2026-11-04 - Mayor and Commission

00:43On Wednesday, November 4th, as I

00:45mentioned earlier, election months, we

00:47always move our voting meeting from

00:49Tuesday to Wednesday. So we are here

00:50tonight, and we're going to go ahead and

00:52begin with a roll call from Clerk

00:54Howard.

00:55>> Davenport.

00:56>> Here.

00:57>> Here.

00:57>> Timer.

00:58>> Here.

00:59>> Wright.

00:59>> Present.

01:00>> Fisher.

01:01Johnson.

01:02>> Here.

01:03>> Colpepper.

01:03>> Here.

01:04>> Myers.

01:05>> Here.

01:05>> Thornton.

01:06>> Here.

01:07>> Hamby.

01:07>> Here.

01:08>> We have a quorum.

01:09>> All right, thank you, Madam Howard. I

01:10appreciate that. Um we'll begin with our

01:12civility pledge provided to us by the

01:14Georgia Municipal Association.

01:16That indicates that the way we govern

01:18ourselves is often as important as the

01:20positions we take, that our collective

01:22decisions will be better when differing

01:24views have had the opportunity to be

01:25fully vetted and considered, that all

01:27people have the right to be treated with

01:29respect, courtesy, and openness, that we

01:31value all input, and we commit to

01:33conduct ourselves at all times with

01:35civility and courtesy to each other. Um

01:38first order of business tonight will be

01:40approval of the minutes from meetings of

01:43Tuesday, October 6th and non-voting

01:45meetings on Tuesday, October 13th,

01:47Tuesday, October 20th, and Wednesday,

01:49October 20 8th. Do I hear a motion for

01:52approval of those minutes?

01:54>> So moved.

01:55>> Second.

01:55>> All right. Got a motion from

01:57Commissioner Wright and a second from

01:58Commissioner Myers. All favor, please

02:00say aye.

02:01>> Aye.

02:01>> Aye.

02:02>> Any opposed?

02:03Hearing none, motion carries. Um uh

02:06Madam Clerk, do we have any written

02:07communications this evening?

02:08>> No, we do not.

02:09>> All right, thank you. All right, now's

02:11the time when I get the outline terms of

02:13public input. We're going to have

02:15several opportunities for public input

02:16throughout the evening. Uh we'll have an

02:18opportunity on the consent agenda. Those

02:21are items that have been previously

02:22considered to be handled in a single

02:24vote and collectively those are items 1

02:27through 10. Again, that'll happen in a

02:29single vote. We have several

02:31recommendations from the Athens Clarke

02:33County Planning Commission. Those are

02:35items 11 through 16.

02:38Those will get individual opportunities

02:40on each of those items for public input.

02:43We'll have an opportunity for input on

02:45old and new business, which are items 17

02:48through 24. And then at the conclusion

02:50of the evening, we have an opportunity

02:52for public input on any item that was

02:54not on tonight's agenda. Um with one

02:57small exception,

02:59every one of those opportunities for

03:00public input is a 3-minute opportunity.

03:03And so you see a light in front of Clerk

03:05Howard. It will turn green when you

03:07provide your name and place of

03:08residence. It will turn yellow when you

03:11have 30 seconds remaining and it will

03:12turn red when your 3 minutes is

03:14concluded. And I will thank you for your

03:15time with us tonight. The only exception

03:18to the 3-minute opportunity is that

03:21applicants for planning and zoning

03:24items, either in favor or opposition,

03:26had a prior opportunity to sign up for

03:28up to 10-minute slot. And so we do have

03:31one of those associated with one item.

03:34So I'm going to go ahead and call for

03:36the first opportunity for public input.

03:37Again, these are just consent agenda

03:40items 1 through 10. And so would anyone

03:42like to speak [snorts] to any consent

03:44agenda item tonight?

03:50Would any commissioner like to move an

03:51item from consent for discussion?

03:55>> 4 and 10.

03:56>> All right, I've got item

03:584

04:00and

04:02item consent.

04:03All right.

04:04>> All right. I entertain a motion for

04:06approval of the consent agenda with the

04:08exception of items four.

04:09>> I would like to move seven.

04:11>> Uh

04:13All right. Thanks Commissioner Thornton.

04:14All right. I entertain a motion for

04:16approval of the consent agenda with the

04:18exception of four, seven, and 10.

04:24Is there a motion for approval of the

04:24consent agenda?

04:25>> Second.

04:26>> I second.

04:26>> All right. Commissioner Hamby, who's the

04:27second?

04:28>> Tiffany.

04:29>> All right. Commissioner Taylor. All

04:31right. I'm going to have Attorney Drake

04:32read the ordinances associated with

04:33those for us.

04:35>> This is the ordinance associated with

04:36items one, two, and three. Item one, an

04:38ordinance to amend the FY 2027 operating

04:41capital budget for Athens Clarke County,

04:43Georgia

04:44so it's to provide funding from

04:45operating contingency for employee

04:46market increase and tax at fill

04:49administrator supplement and for the

04:50purposes.

04:52[clears throat]

04:54Item number two, an ordinance to amend

04:55the special purpose local option sales

04:57tax 2020 program budget so it's to

05:00provide additional funding from

05:01unallocated interest earnings for the

05:02SPLOST 2020 project number 06 fire

05:05station number fire replacement and for

05:07other purposes.

05:09Item number three,

05:11[clears throat]

05:11an ordinance to amend the FY 2027 annual

05:14operating capital budget for Athens

05:16Clarke County, Georgia so it's to

05:17establish the budget for the

05:18transportation special purpose local

05:21option sales tax

05:22T-SPLOST 2026 program to establish a

05:25budget for each project to amend the

05:27project budgets to reflect the

05:28allocation of funds for program

05:29administration expense to authorize a

05:31budget transfer

05:32to consolidate the funding for program

05:34administration and for the purposes.

05:36>> Thank you, Attorney Drake. All right. We

05:37have a motion from Commissioner Hamby

05:39and a second from Commissioner Taylor

05:41for approval of items one through three,

05:44five and six, and eight and nine. All in

05:47favor, please say aye.

