OCONEE COUNTY — County Council to hear public on scenic highway ordinance

County Council members will hear an earful Tuesday regarding what the public thinks, good or bad, about a proposed county scenic highway ordinance.

The public hearing about the ordinance will lead off Tuesday’s County Council meeting. An additional public hearing on a proposed county zoning enabling ordinance has been pulled from the agenda and rescheduled for Oct. 23, according to County Council Clerk Beth Hulse.

The Planning Commission sent the scenic highway ordinance to the County Council in September after some debate and amendments that, commissioners said, ensured that property owners’ rights were not infringed.

The ordinance has vocal supporters and critics.

It has the full support of the conservation and beautification group Keep Oconee Beautiful Association, according to Phil Soper, who has spoken in favor of the ordinance as a representative of the group.

Jerry Barnette of Walhalla, a local property rights activist, takes a different view.

The ordinance was the result of “whiners, complainers and control freaks,” said Jerry Barnett of Walhalla, a local property-rights activist.

“If control freaks have their way, we’ll lose control of our private property,” Barnett said.

No vote is scheduled for Tuesday about the ordinance.

The Oconee County Council also will conduct a public workshop with representatives of the South Carolina Department of Corrections regarding problems with the Oconee County Detention Center. The detention center has been repeatedly cited in recent years for overcrowding. Council members have discussed proposals for expanding the facility.

The workshop begins at 6 p.m. in the County Council Chambers in the county administration building on Pine Street in Walhalla.

The County Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.