Oconee County Code Enforcement Cites Oconee Waste Transport for Violation of Zoning Ordinance

The Oconee County Code Enforcement Office has cited Matt Elder for violation of the ordinance that rezoned 6.2 acres south of Watkinsville from Agricultural to Office Business Park in 2010 so Elder could locate his Oconee Waste Transport business there.

The county claims in the citation that Elder operated his business before 6 a.m. despite the specification in the ordinance that the hours of operation should only be from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

The county issued the citation for a violation on July 11, 2012, following a complaint on April 9 by a neighbor that Elder was starting up trucks at 4:30 a.m. at the OWT site at 1750 Greensboro Highway, or SR 15.

In a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Eric Norris on Aug. 17, Elder pleaded not guilty. Elder is scheduled to appear before Judge Norris for trial at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 14.

The BOC approved the rezone after Elder threatened to move his business outside the county if he didn’t get to use the land he owned south of Watkinsville.

Elder said he had to move his business from his location at 1131 Experiment Station Road, across from the county jail, because of contamination on that site.

But Elder has not moved from the property, and he continues to use it for OWT operations.

For further details on the citation as well as on the delay in cleaning up the Experiment Station site contamination, go to Oconee County Observations.