This online news website is owned and operated by Becky Watts. If you enjoy reading Pike County Times, consider buying an advertisement for your business or sending a donation to support the only free online newspaper in Pike County. Donations can be sent to: The Pike County Times, PO Box 843, Zebulon, Georgia 30295. Click here to donate through PayPal. Thanks for supporting Pike County's only free online newspaper!
Photo from Google Earth.
By Editor Becky Watts
CONCORD - Pike County Times interviewed County Manager Brandon Rogers earlier this week for an update on the boat ramp situation. Rogers advised that the county is “just looking at the impact of the driveway on the community and its citizens and the actual landowner.”
The driveway easement permit was issued on June 17, 2021 but was only recently completed and passed inspection at the time of completion. The article on the stop work order is below this article with this article being the second in the series.
Some of the initial concerns include erosion as well as the rocks down by the water. “Since we are the issuing authority, it is up to us to make sure that is legal.” He said that even though the driveway was permitted, the rocks were not discussed on that permit. The driveway is also being examined from a safety aspect with the bridge being there.
He also said that the county is looking toward the future for when the bridge is replaced. There are a lot of questions with it including whether it will be taller or wider than its original specifications, and he pointed out that either or these variables could affect the drive that is there now.
Pike County Times asked if the county has reached out to the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) with regard to something like building a boat ramp beside a bridge in a neighboring county.
Rogers advised that he has reached out to the DOT to find out what they are planning to do with the Flat Shoals bridge and how far into this that they are. “Right now, I don’t even know what stage in the process they are in.”
He addressed some of the controversy here in Pike County. “There’s claim that it’s all illegal and people can’t be out there (at Flat Shoals), and some of that is true and some of that is not. From my understanding, you have to have permits and all for a boat ramp, and that is not a boat ramp, but that is a river access. It is legal to access the river there. Both sides have plenty of arguments, and both are legitimate. We’re just trying to make sure this is all legal and the right thing to do.”
When asked to clarify what he meant by the right thing to do, he said, “For the citizens. For everybody. This is impacting the whole county.”
Rogers went on further to say, “This didn’t just happen because of a driveway. There is a 20 year history on this.”
He said that the county is to do its due diligence to find out the history behind this so the county can make the right decision going forward.
Thank you to First Bank of Pike for sponsoring Pike County Times’ Breaking News Alerts! First Bank of Pike has been serving customers in Pike County and the surrounding area since 1901 and offers Personal and Business banking with a personal touch. Services include checking, savings, money market, certificates of deposit, and IRA’s. Mobile Banking and Bill Payment services are also available! Click here for more. Please let First Bank of Pike know that you appreciate their sponsorship of Breaking News Alerts on Pike County's only FREE online newspaper!
INFORMATION ABOUT RECEIVING BREAKING NEWS ALERTS CAN BE FOUND, HERE.
Thanks for reading and supporting Pike County Times.com!
Photo from social media.
Photo from social media.
By Editor Becky Watts
CONCORD - Pike County Times has begun gathering information on the driveway at Flat Shoals that blocks what has been use for years as a boat ramp to access the bridge at the river. Pike County Times is gathering historical information (there has been the topic of many county commission meetings over the past 20 years) as well as current laws and rules from the county and state and information from both sides of the issue.
The latest news is that a stop work order was issued on Friday by the county.
What has been confirmed so far is that a permit was issued and approved for the driveway in June of this year, and the work has been done according to the driveway permit.
However, County Manager Brandon Rogers ordered Planning and Zoning Director Jeremy Gilbert to issue the stop work order on the completed driveway on Friday afternoon. Pike County Times was able to ask County Manager Rogers a few questions this morning about the stop work order. CM Rogers advised that he issued the stop work order because the county needs to “confirm a lot of things” on this driveway.
Pike County Times will be reviewing the plethora of information that has been received from attorneys on both sides of this issue as well as including information from the DOT about the bridge being revamped in a couple of years.
This page will be updated as information becomes available and will be placed in order with the oldest article at this bottom and the newest information at the top of the page. Thank you for reading Pike County Times for the latest, in-depth news in our county!
Thank you to First Bank of Pike for sponsoring Pike County Times’ Breaking News Alerts! First Bank of Pike has been serving customers in Pike County and the surrounding area since 1901 and offers Personal and Business banking with a personal touch. Services include checking, savings, money market, certificates of deposit, and IRA’s. Mobile Banking and Bill Payment services are also available! Click here for more. Please let First Bank of Pike know that you appreciate their sponsorship of Breaking News Alerts on Pike County's only FREE online newspaper!
INFORMATION ABOUT RECEIVING BREAKING NEWS ALERTS CAN BE FOUND, HERE.
Thanks for reading and supporting Pike County Times.com!