05:48>> Aye.

05:49>> Any opposed?

05:50Hearing none, motion carries.

05:52All right. We're going to move to

05:54recommendation from the Athens Clarke

05:55County Planning Commission. First one of

05:58these is item number 11 regarding 7.52

06:02acres at 4730 Old Lexington Road.

06:06Is there any member of the public who

06:07would like to speak to that item

06:09tonight?

06:19>> Pruitt and Associates.

06:21I'm the applicant on behalf of

06:23Athens-Clarke County government and uh

06:26just uh want to say we support the

06:29the recommendations and um

06:32from the previous bodies and staff

06:35and the Planning Commission and I'm just

06:37here if you have any questions for me.

06:38Thanks.

06:39>> Thank you, Mike. I appreciate it.

06:41Is anyone else here to speak to old

06:43Lexington Road which is the location of

06:45our county fire station?

06:47>> Make a motion to approve.

06:49>> All right. Uh all right. So uh first

06:51first order of business will be approval

06:53of the future land use. Motion's from

06:55Commissioner Hamby, second from

06:56Commissioner Link. Commissioner Hamby,

06:57any remarks?

06:59Commissioner Link?

07:00>> Yep.

07:01>> All right. [snorts] Any others from

07:02members of the body?

07:03[clears throat] All right.

07:05>> Bless you.

07:06>> Bless you. Turn to Drake. I'm going to

07:07go ahead and have you read the ordinance

07:08on the future land use plan for fire

07:10station location.

07:11>> Ordinance to amend the code of

07:12Athens-Clarke County, Georgia with

07:13respect to amending the future land use

07:15map of Athens-Clarke County by changing

07:17the designation of one parcel of land

07:18comprising approximately 7.52 acres

07:21located at 4730

07:23old Lexington Road from rural to

07:25government and for other purposes.

07:27>> [clears throat]

07:27>> All right. All in favor please say aye.

07:29>> Aye.

07:29>> Aye.

07:29>> Any opposed? All right. Hearing none,

07:31motion carries. Can I get a motion for

07:33approval of the rezoning?

07:34>> Second.

07:35>> Second.

07:36>> All right. I've got a motion again from

07:37Commissioner Hamby, second from

07:38Commissioner Link. All in favor please

07:40say aye. Oh, let me have you read the

07:41ordinance.

07:42>> Ordinance to amend the code of

07:43Athens-Clarke County, Georgia with

07:44respect to rezoning one parcel of land

07:46comprising approximately 7.52 acres

07:49located at 4730

07:51old Lexington Road from AR agricultural

07:53residential to G government and for

07:55other purposes.

07:56>> All right. Thank you. All in favor

07:57please say aye.

07:58>> Aye.

07:59>> All right. Motion's approved. All right.

08:01Uh mentioned that we did have one person

08:04sign up uh for uh the next item. That's

08:07item number 12 regarding Re Street and

08:11West Broad Street. So I'll ask

08:14David Ellison to come and while you have

08:17a 10-minute opportunity. You don't have

08:18to use that entire time. So

08:21Mr. Ellison, I'm going to go ahead and

08:22have the clerk set the clock and you may

08:24begin.

08:25>> Good evening. David Ellison here on

08:27behalf of this particular project.

08:29Before I get started, just want to thank

08:31all the staff and commissioners and

08:33everyone else who's been involved

08:35on this project willing to meet with

08:37people and talk people to discuss the

08:39merits of this project.

08:41It's a challenging site.

08:43As you're all aware, there's a stream

08:45across this property

08:46and this 75-ft riparian buffer prevents

08:50any redevelopment of this site. [snorts]

08:52Three or four previous developers have

08:54tried to use it, but they've been unable

08:56to do so because of this buffer.

08:59We have obtained a variance from

09:00Athens-Clarke County that will allow us

09:02to relocate this stream and build a

09:03buildable area,

09:05but that work will be expensive and we

09:07cannot do that with a CG or RM-3

09:09density.

09:11We're seeking a step down density from

09:12CD to CG, but our challenge is that we

09:16are going to be participating in the

09:17inclusionary zoning ordinance and we

09:19cannot satisfy that with a payment in

09:21lieu with an RM-3 zoning classification.

09:24So that's why we apply for CG and try to

09:27get reduced density from That's why we

09:29apply for CD with reduced density

09:31because we were unable to apply for RM-3

09:34and increase it.

09:36And so we believe that this stream is

09:38also one of the reasons why CD is not

09:41going to go further up Broad Street.

09:44No other parcel on Broad Street has an

09:47open channel stream on its property.

09:50And no other property in this area is

09:53going to have to deal with this riparian

09:55buffer.

09:56No other property along Broad Street is

09:58going to have the acreage to create a

10:00park and a mixed-use building.

10:03And furthermore, the presence of

10:04contributing properties in the Re Street

10:06neighborhood will prevent the spread of

10:08CD north and west of recent Broad

10:10Street.

10:11So even though we're asking for a change

10:13in the future land use map, we have

10:15designed this to be consistent with the

10:17current classifications of the future

10:19land use map.

10:21Uh the portions towards Reese Street are

10:23mixed into residential,

10:25which calls for green space and two to

10:27four story buildings.

10:29Uh the properties on Broad Street are

10:30called for high intensity use towards

10:32the building uh for three to

10:35three to seven stories high.

10:37So even though we're going to have the

10:38CD zone with the PD,

10:41we are still falling beneath the current

10:43recommended height requirements under

10:45the recently adopted future land use

10:46map.

10:48And so we believe that this is entirely

10:50consistent with the future land use map.

10:53And we understand the steering report uh

10:56cautioned against expanding beyond

10:58Finley Street,

10:59but the future land use steering report

11:01also emphasized the rigid environment

11:04that cannot be changed.

11:06This riparian buffer is something that

11:08cannot be changed. And so we're asking

11:11for this body

11:13to approve this future land use map and

11:14approve our zoning so we can make a

11:16productive use of this land.

11:19Uh one of the greatest features about

11:21this development is this idea of this uh

11:23historic park that we've been working

11:25with Reese Street and Hill First Baptist

11:27Church.

