Planners tackle Oconee housing challenges

With the help of a pair of home builders, Oconee planning commissioners last night wore their thinking caps to try for solutions to the county’s housing challenges—specifically the need for affordable housing. Aside from a request for staff to define affordable housing, part of the emphasis last night were the reasons why more housing is not being built in a county whose population is growing. Home building is depressed, in the view of builder David Gulley, when sewer is unavailable or its cost is prohibitive.  Another factor is strict government regulations applied to builders.  One of the commission’s newest members is agriculturist Pat Williams, who is concerned about the encroachment of development on farm land.