Blog Topic: Oconee Observations

In the Loop: Pharmaceutical Company Coming to Bogart

By Lee Becker | September 30, 2014 12:21pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

A Massachusetts biopharmaceutical company with roots at the University of Georgia has signed a lease for two buildings being completed at Gateway Technology and Business Park in Bogart.

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In the Loop: Athens Tax Revenue Increased in Spite of Losing Stores

By Lee Becker | September 29, 2014 3:24pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax revenues increased 10.1 percent in Oconee County following the opening of a cluster of stores, including Marshalls, PetSmart and Gap, in Epps Bridge Centre in the third quarter of 2013.

But Clarke County also increased its revenue from its SPLOST tax during that same period even while it was losing stores to Epps Bridge Centre.

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In the Loop: Oconee County May Be Overestimating Tax Revenue

By Lee Becker | September 25, 2014 1:44pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

When Oconee County voters go to the polls for the Nov. 4 election, they will be asked to vote "yes" or "no" on a 1 percent sales tax that, according to the ballot language, is expected raise $55.6 million over the six-year life of the tax.

Voters also will be presented with list of projects to be funded, including water and sewer infrastructure, roads, farmland protection, libraries and parks and recreational facilities.

An analysis of collections from the current 1 percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax shows that the county will have to experience strong growth rates to realize that $55.6 million goal.

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In the Loop: Senior Assisted Living Center Gets OK

By Lee Becker | September 18, 2014 1:20pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

The future site of Thrive.

The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office issued a building permit on Thursday for construction of the 70-unit Thrive senior living facility on Virgil Langford Road in Resurgence Park.

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In the Loop: Beer and Wine Laws Loosely Enforced

By Lee Becker | September 12, 2014 3:35pm

From Oct. 7, 2008, when the Oconee County Board of Commissioners approved the first beer and wine licenses for restaurants in the county, until Jan. 1 of this year, compliance with two key provisions of the beer and wine ordinance was entirely on the honor system.

The county simply assumed that the percentage of sales from beer and wine by each license holder was not more than 25 percent of total sales in the individual restaurant and that each sale of an alcoholic beverage in the restaurant also included “a reasonable order of a meal or appetizer.”

Starting with renewal applications for this year, license holders were required to fill out a form listing their gross income from total sales, the gross income from the sale of beer and wine, and the resulting percentage of income from beer and wine sales.

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In the Loop: Controversial Loop Flyover Up for Discussion

By Lee Becker | September 3, 2014 3:29pm

This is one option for the Daniells Bridge Road flyover.

Oconee County residents with opinions on the proposed Jimmy Daniell Road and Daniells Bridge Road projects, as well as on other transportation projects in the county, will have two back-to-back opportunities to express those views in meetings scheduled for Sept. 9 at the Community Center in Veterans Park.

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In the Loop: New Road Will Open Oconee Land for Development

By | August 26, 2014 1:40pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Oconee County will soon begin design work for an extension of Parkway Boulevard, which will open up new land for development behind Lowe’s and Walmart, if the Board of Commissioners approves a design services contract for the project tonight.

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In the Loop: Mars Hill Widening Will Be 'Fun' and 'Painful'

By Lee Becker | August 24, 2014 2:29pm

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

Emil Beshara.

Oconee County Public Works Director Emil Beshara last week described the upcoming reconstruction and widening of Mars Hill road as “fun,” “challenging” and “painful” in his latest update of the project to the Citizen Advisory Committee on Land Use and Transportation Planning.

Beshara said he expects construction crews to be on the site next month or the month after and to continue working on the project for three years.

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In the Loop: Another Retirement Home Is Coming to Oconee

By Lee Becker | August 19, 2014 1:08pm

The proposed home of The Fairways.

Eco Development Group of Athens is asking the Oconee County Planning Commission to recommend rezoning a mothballed residential subdivision off Virgil Langford Road so it can build what it calls a “seniors continuum of care retirement community.”

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In the Loop: Student Housing Developer Turns His Attention to Shopping Center

By Lee Becker | August 11, 2014 10:43am

Photo Credit: Lee Becker

With the student housing complex Athens Ridge on Old Macon Highway now fully leased, Kelly Mahoney said he is turning his attention to the future commercial complex across the street.

The goal is to make that complex, named The Falls of Oconee, a “more boutique version of Butler’s Crossing,” Mahoney said last week.

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