11:27As I said here before the agenda setting

11:29session,

11:31uh the church designed this park and the

11:32developer will build it at its expense

11:35and then convey a perpetual park

11:36easement to the church that will run

11:38with the land.

11:40This is going to provide neighborhood

11:41green space and unique community

11:42benefit.

11:44And what's neat about this is that the

11:45church will use it, but it'll will be

11:47taxed by the developer.

11:49So this is more revenue that's coming in

11:51for the county for the benefit of all

11:54of Athens-Clarke County.

11:56So while this park and this stream

11:58restoration will provide a unique

11:59benefit to the fourth district, we think

12:01every district is going to benefit from

12:03this.

12:04So right now there's no stormwater on

12:05the property. The erosion uh in the

12:08stream is falling in. It's a dump. And

12:11what we're going to be doing is

12:12improving the water quality for the

12:14entire watershed.

12:16We're also offering a payment in lieu

12:18million for the inclusionary housing

12:20fund.

12:21There's going to be $2 million in public

12:23utility and sewer improvements in a site

12:24that long needs help.

12:26And tax revenues are going to increase

12:28from $22,000 per year to 1.3 per year at

12:31the year immediately after completion.

12:33And so this again advances many of the

12:35goals the future land use plan which

12:36calls for one redeveloping a quarter

12:39ripe for transformation.

12:41As I said, multiple developers have

12:42tried to make this site work but hasn't.

12:44And every other property in this area is

12:46thriving.

12:48Two, we're minimizing sewer expansion

12:50and growing capacity within the existing

12:51framework.

12:53The site is already served by sewer and

12:55the developer would be making these

12:56improvements at its own expense.

12:58So again, you're advancing the goals of

13:01the future land use plan by investing by

13:05investing in an area allowing someone

13:06else to invest in the area without it's

13:08served by sewer that does not require

13:10the county to put in additional funds.

13:13And finally, you're supporting

13:14environmentally and fiscally sustainable

13:16growth.

13:17Again, this stream restoration will

13:18benefit the entire watershed. The

13:20developer is going to be coming in to

13:21provide benefits to the entire

13:22community.

13:24We understand their concerns with

13:25parking.

13:27We understand that.

13:28Uh we since the last uh agenda setting

13:30session we worked with the church and

13:32Masonic Lodge to secure up to 104 spaces

13:35on lots that are legal non-conforming.

13:38Uh these all site spaces will result in

13:40a parking ratio of 82 %.

13:44And these will not displace existing

13:45users of these lots.

13:47We've also circulated another proposal

13:50uh that would

13:52remove the town homes

13:54and add additional parking

13:56which reduced the density to 390 beds

13:58and increased onsite parking to 264

14:01which result in onsite parking ratio of

14:0368 %.

14:05And with all the onsite parking involved

14:08that would get us up to 97 %.

14:11And again, that's an addition to all the

14:13measures that the developer is going to

14:14use to try to

14:16make it a more walkable environment

14:18where students won't have to be driving

14:20their cars.

14:21You know, part of the goal of this

14:22project is to put density where students

14:25can walk to UGA, walk to Milledge, walk

14:27to Five Points, walk to Prince Avenue,

14:28walk downtown,

14:30so they don't have to drive around.

14:33And so we understand there have been

14:34discussions to send this back to the

14:35Planning Commission, but we're concerned

14:37about what that would have on this

14:38project.

14:39The developer has taken the time to work

14:41with the church to develop this park.

14:45It's continued to respond to comments

14:46from staff, HBC, Planning Commission,

14:47and the community to continue to refine

14:49the plan.

14:51Following the first meeting for the

14:52Planning Commission, it reduced its

14:53density by 20%

14:55and reduced the height by taking off a

14:56story.

14:58We also changed the facade along Broad

15:00Street and also redesigned it to address

15:01concerns from Deering Street.

15:04After the agenda setting session meeting

15:06about two weeks ago, we heard comments

15:07and concerns about parking and we've

15:09been diligently working to solve that

15:11problem through these off-site parking

15:12arrangements and through a potential

15:15redesign of our plan.

15:17We understand that

15:19there may be a desire to send this back

15:21to the Planning Commission, but I will

15:22note that this body is the zoning

15:24authority of Athens-Clarke County.

15:26And there are mechanisms for it to be

15:28approved tonight if you're so inclined.

15:32But we understand that we will have

15:34before you two possible plans.

15:36The original plan that has the town

15:38homes can be approved if y'all remove

15:41the condition for conserved tree canopy.

15:44We can comply with the

15:46total canopy of 40%,

15:49but with all the site work and

15:50redevelopment of this site, we cannot

15:51comply with the 10% conserved canopy.

15:54So no matter what, we would ask that if

15:56there is a vote for approval tonight,

15:58that you please recommend and remove any

16:00requirement to be complied with the

16:01conserved tree canopy requirements.

16:04We've also worked with staff for

16:05conditions one and two that would deal

16:06with the buffer.

16:08We believe we can satisfy those as well.

16:10So we believe it's a great project for a

16:13challenging site.

16:15We understand that

16:17this is a,

16:19you know potential landmark development

16:20for the community. And I think that it's

16:22been wonderful working with Phil First

16:24Baptist Church to try to work with the

16:26neighbors so they can have their input

16:28on a project.

16:30Uh and so we've got earned their

16:31support. We've earned the support of

16:32many of our neighbors. And so we ask for

16:34your support tonight.

16:36Uh so we ask for you please approve our

16:41original plan

16:42but eliminating the requirement for a

16:45conserved tree canopy.

16:46Thank you.

16:47>> Thank you Mr. Allison.

16:48Any other speakers would like to speak

16:50to the Re Street and West Broad project

16:52can line up the podium at this point.

17:16>> Good evening.

17:17Hi. Good afternoon. My name is Marvin

17:20Nunley. I serve as president chairperson

17:23for the Athens Masonic Association

17:26located at 496 Re Street. We're one of

17:30those neighbors abutting this particular

17:32property here and the investment that

17:34they're making with regard to that.

