Planners turn attention to Oconee’s population

The population element is considered to be the foundation for other elements to be included in the new Oconee County comprehensive plan. And next week county planning commissioners will focus on the population element while they review the first draft. Two years ago, U-S Census pegged the number of Oconeeans at 75,375. With the next census in two years, there’s the question of whether Oconee will hit the 80 thousand mark. Here’s partly what the draft has to say about population: “Increases in population are accompanied by increased demand for housing, education, health care, human services, water and sewer, recreation, and other key community services….” The commissioners meet at 7 Monday night in County Council Chambers at Walhalla. The public is invited.