The Roadway to Epps Bridge Centre
The history and back story, not to mention the consequences of the "done deal" that is the new monstrosity called Epps Bridge Centre - thank to Lee Becker once again.
Dear Friends, The scheduled hearing on Oct. 7 for the rezone request for the $76 million Epps Bridge Centre on Epps Bridge Parkway might seem almost to be an afterthought. The state–at the urging of the county–already has decided to build a $26 million roadway to the project. The county, in an effort to facilitate the project, has loaned the state $5 million for right of way purchase for the roadway. That's only part of the story. The county has passed a beer and wine ordinance, the federal government has granted a permit for mitigation of stream damage in Oconee by stream reparations in Greene County, and the local planning staff reviewed the project favorably despite a decidedly negative review by their regional counterparts. The reason Oconee County is so enthusiastic about the project is the tax money it is supposed to generate. The county is planning to ask voters to extend the local option sales tax in an election in March and it is looking at the projected sales tax revenue from Epps Bridge Centre with excitement. It is hard to imagine the state and the developer being able to pull this off in these economic times, but that doesn't keep the county from hoping. In the end, of course, citizens are paying for the roadway, and stream degradation and traffic congestion affect all of us. For more details on how we got to this point, go to my blog at http://www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/ And do plan to attend the BOC meeting at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the courthouse in Watkinsville. Lee -- Lee Becker Blog: www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com Web: http://lbbecker48.googlepages.com/
Dear Friends, The scheduled hearing on Oct. 7 for the rezone request for the $76 million Epps Bridge Centre on Epps Bridge Parkway might seem almost to be an afterthought. The state–at the urging of the county–already has decided to build a $26 million roadway to the project. The county, in an effort to facilitate the project, has loaned the state $5 million for right of way purchase for the roadway. That's only part of the story. The county has passed a beer and wine ordinance, the federal government has granted a permit for mitigation of stream damage in Oconee by stream reparations in Greene County, and the local planning staff reviewed the project favorably despite a decidedly negative review by their regional counterparts. The reason Oconee County is so enthusiastic about the project is the tax money it is supposed to generate. The county is planning to ask voters to extend the local option sales tax in an election in March and it is looking at the projected sales tax revenue from Epps Bridge Centre with excitement. It is hard to imagine the state and the developer being able to pull this off in these economic times, but that doesn't keep the county from hoping. In the end, of course, citizens are paying for the roadway, and stream degradation and traffic congestion affect all of us. For more details on how we got to this point, go to my blog at http://www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/ And do plan to attend the BOC meeting at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the courthouse in Watkinsville. Lee -- Lee Becker Blog: www.oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com Web: http://lbbecker48.googlepages.com/
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