossing the Oconee River on Barnett Shoals Road was structurally sound enough to support the additional weigh load of a needed 12” water line versus an 8” line which the bridge apparently was designed to handle. I found it odd that more caution wasn’t granted to this concern given the recent event in Minneapolis.
For those that weren’t there, here’s how the voting occurred:
Chuck Horton made a motion to deny the rezone request. This was seconded by Jim Luke. The vote was 2:2 with Don Norris and Margaret Hale voting against the motion. Chairman Davis voted against the motion, thus killing it. Norris then made a motion to approve the rezone. This was seconded by Hale. The vote was 2:2 with Horton and Luke voting against the motion. Davis voted for the motion, thus approving the rezone. Oddly enough, Hale was the swing vote on this one. As you may recall, she often forms a voting block with Horton, with Luke being the swing vote. Davis’ vote was consistent with his tie-breaking voting record.
Here are links to a couple of editorials speaking out against the vote:
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/080907/letters_20070809011.shtml
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/080907/letters_20070809012.shtml
With 1 acre lots now allowed in a region designated as “low-density residential” and “transitional agriculture” on the Land Use Map, the precedent is set to allow higher density in similarly designated areas throughout the county. For example, recent battles in the Bishop area now have a new standard for comparison.
As for the other issue with the Rocky Branch sewer plant, it was essentially tabled with no action from the BOC. See this article for more details:
http://onlineathens.com/stories/080907/news_20070809034.shtml
Regards,
Tony Glenn
From: Anthony Glenn [mailto:aglenn@uga.edu]
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 7:01 PM
To: 'Anthony Glenn'
Subject: BOC meeting Tuesday, August 7th at 7:00 pm
Good evening all,
This email list has been quiet lately due to several factors (slow down in the county’s build-out as well as my own hectic work schedule the past few months), but I did want to bring tomorrow’s BOC meeting to your attention. A couple of important issues are in the works. The first is the Rocky Branch water treatment facility, which is detailed below in the messages from Charles Baugh and Lee Becker. Also take note of this article available online from the Oconee Leader (http://www.theoconeeleader.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112&Itemid=9 ).
The second big issue is a proposed rezone of the property adjacent to the golf course on Barnett Shoals Road. You may remember this issue from earlier this year. It’s also been covered recently by the papers. Hopefully you’ve had a chance to study this one. It in many ways is a similar scenario to what we have faced in south Oconee, and will undoubtedly face again. The main difference is that this proposal is for high density (1 house per acre) in an area that is without sewer/water infrastructure. From what I hear, such infrastructure stops at the river, and if water and sewer capacity (see the issue above) is extended across the river, that whole area of the county will become 1 acre home lots very quickly. This has serious growth implications for both Oconee and Clarke counties given the positioning of the county line.
Please make it to the meeting if you can.
Many thanks,
Tony Glenn
From: OconeesFuture@aol.com [mailto:OconeesFuture@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 12:01 PM
To: GAONMND@aol.com
Subject: Sewer Policy and Rocky Branch Treatment Facility Expansion
Citizens for Oconee's Future, Inc.
P. O. Box 1301
Watkinsville, GA 30677
Following is a message from Lee Becker, Friends of Barber Creek with information about the Tuesday, Aug. 7 Board of Commissioners meeting where the county sewer policy and bids for the Rocky Branch treatment facility design will be considered. Currently the county policy is to allocate sewage treatment capacity between new residential and new commercial construction. The options discussed briefly at the last BOC meeting were basically the same; 50/50 residential and commercial.
While the county is considering this they continue to rezone for residential using public water and septic tanks. At the same time the State EPD is expressing concerns about the impact of septic systems on water quality. The county already has a number of old subdivisions with failing septic systems and no plan to deal with the problem. It appears a substantial retrofit of public sewer will be necessary for some of these subdivisions. Currently the county has no ordinance requiring proper maintenance and inspection of septic systems.
All these issues need to be worked before we continue to make piecemeal decisions about sewer capacity and allocation of the capacity to new residential and commercial construction. At a minimum a substantial part of any new treatment capacity which is allocated to residential should be used for existing problem private systems.
The citizens who live along the creeks into which the treated sewer water is proposed to be dumped should have the greatest protection from future poorly maintained and operated facilities as possible.
It would be good for the members of the BOC to hear from interested citizens on this issue.
Charles Baugh
Dear Friends,
Chairman Melvin Davis has put on the agenda for late in the August 7 meeting of the Board of Commissioners an item that could have a big impact on Oconee County, and particularly on those who live along and care about Barber Creek.
The Board will be asked to "Consider approval of LAS Design Proposal and Sewer Policy Clarification."
This will come up after the Board considers eight rezones, including a controversial one on Old Barnett Shoals, and makes appointments to five County committees, including the Planning Commission.
This would seem to be an inappropriate time to decide on a project very conservatively estimated to cost $6 to $8 million and make decisions about how the sewage capacity gained from the proposed upgrade will be allocated between commercial and residential users.
Citizens will not get to see the bid until the meeting and will not know about the proposed sewage use policies until some proposal is announced at the meeting. It seems there will be little discussion of options.
I've written to Mr. Davis asking him to delay any decision on the important project. The text of my message is on my blog, at http://www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/
Please try to attend the meeting tomorrow night. One member of the Board will be there, but it would be a great help to have others present.
In addition, if you can, write to the members of the Board of Commissioners asking them NOT to take any action until citizens can review the bids and the proposals and until Friends of Barber Creek can meet with the Board to discuss our requests regarding flooding, water quality, and monitoring.
Here are the names and email addresses of the Board members:
Melvin Davis, (Chairman), mdavis@oconee.ga.us
Margaret Hale, margarethale@oconee.ga.us and marghale@aol.com
Chuck Horton, chorton@oconee.ga.us
Jim Luke, jluke@oconee.ga.us
Don Norris, dnorris@oconee.ga.us
Thanks
Lee
Lee Becker
lbbecker@mindspring.com
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