Possible Development On Cliff Dawson Road Dominates Meeting

The final meeting of the Stakeholders Committee charged with shaping the 2018 Comprehensive Plan was supposed to be a tidying up session ending with Committee approval of the document for public review and government adoption.

Instead it turned into a lengthy discussion of the possibility of commercial development on the western end of Cliff Dawson Road as it meets Mars Hill Road.

Citizens who successfully fought a commercial rezone on Cliff Dawson Road late last year and early this year showed up at the meeting last week to find out if there was anything in the Comprehensive Plan that would prevent or encourage commercial development in the area in the future.

Members of the Steering Committee, led by Chuck Hunt, told the group that the Comprehensive Plan did not directly address their concerns and that they should continue to focus their attention on the Planning Commission and the Board of Commissioners.

The Board of Commissioners, following a negative review of the Planning Commission, turned down the rezone request on Jan. 2.

Reflecting what seems to be growing public concern about development in the county as the housing market heats up, the Oconee County Democratic Committee is sponsoring a program at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Watkinsville Library called Carving Up Oconee Revisited - A Public Perspective.

Included will be a film and panel discussion of “how a formerly agricultural county struggles to retain its rural nature and natural beauty in the face of mounting developmental pressures,” according to a news release for the meeting.

For more on the story of the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee meeting, with a video of the discussion, please go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Committee member Chuck Hunt responding to questions.