Rezone For Possible Hotel And Restaurant At SR 316 And Oconee Connector Gets Approval Of Oconee County Board Of Commissioners

Oconee County commissioners on Tuesday night approved a concept plan for a hotel and restaurant at the southeastern corner of SR 316 and the Oconee Connector, but how patrons will exit the development remains uncertain.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is building a full median cut on the Oconee Connector allowing left turns and right turns into and out of the property.

Access to that median cut will be shared with the property now owned by the county on which the Barber Creek Fire Station sits. The county plans to move the fire station and sell the property, possibly for another hotel.

The fire station property has access to Daniells Bridge Road, and Commissioner Chuck Horton said at the meeting on Tuesday night that the county should consider providing a second exit to the proposed hotel and restaurant at the SR 316 and Connector corner via Daniells Bridge Road.

That secondary exit would allow traffic to turn south to Watkinsville and U.S. 441 without crossing traffic on the Oconee Connector that will be moving into double turn lanes for Danielle Bridge Road.

In other action on Tuesday, the Board appointed members of several citizen bodies, including the Industrial Development Authority.

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

Pictured: Commissioners hear rezone request.