Janet Hill sits and smiles in her seat at the zoning board table on Oct. 2, 2026. Hill retired from work in Athens as an employment lawyer and is now leaving the board as well. (Photo/Ren Grimsley)
After 10 years, Janet Hill is stepping down from the Oglethorpe County Zoning Board at the end of the year.
“I’ve been spending so much time in Jamaica,” she said. “And I can do it by Zoom, but I felt like, especially as the chair, that it’s important that they have somebody that can be there in person.”
The county zoning board meets monthly and makes recommendations to the board of commissioners regarding rezoning, amendments to the planning and zoning code and other development-related matters. The chair, who is selected by the other members of the board, runs the meetings and submits official recommendations to the BOC.
Jay Paul, chair of the board of commissioners, thanked Hill and recognized her service to the county at the commission meeting on Monday.
Hill said the time she spends at her house in Jamaica, which is normally around 6-8 months of the year, is likely to increase once she ends her time on the board. She’s drawn there because she grew up on a beach in North Carolina. However, she’s also involved in service organizations on the island.
“There’s a low-cost spay and neuter clinic that I get involved in,” she said. “And there’s also a reading program that I’ve just started getting involved with helping kids after school with their reading.”
Hill said she’ll enjoy the next phase, but also said her time on the zoning board was rewarding.
“One thing that I felt like I really accomplished was we now have a comprehensive solar farm ordinance,” she said. “So I do think it’s been rewarding to move the county along because you need to have development.”
Hill retired four years ago from her job as an employment lawyer in Athens-Clarke County. Wanting to stay near Athens after getting a law degree from the University of Georgia, she moved to Oglethorpe County.
“I felt like my background as an attorney gave me some qualifications to help with writing these ordinances and codes,” she said.
For the person who takes on her role, Hill has some advice.
“Have thick skin,” she said. “Don’t take it personally when people get mad at you about whatever. People feel very strongly about how their community is going to be. Do what you think is the right thing to do.”
The board of commissioners will appoint a replacement.
Jeff Sharp, the director of planning, zoning and compliance and former chair of the zoning board, said there are a few requirements.
“The first thing they have to do is take a class,” he said. “And they just need to have the capabilities of understanding zoning law and zoning requirements.”
Not only do prospective members of the board need to know the law, but also know what is best for Oglethorpe County.
“They need to understand what the people want and what we need here,” Sharp said.
By: Ren Grimsley