Commission Puts Off Vote On Buffers In Morningside Subdivision

Unable to decide if a builder should be allowed to violate a buffer on six lots in Morningside subdivision off Hodges Mill Road to deal with storm water drainage, the Board of Commissioners last week put off a decision until its August meeting.

Commissioner Mark Saxon had made a motion to deny the request, and Commissioner Chuck Horton seconded the motion, but they could not get support from the other three commissioners.

When Commissioner Mark Thomas then said he wanted to make a motion that “something be addressed to deal with the drainage” on the six lots, County Attorney Daniell Haygood said this really called for a postponement of a decision.

The Commission then voted unanimously to let the county staff come up with a recommendation on how drainage can be handled and to take up the matter again at the next regular Board meeting on Aug. 6.

In other action, the Board approved unanimously a request by Prince Avenue Baptist Church to be given a special use to expand its campus between Ruth Jackson Road and U.S. 78 and a request for a rezone of 19.3 acres on Virgil Langford Road for commercial development.

Commission Chair John Daniell used time at the front of the meeting to announce again that the county had agreed to purchase 7.63 acres at the intersection of U.S. 441 and Old Macon Highway and said that the purchase price of $650,000 was consistent with recent land sales in the area.

For more on the story, with a video of the Board of Commissioners meeting, please go to Oconee County Observations.