17:36Our lodge, our board of directors have

17:38looked at this, have vetted this

17:39particular project, talked with the

17:40owners of the project, the developers.

17:42We have concluded

17:44that this is a good project for us, for

17:46the neighborhood, to bring up the

17:48neighborhood, to shore up the

17:49neighborhood, more importantly to be a

17:51good partner to have to work with in our

17:54in our endeavors to do charitable work

17:56in the community, which is what we're

17:57all about.

17:58Particularly as relates to our youth,

18:00Knights of Pythagoras, our youth council

18:03as well. And more importantly having us

18:04an opportunity to have a place where our

18:07out of town Masonic brothers who come to

18:08Athens and pour some three point five

18:11million dollars into the Athens economic

18:13with our conventions that we have with

18:15over two thousand

18:17delegates that come to Athens about

18:19every three of to four years in Athens,

18:22Georgia. We're excited about working

18:24with the Cardinal Group. We're excited

18:26about the opportunity that we can work

18:28together with regard to making this that

18:30particular project shoring up

18:33uh the the branch, shoring up the park

18:35there that we all share because we are

18:37indeed a historical building located

18:39there at 496 Reade Street built in 1913.

18:42A lot of our individuals and parents uh

18:45of our membership have been educated at

18:48this particular building. We are have

18:49plans to with regard to shoring up and

18:52renovating that particular piece of

18:53property because it is a fabric of the

18:55Athens community.

18:58And we certainly look forward to having

18:59an opportunity to work with this group

19:01as we look forward to sharing with

19:04regard to the restoration of that

19:05building and more importantly, more

19:07importantly, of having a good partner to

19:09work on our community service endeavors

19:11with our youth, with our elderly, and

19:14more importantly, with the entire

19:16community. Thank you very much.

19:18>> Thank you, Mr. Natalie.

19:20Good evening.

19:22>> Good evening, Mayor and Commission.

19:25My name is Hope Igleheart. I live at 237

19:28North Church Street.

19:30And I stand before you as a fourth

19:32generation member of the Reade Street

19:34community and someone who has spent

19:36their spent 18 years fighting for

19:38preservation and for its history and

19:41heritage.

19:42For nearly 20 years, 660 Broad Street

19:46has remained undeveloped, dilapidated.

19:49And because of its environmental and

19:51topographical topographical

19:54and infrastructural

19:56infrastructural changes,

19:58it has been a difficult

20:01property to develop.

20:04And we have seen development come on

20:08Broad Street at Milledge and Finley

20:10Street.

20:12And

20:13it did not receive the same type of

20:15scrutiny that this project has.

20:19Where was this level of scrutiny for

20:21these projects?

20:22Why do the standards to change when a

20:25developer is willing to negotiate

20:27directly with a historically black

20:29community?

20:30This developer has listened. They have

20:32are making significant investments and

20:34they have reduced density. They have um

20:39updated their parking and partnered with

20:42uh

20:44the community and ReStreet and they are

20:46promoting e-bikes and resolving

20:49environmental concerns.

20:51At what point does meaningful

20:53concessions count for something? This

20:56project also offers afford uh

20:59contributions to the affordable housing,

21:02restoration of Tanyar branch,

21:04infrastructure improvements, significant

21:07tax revenue, and a commemorative park

21:10honoring the history of Reith.

21:12These are investments our community has

21:14waited decades to see.

21:17And I want to address my commissioner. I

21:20must express my disappointment in how my

21:22pastor and I have been needled and

21:24challenged regarding the commemorative

21:26park at 363 Reith. We are not outsiders

21:30seeking permission to participate. We

21:33are descendants of the people who built

21:35this community.

21:37Intimidation is not advocacy and

21:39dismissing dismissing black votes

21:42because they challenge a political

21:44politically preferred narrative is not

21:46preservation. We cannot claim to

21:49champion black history while

21:50marginalizing black people actively

21:53working to preserve it. This is

21:55selective representation.

21:57Preservation without investment can

22:00become any can't be anything more than

22:03neglect. A historic designation does not

22:06repair infrastructure. A preservation

22:09ordinance does not restore and

22:12neglect extreme.

22:14And

22:15I want to say this to mayor and

22:16commission. I ask you to apply your

22:18standards consistently, acknowledge the

22:21concessions made, and recognize the

22:23loudest voice does not represent every

22:26voice.

22:26>> Thank you, Ms. Egelhaaf.

22:32>> Good evening.

22:33>> Good evening.

22:35My name is Laura Smothers.

22:37I live at 165 Thicket Court.

22:40I am a 17-year resident of Athens, and

22:44I'm a proud member of Hill First Baptist

22:46Church. And at this time, I just like to

22:49ask everyone who's a member of our

22:50church who's here in support of this

22:52development to please stand.

22:59Thank you.

23:00You all can be seated.

23:02I am also the founder of the Joy Village

23:04School, Athens' only school centering

23:06black history and culture in its

23:08curriculum.

23:09For these reasons, I am moved to speak

23:12on behalf of this development as one

23:14deeply invested in the preservation of

23:16our local black history and to express

23:18my gratitude that this development plan

23:20takes the celebration of our history

23:23into account.

23:24The story of Reese Street is a story of

23:26black displacement and removal due to

23:28waves of so-called urban renewal.

23:31At the root of our community's grief

23:33over the loss of institutions like Knox

23:35Institute and Athens High and Industrial

23:37School, not to mention many other

23:39black-owned homes and businesses in the

23:41area, is the pattern of decision-making

23:43without the input of the community.

23:46The reason that this development

23:48opportunity stands out from so many

23:50other offers that have come our way is

23:53the agency and voice that has been given

23:55to the black community

23:57that still occupies Reese Street to

23:59determine the outcome

24:01uh to determine the outcome and outcome

24:03that honors our history and honors our

24:05wishes.

24:06We are simply here to ask that you side

24:08with the original

24:111867

24:13residents of Reese Street and allow us

24:15the dignity of deciding this sacred

24:18street's fate for ourselves. Thank you.

