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24 PAGES 2 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS
The Commerce News
JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 $1.00 COPY
County BOC
Vote on Hwy.
124 commercial
development
postponed
Action on a proposed West
Jackson convenience store
and self-storage facility —
where a truck drop-lot was
fonnerly planned — has been
delayed.
The Jackson County Board
of Commissioners (BOC)
tabled its vote on Monday
(Nov. 18) after newly elect
ed District 3 Commissioner
Ty Clack asked to work with
the applicant and citizens on
an amended conceptual plan.
The proposed development
site is a tract on Hwy. 124 at
Maddox Rd.
In October, the county’s
planning commission voted
to recommend denial of the
commercial development. A
large crowd opposed the proj
ect during that meeting, citing
traffic concerns and issues
with building in that area.
The project’s supporters
said the plan is consistent with
commercial growth along
Hwy. 124, but an attorney
representing nearby residents
argued that there had been
procedural paperwork defects
in how the rezoning was sub
mitted to the county.
66 TOWNHOMES
APPROVED NEAR
JEFFERSON
The BOC OK’d 66 town-
homes on nearly 12 acres at
the intersection of Commerce
and Wilhite roads near Jeffer
son.
The BOC unanimously
approved a rezoning, with
13 conditions, from agricul
tural rural fann district to
multi-family residential dis
trict to allow for the develop
ment.
The development would
feed into the East Jackson
school cluster.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, the BOC:
•awarded a $207,128 bid to
Jones Mechanical for a cool
ing tower replacement at the
county courthouse.
•awarded an $818,608 con
tract to Reeves Young to serve
as the construction manager at
risk for its fleet maintenance
and public works facility proj
ect. The project is expected to
See BOC, page 2A
CLACK SWORN IN
Newly elected Jackson County District 3 Com
missioner Ty Clack was sworn into office before
the board of commissioners’ Monday (Nov. 18)
meeting. Clack won a special election earlier this
month to fill the vacated seat of commissioner
Chad Bingham.
An opponent of Vulcan’s quarry proposal holds up a sign in protest during the Jackson County
Board of Commissioners’ (BOC) Monday (Nov. 18) meeting. The BOC rejected the quarry project with
a 5-1 vote.
Vulcan quarry
BOC rejects quarry
Jackson Co.
Commissioners
deny South Jackson
quarry proposal
with5-1 vote
Following a near two-
hour hearing, the Jackson
County Board of Commis
sioners (BOC) shot down
the controversial Vulcan
quarry plan proposed for
900 acres in South Jack-
son.
The BOC on Monday
(Nov. 18) rejected special
use requests for eight par
cels that made up the proj
ect with 5-1 votes each.
Commission chairman
Tom Crow cast the lone
opposing vote against de
nial.
When the decision was
reached, a loud cheer
erupted from a large crowd
that showed up to oppose
the project.
Many attending Mon
day’s public hearing wore
yellow shirts that read
“Stop the rock quarry,”
while some held up ban
ners in opposition.
This was the second pub
lic hearing over the propos
al, and attorney David El
lison, representing Vulcan
Materials, again denied the
area was a major water re
charge zone or a threat to
the area’s wetlands while
also presenting a legal
framework for approval.
“We understand there’s
incredible pressure for you
tonight to deny us, but we
ask you, don’t be governed
by the general will, be gov
erned by the rule of law,”
Ellison said to commission
members.
Meanwhile, opponents
who spoke again raised
multiple environmental
concerns, including air and
water quality issues, and
concerns over traffic and
noise they said would re-
See Quarry, page 2A
Commerce
One killed in wreck on Hwy. 441 Saturday
A female was killed in
a single-vehicle wreck on
Hwy. 441 over the week
end.
According to the Georgia
State Patrol, a white Kia
vehicle had fled from the
Banks County Sheriff’s Of
fice around 2 a.m. on Satur
day, Nov. 16.
Officers attempted to
stop the vehicle after seeing
it fail to maintain a lane on
1-85.
“During the pursuit, the
vehicle exited 1-85 NB at
mm 154 onto Hwy. 63, ran
through the roundabout on
Hwy. 59, and traveled south
on Hwy. 59 towards GA-
15/Hwy. 441,” according to
a BCSO press release. “As
deputies continued their
attempt to stop the vehicle,
the driver crossed into on
coming traffic numerous
times.
“As the pursuit ap
proached the intersection of
GA-15/Hwy. 441, the driv
er failed to stop at the red
light and turned left onto
GA-15/Hwy. 441 traveling
southbound in the north
bound lanes continuing into
Jackson County.”
Deputies lost contact
with the vehicle and a
multi-agency lookout was
dispatched.
The BCSO, Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office
and Commerce Police De
partment searched the area,
but weren’t able to find the
vehicle.
Later in the afternoon,
the BCSO was notified that
a vehicle matching the de
scription of the vehicle that
fled was found off the road
near Hwy. 98 and Hwy.
441.
The GSP’s report indi
cates that the vehicle trav
eled southbound in the
northbound lanes of Hwy.
441 and the driver lost con-
See Accident, page 2A
MAILING LABEL
Holiday events
Christmas celebrations
coming up across county
Braselton kicked off the
holiday season on with its
tree lighting and parade on
Nov. 16. Over the coming
weeks, several cities and
groups will hold Christmas
events.
Upcoming events include:
COMMERCE
• Tree Lighting, Nov.
26 — Commerce will host
its Annual Christmas Tree
Lighting on Nov. 26 at Spen
cer Park. The event begins
with Santa in the Park for
pictures from 5:30 p.m. to
7 p.m., with the official tree
lighting taking place at 6 p.m.
Families are invited to bring
their holiday wish lists and
enjoy free photos with Santa,
which will be posted online
afterward. Attendees can also
take a ride on the city sleigh
and enjoy the festive holiday
lights.
• Christmas parade, Nov.
30 — Commerce will host
an evening Christmas parade
on Nov. 30 at 6 p.m. The city
will also host all-day side
walk shopping on Nov. 30
and several shops will stay
open late. There will also be
events in Spencer Park.
• Silent Santa, Dec. 10 —
Commerce Recreation and
Commerce Mainstreet are
partnering with Santa for a
Silent Santa on December 10
2-5 p.m. This is by appoint
ment only and will be for
friends with sensory sensitiv
ity and special needs friends.
Call 706-335-2954 for infor
mation.
HOSCHTON
•Hosehton holiday mar
ket and Jingle Mingle, Dec.
6 — Hosehton will host its
holiday market on Dec. 6
from 4-8 p.m. This mar
ket will be held at 65 City
Square, Hosehton. For more
infonnation, visit cityof-
hoschton.com. The Hosehton
Downtown Development
Authority (DDA) will also
hold its fourth-annual Jingle
Mingle on Friday, Dec. 6,
from 4-8 p.m. in downtown
Hosehton.
See Events, page 2A
The Grinch took time for an appearance on Jack-
son EMC’s float Saturday (Nov. 16) during Bra-
selton’s annual downtown holiday parade.
