HELP US SAVE SOUTH OCONEE COUNTY’S BEAUTIFUL AND HISTORIC FARMLAND. 

 

Project Website - COMMENT HERE NOW!​

 

SEND AN EMAIL TO YOUR COUNTY COMISSIONERS HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 Oconee residents were recently presented with three proposed routes for a new roadway project intended to divert traffic from downtown Watkinsville, as requested to the GDOT by Mayor Broderick and other city officials. 

 

 ALL of the routes proposed by the GDOT will:

• Displace families
• Destroy the productive farmland, waterways, and natural habitats that make our county a beautiful place to live. 
• Increase truck traffic in the county overall
• Create opportunity for industrial growth in the fractured farmlands in the aftermath of the build.

 NONE of the proposed routes would: 

• Reroute ALL the local truck traffic away from downtown. The businesses that are in the industrial park just south of downtown, will still be using the downtown corridor to get to 441 N. 
• Without making downtown a no truck zone, by rerouting local traffic, truck drivers coming N on Hwy 15 may still choose to go through downtown. 

The stated main goal of the GDOT for this project is not achievable with the suggested routes, and therefore the building of bypass through productive farmlands cannot be justified.

 

 

Why this is important to ME:

I, Lori Breedlove, am personally affected by this project as the current steward of our 350-acre family farm.  Proposed routes 2 and 3 are in or  along the edge of our north pasture that is right next to our home. The Breedlove family has been here as a pillar of the farming community for 5 generations. My husband William A. Breedlove, was tragically killed by his rageful father 2.5 years ago. Our children, Charli Ann and Henry were only 1 and 2 years old when he died. I will never forget when that evening, as we were reeling in the aftermath, my daughter Charli, who was just starting to talk, said “Mama, Just breathe” over and over again until I finally understood what she was trying to say,  later to be followed by: "I will always share my popsicle with you, Mama." My son Henry took his first steps a week after Will’s death, shortly followed by his first word, TRACTOR.

        Since that day I have been faced to make one difficult decision after another, about cattle farming (a business I knew almost nothing about), caring for the land, what equipment to keep or sell, choosing the best way to move forward for my family when running the farm business myself was no longer a financially viable option. I am still bombarded with decisions to make, and in the end there is no one to make them, except me.  BUT choosing to fight against these bypass proposals was an easy one.  

         What I have been through has made me strong, descerning, and created a level of resilience in me that I didn't know could exist. The land on our property that is incorporated into route 3, is within a federal conservation easement with the Athens Land Trust. Any type of development is strictly forbidden. It would be extremely difficult, if not impossible for the GDOT to have that easement revoked. I feel very lucky to have this extra layer of protection on my property, but many of my neighbors don't. It is of vital importance to all of us that NONE of these routes come to fruition, nor one going along Greene Ferry (previously attempted and abandoned due to public outcry). 

          I wake up every day, grateful to be able to live in this beautiful place. This land is William's legacy, and that of his mother, grandfather and great-grandfather before him. There is nothing more important to me than keeping this land whole and beautiful for my children. Oconee County and the city of Watkinsville is only the thriving community it is today greatly due to the hardworking farmers and statesman like William H. Breedlove, Otis Hardigree , "Rabbit" Hardigree, E.M. and W.C. Wilkes, Calvin and Lamar Bell, Carlton Hale, and John Giles, among others. These men were the founding fathers of Oconee Volunteer Fire Department, Oconee State Bank, and the GA Farm Bureau. The tax funds coming in from the thriving Agricultural businesses here were also what allowed for the Oconee County Schools to rise to now be one of the best school districts in Georgia. I am so proud to be a part of the Breedlove family. My neighbors, descendants of the Hardigrees, Bells, Wilkes, etc. are all here too, we stand united and proud to be here in Oconee, continuing our family legacies and determined to keep Oconee a beautiful and thriving community, as we feel this is our duty.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

If you would like to help our cause further you can:

• Go to the GDOT project website and vote against the proposal NOW - commenting set to end April 27
• Request and extension for the comment time period on GDOT project website.  (same link, you can do these 2 steps separately or together
• Sign our petition and share with as many people as possible.
• Volunteer to help spread the word door to door in the coming days and weeks.
• If you live within the Watkinsville city limits, write to your Mayor, city council members,  and county commissioners that you are AGAINST this project as currently proposed. If you live outside the city limits, write to our county commissioners. THANK YOU!!
• To learn more, visit our website, www.savesouthoconee.org or become a member of our Facebook group Save South Oconee

DECISION MAKER CONTACTS 

 

Chairman John Daniell, Oconee Board of Commissioners 

7635 Macon Highway, Box 100, Watkinsville, GA 30677

jdaniell@oconee.ga.us

 

Commissioner Mark Thomas, Post 1

7635 Macon Highway, Box 100, Watkinsville, GA 30677

Use the "Email Mark Thomas" link on the Oconee County government staff directory page. 

 

Commissioner Chuck Horton, Post 2

7635 Macon Highway, Box 100, Watkinsville, GA 30677

Use the "Email Chuck Horton" link on the Oconee County government staff directory page. 

 

Commissioner Amery Harden, Post 3

7635 Macon Highway, Box 100, Watkinsville, GA 30677

Use the "Email Amery Harden" link on the Oconee County government staff directory page. 

 

Commissioner Mark Saxon, Post 4

7635 Macon Highway, Box 100, Watkinsville, GA 30677

Use the "Email Mark Saxon" link on the Oconee County government staff directory page. 

 

Jason Dykes, District Engineer, GDOT District 1

1475 Jesse Jewell Parkway Suite 100,
Gainesville, GA 30501

jdykes@dot.ga.gov

(770) 532-5500

 

Senator Bill Cowsert, Georgia State Senate District 46 

bill.cowsert@senate.ga.gov

432 State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334

Office: (404) 463-1366
Fax: (404) 463-5547

 

Representative Eric Gisler, Georgia House District 121 

eric.gisler@house.ga.gov

 

Mayor Brian Brodrick, City of Watkinsville

bbrodrick@cityofwatkinsville.com

City of Watkinsville, P.O. Box 27

Watkinsville, GA 30677

706-983-4384 or 404-983-4384