OCONEE 316
Keeping Neighbors Informed
OCONEE 316
Keeping Neighbors Informed
Zoning & Development
Industrial Development Authority Approves Plans Submitted by Technology Park Atlanta
October 2023
After meeting in closed executive session for 50 minutes, the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) voted to approve plans submitted by Technology Park Atlanta for two undeveloped parcels in the Gateway Business Park. These two properties are next to Alexion, which is located at the corner of McNutt Creek Road and Aiken Road.
“Essentially it is a number of small offices with warehouse facilities with each office,” County Attorney Daniel Haygood said. “It won’t look a lot different than the Alexion facilities look.”
The submitted plans show four buildings running in parallel, each subdivided with a small “Office Area” in the front and a much larger open space behind that office space.
Industrial Development Authority Changes Guidelines for Gateway Business Park
October 2023
County Attorney Daniel Haygood told the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) that it needs to consider making changes to the Development Guidelines it had created in 2000. Haygood said “the development guidelines were written at a time when we thought everything in Gateway was going to be technology, and obviously we’ve got two developments that we’re talking about now, two projects that aren’t high tech.” The two developments are IMI Industrial Business Group and Technology Park Atlanta (TPA). TPA has proposed purchasing two parcels in the Gateway Business Park totaling 36.4 acres.
“The siding for the types of buildings that IMI is talking about building, and I guess TPA, differ a little bit from what the guidelines approve,” Haygood said. “So based on our review of the plans we probably are going to need an amendment to the development guidelines.”
The Guidelines set forth Architectural Standards and specify that “Brick will be required on all sides of the building where structurally possible and a minimum of 75 percent of the exterior facade shall be brick.”
Courtney Bernardi, Oconee Chamber of Commerce President and a member of the Industrial Development Authority, said the brick standard “for a manufacturing facility, doesn’t make any sense. The cost is extravagant for what they are doing inside those buildings,” she said.
She said TPA “would like to do a tilt up concrete building” on the property it intends to purchase “and they, at this point, could not do that as it is written. So it is looking at what would still be visibly appealing, keeping the integrity of the park, but also understand what the nature of that park is. It is not four-sided, Tier A, office buildings.” Bernardi said. “So we need to take a look at those and really talk through what could work out there and again what is already out there.”
Watkinsville Mayor Brian Brodrick, a member of the IDA, asked “IMI was aware of the standards when they purchased the property, were they not?”
“They were. They were.” Bernardi responded.
“We get one shot at (SR) 316 and how it looks and how the associated buildings look,” Brodrick said. “If we lower our standards significantly then we can expect everything else that follows” to ask for the same.
Bernardi said that IMI wants to have four-sided brick on its corporate office building, which will front on Aiken Road.
The Authority did not take a formal vote, but the consensus was to have Haygood and Bernardi come back with proposed changes to the Guidelines.
Board of Commissioners Approves Rezone for Atlanta Hwy. Parcels
September 2023
The Board approved a rezone request from Hale Holdings LLC for a two-building complex at 2000 Atlanta Hwy just west of the Bogart city limits. The approval changes the zoning for the properties from B-1 to B-2. Hale’s Heating and Cooling will occupy one of the buildings, and the other building will be available for rental space.
The B-2 zoning category has fewer architectural requirements and includes approved uses for activities such as automotive repair, auto dealerships, and ground transportation. The original B-1 zoning approval was for a gas station.
IMI Industrial Business Group to move to Gateway Technology Business Park
August 2023
The county approved the sale of 52.8 acres in the Gateway Technology Business Park to IMI Industrial Services Group. IMI is an industrial contractor for multiple major craft trades, including machining and fabrication, which plans to move its operations from the Watkinsville Industrial Park. According to their website IMI does machining and fabrication, structural steel fabrication, blasting and painting, piping and modular fabrication, as well as other types of manufacturing.
The sales contract states that IMI plans to construct “its main facilities” on the property and to put up $99,056 in earnest money in advance of completing the transaction.
The contract stipulates that the county will assist in securing accelerated planning review and permitting from the Town of Bogart and Oconee County for IMI.
Technology Gateway Removed from Land Use Plan
June 2023
Technology Gateway was removed from the county’s Land Use Plan for areas along SR 316 as part of the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Update. In place of Technology Gateway, much of the area is now characterized as Workplace Center or Regional Center.
Workplace Center is described as ‘larger-scale heavy commercial, industrial, wholesale, and office uses that may be land intensive, generate high employee or truck traffic, or create noise, odor, or other impacts associated with manufacturing and production uses.’
Regional Center is described as ‘regional-serving retail and commercial services, office complexes for medical and corporate offices, hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities, higher-density residential planned developments, and single family detached subdivisions.
Funds approved for Georgia State Patrol to relocate to Oconee County
May 5, 2023
State Rep. Marcus Wiedower was able to get $1.8 million of state bond money designated for moving the State Patrol to Oconee County in the budget that was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on May 5. The Fiscal Year 2023 Georgia Budget also includes $4 million for construction of a new Customer Services Center in Oconee County. The Department of Driver Services provides commercial and regular passenger vehicle driver's licenses, driver's permits, and state identification cards.
Current plans are for both the Division of Driver Services Customer Service Center and the Georgia Patrol Office to move from Athens-Clarke County to acreage on McNutt Creek Road. The land on McNutt Creek Rd. was donated to the state by Oconee County in November 2022.
Oconee County donates land near Bogart for Driver Services Center
November 7, 2022
The Oconee County Industrial Development Authority on Monday agreed to donate a 13-acre parcel south of SR 316 to the state for a new Georgia Department of Driver Services Customer Service Center.
Technically a part of the county’s Gateway Technology and Business Park, the acreage is south of SR 316 near Bogart with a small amount of frontage on McNutt Creek Road. Oconee County Board of Commissioner Chair John Daniell said after the meeting that the Industrial Development Authority has found little interest in the parcel over the years.
The nearest Customer Services Centers for Oconee County residents at present are on U.S. 29 on the northeast of Athens-Clarke County, in Greensboro in Greene County, and in Between in Walton County.
Rezone approved for Mini-Warehouses and Self-Storage Units at Dials Mill Ext.
February 1, 2022
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a rezone request for two properties on the north side of SR 316 at the Dials Mill Extension intersection for a multi-use commercial development. The combined size of the two parcels is 6.0 acres.
The request was to combine the properties for a multi-use commercial development that would include mini-warehouses and self-storage units.
