Watkinsville is for the birds
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| The woman holding the paper was not pleased with the school. |
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| Donated by Athens Seed |
The second reading of the amendment went smoothly save Council member Mike Link's suggestion of switching verbs from "may take" to "may approve" which was endorsed by City Attorney Joe Reitman, Jr. as a prudent shift. Basically if a big enough flock of grackles or turkey buzzards congregates in your yard, you can still seek council approval to take care of them, except not with a shotgun anymore.
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| City Attorney Joe Reitman, Jr. |
At least one member of the audience recalled a time when the city advertised a similar less official proclamation back in the day. Later she made sure the donated bird feeder from Athens Seed and Feed would be restocked after it is installed outside the Watkinsville Community Center, and she also stood firm against a nontraditional Montessori school on School Street.
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| From left, clerk Julie Sanders, council members Mike Link and Brian Brodrick |
Ironically the one member of the council who attended school on School Street voted against approval of Generations Montessori. The mother and daughter-in-law team of Jan and Heather Weisenborn withstood a series of queries from this same member of the audience cited in above paragraph, who did not seem to welcome the sounds of children's voices across from Rocket Field and was against a new school on School Street.
In the end education survived and a business license was granted by a 4-1 margin for the multi-generational Montessori school for the small 1,086 square foot house at 26 School Street. The owners addressed all the parking and related needs. There may be small numbers of older people and younger people taught simultaneously at the school on School Street.
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| Watkinsville Mayor Joe Walter |
A letter was sent to Mayor Joe Walter with four signatures steadfast in their opposition and citing the detrimental effects to the historic heart of Watkinsville adjacent to Rocket Field and near Oconee County Board of Education, who seem hellbent on leaving the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation neighborhood where many people of all ages already attend art classes without the dreaded detrimental effect on the neighborhood.
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| Jan & Heather Weisenborn received approval for Generations Montessori |
Councilman Link recalled attending class their in the the white building probably getting on a half century back. Councilman Brian Brodrick cited how 70 cars sometimes park for the nearby Board of Education meetings. The ladies who owned the school were reminded by Link repeatedly that the number of people they may educate in the Montessori manner will be decided by square footage and occupancy certificates issued by the Health Inspector.
The other somewhat contentious effort of the evening evolves around the egregious manner in which Zion Skate Park had conducted activity early in its existence with multiple dudes living upstairs in direction violation of the zoning. All of the code enforcement violations are either corrected or in the process of being corrected according to Watkinsville code enforcement officer Robert Hegge, who was very favorably impressed.
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| Watkinsville Code Enforcement officer Robert Hegge |
Tamara Maddox took over ownership from "Rob" and received a 90 day trial approval of their business license and once they prove they have fully complied with the zoning matters, i.e. clean up the place and have no dudes living upstairs, then they will have a regular business license and also received approval for a wholesale skateboarding apparel and board (and wheels and related gear) manufacturing facility. Board presses may be added later. A discussion of retail licensing ensued and the owner pledged her return should the licensing need any future adjustment. The business license transfer is complete for the Skate Park on 1051 Business Boulevard.
The city council members were not too gnarly on the folks running the skate shop, but if I translated everything correctly, then they were losing big bucks opening as a one trick pony with the biggest wall drop but needed to diversify to keep the masses passing through the door to score some fab gear with their Zion Park logo and the money press known as Caden. He may yet to prove to be our Tony Hawk or Shaun White given his young age.
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| Tamara Maddox received a transfer of business license for Zion Skate Park at 1051 Business Blvd. in Watkinsville. |
Smooth asphalt will reclaim our crumbling walkway in front of Eagle Tavern with the Georgia Department of Transportation taking back over control after another good idea gone bad with the city walkway once thought to be cement or brick pavers (only to get smashed by daily truck grind).
David Sparr was approved for indoor batting cages for his traveling softball team the Oconee Starzz and others since the demand is certainly there in this softball crazy county. His Oconee Sports Center has received a license and will open soon at 1260 Greensboro Highway more or less next to Hargrave Motor Coach and all the parked buses. Sparr does not even know what he will charge for an old man to come work out with a bucket of balls, but cleats and helmets are mandatory.
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| David Sparr of Oconee Starzz |
Carter Engineering will be the firm the city will use for the SPLOST management. They have a rich history of working with the city already and they beat out Williams and Associates. Council member Toby Smith recused himself from the vote in an abundance of caution wanting to avoid any smidgen of apparent conflict of interest because he knew a couple of people on Carter (which he recommended in a committee with Brodrick).
If you know any fire hydrants inside the city limits overgrown by shrubs or weeds, please let the fine folks at the city hall know about it and they will help uncover it better. Trees have been planted in Harris Shoals Park thanks to the 380 Bear Den Pack and 300 trees were given away on Arbor Day. Two big old dead pines are going to have to be removed in different manners in different parts of the park.
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| Watkinsville city council members Henry Norman and Samantha Purcell |
An interesting concept map was shown as impetus for a possible Simonton Bridge Connector some quarter century in the future so a subdivision regulation amendment is needed to potentially one day build a road from Joe's Car Wash behind the cemetery and between and over two large ponds and right out in front of Katie Lane at Morgan Manor Subdivision next to Frank Bower's property. Mayor Walter said the project is just starting to show up on the MACORTS radar for long range projects in the next 15 to 25 years.
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