About Lake Oconee news. (Greensboro, GA) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (April 28, 2017)
Page A12 Lake Oconee News G Friday, April 28,2017 Mark Engel/Staff The Airport Authority says that if more than four jets are parked at the airport it's hard to move other airplanes around them. County Continued from A1 four members of the public were there. Building Inspectors “I’ve gotten a call from several builders,” said Filice, who added that there’s a concern that inspections have slowed down. He pointed out that construc tion is booming in the county and the county is too large for one inspec tor to handle. Filice asked Lombard if building inspec tor Robbie Cash could get some help. Lombard revealed that Cash is leaving the county for a higher paying job with a development company. Two people are being hired to fill that position and another left open when a long-time building official retired last year. All this was news to some of the commissioners and Samples, the P&Z Board chairman. Deering said she had been told that Cash seemed to be requiring changes that some local builders did not know about. Lombard responded that it’s probably because Cash was just enforcing the codes. “I think we’re all dis covering that in the past,” Lombard added, “the way the inspections were done, they were not necessarily fol lowing the current technical codes, the energy codes, the long standing internation al building codes. So, even though a builder says ‘this is the way I’ve always done it,’ it didn’t comply with code. So, what Robbie has done is said ‘here’s the code and that’s what you have to do.” Brad Cherry, a certified building inspector, starts May 1. Negotiations are almost done on the second new inspector. Vacation Home Rental Ordinance The so-called “VRBO” or dinance, named for Vacation Rental By Owner, an online home rental website, is in limbo for now. A draft document, released earlier this year, was withdrawn after com plaints from people who rent their homes and realtors who said the proposal was too restrictive. “Preserving the quality of life is really important,” said Filice, who says he’s heard complaints and concerns from his constituents. “The noise, the parking, the trash, is an issue.” Deering and Smith rep resent largely rural areas of Greene County. “Jeffrey and I worry about people who are out in the middle of nowhere,” cau tioned Deering. They are concerned about strict limits on people who live long distances from their neighbor or have busi nesses, like wedding venues, that would have more than the allowed people on the property. “We want to make sure that we don’t do anything that affects their, like, wedding businesses. That’s different than somebody that has next door neigh bors.” Also, right now, large de velopers of Planned Unit Developments (PUD) like Reynolds Lake Oconee and Harbor Club would be exempt from the regulations “The biggest issue we’re going to face, I think,” Filice said, “is the equality thing. Treating a PUD developer different than the people who live in the PUD.” Chairman Usry said he likes to think the ordinance would be ready by summer “but there’s a lot of things in there to work out.” Airport Funding A discussion over whether the commission or the Greene County Airport Au thority would pay $6,728 for development of a new airport layout plan turned into a one hour discussion about airport funding. “Where’s this money coming from,” a stunned Usry asked after being shown a six year $942,125 budget for improvements at the airport. That would be the city’s share of a $9.1 million price tag for items including construction of Mark Engel/Staff Commission chairman Cary Usry had a long list of subjects to discuss during the four-hour work session. a new hangar to hold 10 airplanes and purchasing neighboring property for airport expansion. Also, the underground fuel tanks and aircraft maintenance building are out of compli ance because they are too close to the runway and will have to be relocated. We don’t have enough funds to operate the airport and do capital improve ments,” Airport Authority treasurer Paul McGill pas sionately told the commis sion. “You want us to run the airport the best way that we can. So, we’re coming to tell you this is what we think you need if you want the airport to be productive. If you want to bring more folks in from the airport, if you want the airport to contribute to the economic development plan. Right now, there’s no place for jets to park on the ramp. If you get more than four jets, you can’t move any airplanes. If that’s what ya’ll want, that’s