Commissioners Approve Cell Tower For McRees Mill Road

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night took the unusual step of holding a zoning hearing at its agenda setting meeting and approved the issuance of a special use permit for a telecommunications tower on McRees Mill Road off Barnett Shoals Road.

The Board took that action following a ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta overturning the Board’s denial in 2014 of the permit for Verizon Wireless on 42 acres at 1210 McRees Mill Road.

County Attorney Daniel Haygood told the Board that the Court would order the county to issue the permit even if the Board turned down the request.

The action by the Board brings to an end the zoning request by Verizon, but two high-profile zoning issues will be on the agenda for the Board meeting on Tuesday night.

The Board will take up again the request by Lenru Development LLC to build a shopping center between Lenru Road and Malcom Bridge Road just south of Malcom Bridge Elementary and Malcom Bridge Middle schools. Action on that request was tabled on Sept. 4.

The Board also will hear a request by Townley Family Partnership LLLP to rezone 11.1 acres on Snows Mill Road at Cole Springs Road for a car museum and events venue.

The county planning staff has recommend approval only on the condition that events not be part of the museum operation, but the Planning Commission has recommended approval of both the musuem and the events venue.

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

Pictured: Concept plan for the cell tower.