Presbyterian Homes Of Georgia Changing Course For Oconee County Facility

Presbyterian Homes of Georgia has decided to abandon it plans to put a continuing care retirement community in the dormant Autumn Glen subdivision on Rocky Branch Road.

In a letter dated yesterday sent to those who expressed an interest in living in the facility, Frank H. McElroy Jr., president and CEO of the south Georgia company, said that the requirement by the county that PHG install a gravity-fed sewer line to connect to the county sewage system killed the project.

“Installing gravity flow sewer would require obtaining 31 easements for rights of way to install the sewer line across various properties along the sewer route,” McElroy wrote. He labeled that “an impossible task for a non-county entity without the power of eminent domain.”

McElroy said the unavailability of sewer for the Autumn Glen property without the required sewer line led to “the decision to withdraw our request for rezoning and move ahead to consider several other location prospects for our retirement community.”

The letter does not indicate what other prospects are being considered and ended by saying “We will work diligently to bring you good news and will keep you informed as the work continues.”

For more on this story, go to Oconee County Observations.