fine, but you don’t need us out there doing this for you.” In the end, commission ers voted to spend $3,364 from contingency to split the cost of the study with the authority. Mark Engel/Staff Commissioner Angela Deering (Dist. 1) is concerned about construction issues and making sure the Vacation Home Rental ordinance is also fair to rural residents. Strategic Plan Does the county need a strategic plan? Com missioner Filice has been pushing hard. “Developing a plan is going to take a long time to do,” he said, “but it’s got to start with a strategy for the county. And I don’t know what the strategy is for the county.” “I agree,” commissioner Deering said. We just react to what whatever fire needs to be put out this week or whatever is being put forth. We are not looking down the road and saying ‘yeah, eventually this would make sense.’ None of us, I feel, have an overall vision of what the future for the county is.” Commissioner Smith and Chairman Usry are reluc tant because “there are so many moving parts” in a long range strategic plan. “I agree with having a strategy,” Smith said. “I don’t think you can go that far.” “I don’t think we can go out 10 years from now,” Usry said, “because this board is going to turn over two or three times in that period. Mark Engel/Staff Commissioner Ernie Filice (Dist. 4) represents the southern part of Greene County where most of the major gated communities are located along Lake Oconee. Maybe two years? Three years?” “I think the county has done very well,” said Usry. “I think previous boards have done very well.” “I don’t think there’s any question,” Filice responded. “It doesn’t mean we can’t do better.” Commissioners decided to wait for input from commis sioner Human who could not attend the meeting. Other discussion and action at Saturday’s BOC work session included: • Approving $329,050 to widen Willow Run Road and add a stacking lane by Novelis to help with truck traffic. • Approved a list of roads in the county to be re surfaced. They include English School Road, Chester Road, Indian Woods Drive, Northwoods Drive, Warren Road, Parks Mill Drive and Lewis Cemetery Road. • Talked about the need to improve Stagecoach Road, which will be helpful for north-south traffic during the Highway 44 widening project. FULFILLING OUR COMMITMENT: TITAN SOCIETY The Lake Oconee Academy Foundation would like to recognize with great appreciation its newest Titan Society donors in support of the Lake Oconee Academy high school campus expansion project. These individuals are helping to fulfill the commitment made to Greene County, its families, and the state of Georgia when LOA opened its doors in 2007 - to increase student achievement by building a culture of high expectations for all students. The most recent members of the Titan Society, donors who have made a commitment of $10,000 and above for the Fulfilling Our Commitment Campaign, are*: • Heather & Deano Cantrell • Kevin & Kim Jackson • Jim & Tammy Beatty • Larry & Jennifer Vaughan • Jason & Krissy Littleton • The Sewell & Fields Family • Tommy & Janet Warner • Jane Hutterly & Louie Seabolt • Jonathan, Alyce & Briggs Vining • Trey & Shari Cown • Mike & Darlene Prosperi • Al & Connie Hoyle • Jonathan & Kristen Hill • Kevin & Stacey Urrutia • Chris & Kristy Harris • Byron & Lovette Lombard • Mark & Nancy Jaronski • Mark & Jane Christensen • Brad & Jodi Ashurst • Mark & Lindsay Lipscomb • Bill & Diane Stone • Chloe & Cole Schumacher • The Stephens Family • Betsy & Dale Peck • David & Allison Evans • The Marullos • Walter & Sherry Hall • Dick & Jodie Schmidt • Lawrence & Diana Richard • Lee & Carol Arberg • Tim & Kimberly Hong • Dr. Otho & Cindy Tucker • Dr. Craig & Alicia Colby • Charles & Irene Miller • Rick & Holly Wolfert • Tom & Kimberly Larkin • Brian & Laura Doe • Alberto & Lilia Tirado • Bobby & Laree Black • Court & Patricia Larkin • Poli & Fina Medrano • Jay & Angela Dell • Todd & Michelle Ciavola • Ayal & Kara Latz • Mark & Jennifer Mercer • Henry & Caitlin Darby • Drs. David & Patti Bradley • Jack & Sharon Brown • Paul & Colette Postlmayr • Dennis & Tinna Mitchell • Dennis & Sheila Shanklin • Dr. Chad & Leigh Collins • Ray & LaTamy Worthen • David & Holly Todd • Dr. Daljit Singh & Rupinder Kaur *Titan Society members will be recognized and the list updated as • Mark & Taunya Alexander • Drs. Jon & Julie Klevansky • Kevin & Carolyn Scheck • John & Allison Heinen • Kathryn G. Sandoval • Ted & Riezl Baker pledges are received. THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE DONORS FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE CAMPAIGN.
