Elevating Oconee’s standards for development

John Elliott’s daughter in Atlanta tells him that in that major U-S metropolis she can’t see the stars and the moon at night.  What Oconee’s District One councilman tried to convey to last night’s meeting is that the artificial light created by large cities obscures one of nature’s blessings — a dark sky across the universe.  And Elliott wants to assure that that never happens to the Golden Corner.  He’s proposing three additions to the county’s standards that builders must meet before developing, and his colleagues agreed to direct county staff to draft the additions to be considered during council’s November meeting.  Among what Elliott has in mind is the requirement of a green buffer bordering all future development of land 25 acres or larger.  However, in response, District Five’s Glenn Hart said, “I don’t agree.”  Hart later said Elliott’s ideas are worthy of discussion.  District Three’s Don Mize, whose Seneca area sees the bulk of commercial and industrial development, said the county should strive for a happy median in which developers don’t lose their right to make money, yet the county doesn’t lose sight of aesthetics.