24:20>> Thank you, Ms. Smothers.

24:27Good evening.

24:29>> Good evening.

24:30>> My name is Solomon Smothers. I live at

24:32165 Thicket Court, Athens, Georgia,

24:3430601.

24:36I have lived in Athens for about 20

24:39years now and previously worked with the

24:41Housing and Community Development Office

24:44as a housing coordinator with the local

24:46government.

24:47More importantly than all of that, I am

24:49a proud member of Hill First Baptist

24:51Church.

24:53And in my time with HCD, I helped write

24:56and amend the voluntary inclusionary

24:59zoning ordinance. I led

25:00and contributed to multiple public

25:02meetings regarding affordable housing

25:04initiatives and supported local

25:06nonprofits in actualizing the creation

25:10and maintenance of affordable housing

25:12projects in Athens.

25:14So I know firsthand

25:16of the great work and care and

25:17thoughtfulness offered by ACC Gov, staff

25:20members, elected officials officials,

25:23and commissioners to ensure that the

25:25community members have a legitimate

25:27voice in the things that are happening

25:30in their community.

25:32And so, specifically, I can attest that

25:35this is a situation where our church has

25:38had appropriate, productive, mutually

25:40beneficial conversations with Cardinal.

25:43This is a plan that's good for our

25:44church. And I'll just say as someone who

25:47helped work with inclusionary zoning,

25:50this is the type of developer that

25:52Athens wants.

25:53One that listens, right?

25:57So please

25:58regard what we're saying here, hear what

26:01we're saying here, that this is a

26:02developer that's listening to our

26:03request and our voices are must be

26:06prioritized in conversations about

26:08things happening in our neighborhoods.

26:10Please support this plan and in doing

26:12so, support the people of Hill First

26:13Baptist Church, the oldest Black church

26:15in Northeast Georgia. Thank you.

26:16>> Thank you, Mr. Smothers.

26:19>> Good evening, Mayor and Commission. My

26:20name is Reverend Dr. Allison Henderson

26:22Brooks. Excuse me. [clears throat] And

26:24it is the honor of my life to serve as

26:25pastor of the historic Hill First

26:27Baptist Church located at 205 North Pope

26:29Street in the historic Re-Street

26:31District, the district directly impacted

26:33by this new development. I arise tonight

26:36to lend my voice in support of this

26:37project and on behalf of members of our

26:39church despite dismissal, disregard, and

26:42a lack of due diligence from

26:43Commissioner Wright of both our church

26:45and our community. For the past several

26:48months, we have appreciated the

26:49opportunity to dialogue and partner with

26:51Cardinal Group about this project

26:53through numerous meetings and think

26:55special sessions over the past six

26:57months. They have listened in good

26:58faith, gone above and beyond to address

27:01any and every concerns and suggestions

27:03that we have had. To name a few, they

27:05have been very open to the ethic of care

27:08for the ecological attention and

27:09remediation of an overgrown creek that

27:11is an eyesore in our neighborhood.

27:13Polluted streams create polluted

27:15drinking waters in communities like

27:17Re-Street. They have listened to our

27:18suggestions of how to blend exterior

27:20facades of the building to match our

27:23residential neighborhood with historic

27:25elements to complement the 1800s design

27:27style of our church. They have been open

27:29to reducing units to help facilitate

27:31less traffic. They've added retail space

27:34and they have agreed to address every

27:36concern brought up by planning and

27:39by planning and the concerns by persons

27:41who are not in our district. Therefore,

27:43the final rendering procured for review

27:45of this commission and this tonight is a

27:48result of a collaborative partnership

27:49between Cardinal Group, our church, the

27:52neighborhood, and those who live, work,

27:54play, worship, and revere the historic

27:56Re-Street District and her preservation.

27:59We are aware of the robust debate and

28:01opposition about the efficacy of this

28:03development. As Attorney Ellis has said,

28:05it is a challenging, but it is not

28:07impossible. And although there are

28:09ideological differences resulting in

28:11overreach and absolute obstruction from

28:14those who do not live in the district,

28:16it is my hope that this commission will

28:19trust the residents of historic

28:21Re-Street District and the members of

28:22the Historic Hill First Baptist Church,

28:24the cornerstone connector of the

28:26community, to know better what is good

28:28for our neighborhood and what is not.

28:30Furthermore, it is my deep hope that

28:33there will be an equitable consideration

28:35for our side of the story and our

28:37verses, voices to be heard and

28:39respected. Without question, our side of

28:41the story heralds tonight in your

28:43hearing that Cardinal Group has done

28:45more to ensure this project is

28:47ecologically attentive, mutually

28:49beneficial for the city and the historic

28:52Restreet district, and for being proven

28:54collaborative partners in these efforts.

28:56These efforts and this process speak

28:58louder than any words. To this end, on

29:01behalf of our church, may it be recorded

29:03tonight that the historic Hill First

29:05Baptist Church fully supports this

29:07project. We are absolutely intelligent

29:09and are speaking equitably and

29:11intelligible about this project despite

29:14opposition and obstruction. And in good

29:16faith, we trust that this commission

29:18will trust our judgment in their voting

29:20decisions on this project that directly

29:22affect the history, legacy, and enduring

29:24future of our church and community for

29:27generations to come. Thank you for your

29:28time.

29:29>> Brooks.

29:32Good evening.

29:33>> Good evening.

29:35Um,

29:36Liz DeMarco, 327 Hill Street. Um, I do

29:40live uh four blocks from where this

29:43project is going in. I've lived there

29:45for 26 years.

29:47Um,

29:49this applicant is requesting

29:52two major changes to accomplish their

29:56plan development involving four parcels.

30:01Our recently adopted future land use map

30:04ends downtown at Finley.

30:08The applicant wants to change our future

30:10land use map and to move downtown

30:14another block to Pope.

30:16The subsequent zoning changes for all

30:19four parcels

30:20will be considerable up zoning and will

30:24then be will then be commercial

30:26downtown.

30:27This approach is an overstep and overall

30:31this development is too intense

30:35for this area.

30:36And do we really need more luxury

30:39student high-rise apartment buildings?

