The Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved a series of modifications to the county’s Unified Development Code last night, but it decided the existing code language that excludes chickens and other fowl from all but agricultural acreage should remain in place.
B.R. White, director of the county’s Planning Department, told the Board that the possibility of changing the code to allow “poultry and other domesticated fowl” into subdivisions has been “very controversial.”
In fact, the possibility of the change motivated John Morrison, a realtor and member of the county’s Industrial Development Authority, to speak out, saying that the changes would adversely affect the sale of residential properties.
Russ Page, farmland advocate, responded by telling the commissioners simply to ignore what Morrison had said.
“I think we have spent way too much time on poultry and fowl,” Commissioner Margaret Hale said.
The vote to pass the code modifications minus the provision on poultry and fowl was approved unanimously.
For more on the story, including a video clip from last night’s meeting, go to Oconee County Observations.