Commission To Consider Rezone For Commercial Complex On U.S. 78

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.

The Oconee County planning staff has recommended approval of the rezone Bill Jones will need to make it possible for him to develop his commercial complex, but it also recommended that the Board of Commissioners place 11 conditions on the rezone.

Jones and his engineer rejected those conditions, though they said their opposition was firm for only three of the 11.

The Oconee County Planning Commission voted 7 to 3 not to recommend approval of the rezone at its meeting last month, in part because of Jones’ resistance to the conditions and because some felt the development was incompatible with the county’s land use plan.

The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to take up the rezone request by Jones as well as another request for a rezone modification for a small business and office park on Mars Hill Road just north of Butler’s Crossing when the commissioners meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the Courthouse in Watkinsville.

For more on the story, with a video of the Planning Commission meeting where Jones’ request was considered, please go to Oconee County Observations.