30:43And that is that is the crux of what

30:45pushing more college [snorts]

30:48students into that area is my main thing

30:53in all honesty.

30:55I think we can see that

30:57downtown characteristics of density and

31:00not providing on-site parking for most

31:03residents do not work here. The existing

31:06Rambler and Max in are already

31:08demonstrating the issues when downtown

31:11touches

31:13existing historic neighborhoods.

31:15There are other major aspects of this

31:17plan such as contending with Tanager

31:20branch that are in question as well.

31:24One good thing is that the commemorative

31:26park is an outstanding goal

31:29resulting from this process and should

31:31happen independently from any

31:34development of this parcel.

31:36[snorts]

31:37Our Athens community

31:39must remain dedicated to honoring this

31:42Athens history with a commemorative

31:44park.

31:45This PD with its 10 conditions and

31:48non-binding area is not ready for a

31:51vote.

31:53If this gets approved tonight in its

31:55current state

31:56and one of the unknowns makes it

31:59unworkable for this applicant, unlikely,

32:02but it's a it's there's a chance,

32:05we are stuck with a PD that involves

32:07four parcels that a future interested

32:09party would need to unwind at their

32:11expense.

32:13That does not make any sense. It was the

32:16applicant's prerogative to keep pushing

32:18this through, so here we are.

32:21I respectfully ask you to please stop

32:24this erosion of our established but

32:28threatened in-town residential

32:29neighborhoods and our homegrown

32:32neighborhood businesses and deny this PD

32:35and future land use change.

32:36>> Thank you, Mr. Marka.

32:40Good evening.

32:41>> Good evening. I'm My name is Matthew

32:42Scott. Uh I'm the owner of Big City

32:45Bread

32:47off of Finley and Meigs. I have been so

32:49for 22 years. The restaurant's been

32:51around since 1998.

32:53Um

32:54I currently employ 35 employees.

32:5718 are working on a daily basis.

33:00Um

33:02there is a lot of concern uh with making

33:05sure that this parking is is

33:08adequate for more living spaces in that

33:10area.

33:11The parking is atrocity. Um I'm glad to

33:15see that the 2-hour uh

33:17area was established on on Finley.

33:20That's made a big difference.

33:21Um the traffic is bad. It's essentially

33:24one-way roads on Finley and Meigs.

33:27Uh not to mention speeding, uh constant

33:304-way stop uh running.

33:32I'm waiting for somebody to get hit,

33:34hurt.

33:35Um I I just think there's a lot to be

33:37concerned with with adding more

33:39population, more cars

33:41uh in that area.

33:43Uh

33:44you know, as a business owner, I'm

33:46hoping to be around for a long time. My

33:48son's taking over this business. I'm

33:49hoping to provide an occupation for him

33:51and to continue uh maintaining that

33:54business through many years and serving

33:56Athens.

33:57Uh I would hate for it to be because of

33:58parking.

34:00And I would hate for anybody to get hurt

34:02in that area without proper

34:04planning.

34:05So that's all I have to say. I hope you

34:07all have a good night.

34:07>> Thank you, Mr. Scott.

34:10Good evening.

34:11>> Hello. I'm Bertis Downs. I live at 738

34:14Cobb Street. Thank you all for having a

34:15meeting tonight. Last night just would

34:17not have worked. I'm still kind of uh

34:20It was worth it, but I'm a little bit

34:21groggy from it. Um I speak tonight to

34:24oppose this proposal for the development

34:27of a key, crowded downtown vicinity

34:30property.

34:31Residents of the nearby neighborhoods

34:33[clears throat] I live pretty close and

34:35uh have from have spent a lot of time in

34:38that area um and

34:40[clears throat] uh use the main streets

34:43and the smaller streets.

34:44Um, nobody's looking to live in a

34:46cul-de-sac in Oconee County. If they

34:48were, they'd probably try to figure out

34:50a way to do that. We understand and

34:53expect as in-town dwellers a certain

34:55amount of noise, traffic, random

34:57disruptions as trade-offs to the

34:59positive aspects of living conveniently

35:01close to downtown. [clears throat]

35:04But we have to recognize the many issues

35:06and I heard the word challenge a few

35:08times when the

35:10pro side of this was presenting and

35:12they're right. It's really challenging.

35:14Um, and

35:16uh there are issues about safety,

35:18liability, quality of life that are

35:20increasingly serious within the blocks

35:23surrounding these massive downtown

35:25student housing complexes, including the

35:28still I think in my mind it's still

35:30pretty new, the Rambler adjacent to this

35:32property. With so much on-street parking

35:35needed that the passage of normal

35:36traffic is significantly impeded.

35:39Not to mention the spillover housing and

35:41parking for the brothers of the KA house

35:44on Hancock, which I was at Hill First

35:46Baptist Church with a few a bunch of

35:49other neighbors uh fighting on the same

35:52team with you guys um

35:55uh whatever it was, 10, 12, 14 years

35:57ago. But that one unfortunately there

35:59wasn't a lot of discretion because the

36:00the way had been kind of paved uh early

36:03for that for that project, but we

36:05certainly gave it the attempt. But

36:08thinking through Megs, Reese, Church,

36:11Finley, and Pope Streets right there

36:12within a few hundred feet,

36:15there just has to be a limit on what we

36:17allow as a community, as a town, as a

36:19body making decisions.

36:22With these intensive developments with

36:25hundreds of bedrooms,

36:27each producing a driver or three looking

36:29to park on a daily basis. I'm glad they

36:31can walk once they're at their

36:33apartment, but they're not walking from

36:35Atlanta or wherever they live. They're

36:37they're going to drive their cars here

36:39and maybe you've got enough parking. It

36:41sounds like you don't.

36:42Um,

36:43so

36:45when appropriate, CD zoning can be

36:47premised on a downtown environment where

36:49residents can rely on private

36:51automobiles because they have convenient

36:53access to transit,

36:55walkable streets, but that doesn't exist

36:57here. There are lots of reasons to deny

36:59this application, but the lack of

37:00sufficient parking alone ought to be

37:03enough to

37:04send it back to the drawing board,

37:06figure it out

37:07more than the than the promises being

37:09made right now. Um, [clears throat]

37:11and uh it's maybe a challenging site

37:14that just shouldn't go there, this big

37:16of a dense complex on that small of a

37:18site.

