Land on U.S. Highway 78, across from the Oglethorpe Animal Clinic, could soon become a truck stop and convenience store.
“We hope we can accommodate the community as much for the residential owner, as much as it would be for the (trucks),” said David Shockley, a real estate agent who represents land owner Jay Shah.
Shah, an Athens business owner, owns the approximately eight acres on Athens Road. Shah, along with Shockley, approached Oglethorpe County Code Compliance Officer Jeff Sharp about the potential of constructing a truck stop on the property.
Shah was inspired by several semi-trucks parked on the property without his permission. A truck stop could alleviate the shortage in the available truck parking in the county that he observed.
Sharp said the land is already zoned B-2 — the proper classification for a truck stop — so no approval by the county’s zoning board is necessary. Additionally, Sharp said the Economic Development Authority is interested in a business that would take advantage of travelers on Highway 78.
“We’re excited for any kind of economic growth,” said William Brown, the EDA chair who is also a county commissioner. “And, if we were to pick somewhere to put it, that’s where it would be.”
The Georgia Department of Transportation conducted a traffic count near that location over a 48-hour period in March 2023. The count found 11,214 vehicles passed the point measured on Athens Road.
No plans are in place to begin the proposed 6,000 square foot building. Shah and Shockley are awaiting a feasibility study before any next steps. The pair anticipate the results in mid-November.
Then, Shah and Shockley will coordinate with the DOT on any changes to the property and roadway that might be necessary, including a turn lane.