37:19>> Thank you, Mr. Downs.

37:24>> [clears throat]

37:25>> Good evening.

37:26>> Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners.

37:29My name is Gwendolyn Ayer and I live at

37:31254 Dearing Street.

37:34I'm a Georgia native, graduated from UGA

37:36in 1993 and moved back to Athens almost

37:394 years ago.

37:40Every day I walk along our cobblestone

37:43Finley Street and past the tree that

37:44owns itself.

37:46I love Athens history and devour every

37:47bit of it. I also value and support

37:50growth

37:51and our students.

37:52I am not opposed to development. I

37:54believe in Athens and I celebrate

37:56economic growth, new investment, and the

37:58tax revenue that development brings. But

38:00I believe we must also ask at what cost.

38:05Just 6 months ago, the commission

38:06adopted the 2045 Future Land Use Map.

38:10I believe we should respect the planning

38:12framework we established and think

38:14carefully before extending downtown

38:16development beyond Finley into our

38:18historic neighborhood.

38:20Our neighborhood already struggles with

38:21parking. Students park on our

38:23residential streets and those cars have

38:25to go somewhere.

38:27I understand the desire to honor the

38:29history of Reese Street community.

38:32That history matters.

38:34But I believe we can celebrate the

38:36history without approving a development

38:38whose scale and parking demands threaten

38:41the surrounding neighborhoods.

38:43I want to share something personal. My

38:45husband and I bought and restored a home

38:47on Dearing a few years ago.

38:49In February 2024, my dear neighbor Peggy

38:52Gallis asked if we could show our home

38:55as part of the Georgia Trust tour. I was

38:57going to be out of town, so I offered my

38:59keys.

39:00This was her beautiful reply.

39:03No, no. You are sweet to offer that, but

39:05they'll do it again in 10 years or so.

39:08Trust me, it will be here before you

39:10know it, and people will want to hear

39:12your stories of restoration.

39:14Dearing and Henderson are always on it,

39:16but remember, you heard it here first.

39:19Dearing and Henderson will be different

39:20then, too.

39:22Someone will have fixed up more houses

39:24to affair thee well.

39:25You'll have new neighbors that you'll

39:27love. Your sidewalks will be filled with

39:29baby strollers and students. You'll have

39:31grandchildren in and out, toy closets

39:34inside,

39:35swings and slides in that big backyard.

39:38These are these streets are life as it

39:40should be.

39:41I thought I couldn't live without the

39:43Whiteheads and the Wilsons and the Coles

39:45on Henderson,

39:46but now those houses are filled with

39:49teenagers and Riker's Middle School

39:51basketball friends and two babies across

39:53the street that are in their double

39:55stroller and off to the bakery most

39:57mornings.

39:58That's the charm of it all. Life.

40:01You're going to love it here.

40:05Peggy reminds us that a neighborhood is

40:07more than buildings. It's people,

40:09families, children, and generations of

40:12memories still to be made.

40:14That is what I hope we can preserve as

40:15Athens grows.

40:17Please consider the full impact of this

40:19proposal, respect the planning framework

40:22we have adopted, and deny this rezoning.

40:25Thank you.

40:25>> Thank you, Ms. Sayer.

40:31Good evening.

40:34>> Good evening. Um I'm Dina Krishner. I

40:36live at 178 Dearing Street.

40:40Um please deny the requested rezoning.

40:44The request to change zoning on Broad

40:47Street is not just a local issue. It is

40:50not defined by two historic districts

40:53most directly affected, Re-Street and

40:57During Street.

40:58Approval of the change to commercial

41:01downtown

41:03impacts everyone with a stake in Athens

41:06future.

41:07The rezone would violate the newly

41:10adopted 2045 future land use map

41:14which specifies Finley Street

41:17as the western border for CD zoning.

41:21Even as a planned development, the

41:23density and building heights are more

41:26consistent with downtown than with any

41:30other zoning designation.

41:32At the meeting of the Planning

41:34Commission in October, the discussion

41:37included other zoning options such as

41:40RM-3

41:42as well as major corridor. In reviewing

41:45the major corridor description for Broad

41:48Street, the actual physical appearance

41:52of building in the context of its

41:54location becomes important.

41:58The goal is to visually ease into

42:02commercial downtown height and density

42:05gradually.

42:07This proposed tall building on the crest

42:11of the last hilltop

42:13approaching downtown at Pope Street

42:17would block the view still visible over

42:20the top of a huge [snorts] complex

42:22called The Rambler.

42:25Nothing gradual or even in the same

42:28visual scale

42:29of the neighboring property on the east

42:31side of Finley Street. The difference,

42:35location in a gully

42:37as opposed to on the top of a hill.

42:41Surely we do not need to encourage

42:43oversized developments outside the CD

42:47boundary

42:48that change the character of downtown

42:51Athens

42:53when one approaches from the west.

42:56Please deny the rezone request. Thank

42:59you.

43:00>> Thank you, Ms. Krishna.

43:04Good evening.

43:05>> Good evening.

43:06My name's John Nicholson. I live at 197

43:09Deering Street.

43:11I was here at the agenda

43:13setting session two weeks ago

43:16when the discussion on this project

43:17seemed to boil down to two main issues,

43:19one pro and one con.

43:21The number one negative issue is the

43:23intolerable lack of sufficient parking

43:25spaces proposed by the developer.

43:27As my neighbors have already argued,

43:29providing only one parking space for

43:31every two residents is just not

43:32acceptable.

43:34And it's it's no longer just a matter of

43:37inconvenience. It's also a matter of

43:38public safety.

43:40Curbside parking blocking travel lanes

43:42on narrow side streets in this area was

43:44bad before the Rambler went up, and now

43:46it is acute.

43:47This problem this problem shouldn't just

43:50keep getting swept under the rug.

43:52Insufficient parking is a fatal flaw of

43:54this proposal, and it ought to stop it

43:56dead in its tracks.

43:59On the other hand, the biggest positive

44:00issue stressed at the meeting two weeks

44:02ago and tonight is a proposal to build a

44:05small park on the property commemorating

44:07the heritage of Reese Street

44:08neighborhood.

44:09I think we'd all agree that this park is

44:10a good thing. There's no argument about

44:12that.

44:13But what I want to stress tonight is

44:15that this park and the monstrously

44:17oversized building ought to be

44:18considered as two separate issues.

44:21The park ought not to be built like a

44:23bone thrown to a dog to win the goodwill

44:25of local residents who would otherwise

44:27be hostile to a threatening intruder.

44:30The park ought certainly to be built, if

44:33not by the developer, then perhaps by

44:35the Athens-Clarke County government.

44:38The proposed park is not that large, and

44:40it wouldn't be that expensive to

44:41taxpayers. Yes, it would be ideal if the

44:43park were built by a developer, but by a

44:45developer who provides a scaled-down

44:47building, something less tall with lower

44:50density, and crucially, a building which

44:52in which every resident is provided with

44:54a spot.

44:56So I urge you not to rezone this

44:57property as downtown commercial. Stick

45:00to the good decision you made a few

45:01months ago in the future future land use

45:03plan that sets Finley as the western

45:05boundary of the downtown district.

45:07That's a good sensible decision and it

45:09shouldn't be changed. By good zoning,

45:11insist that any development on this

45:13block west of Finley be a kind of

45:15buffer, a step down between the high

45:17density downtown district and our

45:19already established historic residential

45:22neighborhoods around Reese and Hancock

45:24and Dearing

45:26where single family housing

45:27predominates.

45:29Please don't let these neighborhoods be

45:30spoiled by development which is just too

45:32big and would overwhelm the area

45:34creating multiple problems that would

45:36erode the quality of life for everyone.

45:38Let's aim at a compromise. If a

45:40developer proposing a more modest

45:42building is not forthcoming soon, then

45:44please as mayor and commission seriously

45:47consider building the commemorative park

45:48yourselves which could easily be an

45:50extension of the of the Reese Pope Park

45:53which already exists on the northwest

45:55corner of this property.

45:57Thank you very much.

45:58>> Thank you Mr. Nicholson.

46:02Good evening.

46:03>> Good evening. My name is Kathy Curbo and

46:05I live at 890 Hill Street adjacent

46:07neighborhood.

46:09I respectfully request that you deny the

46:10planned development. My major concerns

46:13concern stem from the excessive scale of

46:15this project. Zoning laws are community

46:17promises meant to protect our

46:19neighborhoods and we should honor them.

46:21At a recent UGA panel on the student

46:24housing landscape in Athens, one of the

46:26panelists says we were at a tipping

46:27point now and he predicted an oversupply

46:30of student housing in Athens by 2029.

46:33If a surplus is coming, why are we

46:35rushing to approve a massive oversized

46:37development that degrades our city's

46:39character and quality of life?

46:41While this project has many issues

46:43including density, parking and height, I

46:45want to focus specifically on Tanyard

46:47Creek.

46:49While I support stream daylighting,

46:51this is a stream relocation disguised as

46:54a restoration.

46:55The developer wants to force Branch

46:58out of [clears throat] its natural

46:59pathway into an artificial engineered

47:02corridor

47:03just to accommodate an overly dense

47:05footprint.

47:06A site appropriate density would allow

47:08for true daylighting that respects the

47:11stream's natural course.

47:13Doing in this in the backyard of Eugene

47:16Odum, the father of modern ecology

47:19that started the Institute of Ecology at

47:21UGA,

47:22insults his legacy. Dr. Odum famously

47:26warned us against the tyranny of small

47:28decisions

47:29where a series of short-sighted

47:31development choices permanently

47:33fractures our environment.

47:35Furthermore, they have found that

47:36tightly constricted natural waterways

47:39can cause

47:40catastrophic urban flooding.

47:43As climate change brings more frequent

47:45rain bombs to Athens, we need to give

47:47our streams more room, not less.

47:50Squeezing a public waterway to maximize

47:52private profit is

47:54an environmental

47:56justice [clears throat]

47:57issue and the public will inherit the

47:59consequences at some point.

48:02When journalists come to write about

48:03Athens,

48:05they write about our unique character,

48:06local flavor, and lovely neighborhoods,

48:09not how great the downtown CVS is or the

48:12endless sprawl of student housing.

48:15We are at a tipping point.

48:17We need to remember what truly makes a

48:19town great and hold our ground.

48:21I urge the mayor and commission to deny

48:23these zoning changes and demand a

48:25low-density project that protects our

48:27watershed, shields our neighborhoods,

48:29and ensures Athens retains its unique

48:32character. Thank you for your time and

48:33service.

48:34>> Thank you, Ms. Kerba.

48:38Good evening.

48:39>> Good evening.

48:41My name is Tommy Senft, uh, 3449

48:44Wyndotte Street, and I am the developer

48:46on the project.

48:49Mayor and commission,

48:50before you today is the opportunity

48:53to vote for two starkly different paths

48:55forward for the future of Athens.

48:58On one hand, you can vote to keep a

49:00vacant, dilapidated property.

49:03With the stream so polluted, it has been

49:05deemed a public health hazard, and this

49:08is the doorstep to downtown Athens.

49:12And it has been this way for three

49:13decades

49:14because the zoning on it currently does

49:17not support the cost needed to make a

49:20change.

49:21On the other hand, you can vote to

49:23invest in Athens's future, invest in

49:26Reese historic neighborhood

49:30by redeveloping this abandoned property

49:33and the stream into an amenity for all

49:35of Athens to enjoy.

49:38Look,

49:39we understand and we recognize this is a

49:41complicated property, okay?

49:43This is a very unique proposal

49:46because specifically there is a stream,

49:48Tanyard Branch, that runs directly

49:49through the block. There's a reason why

49:52this block has been vacant

49:54and abandoned truly and is a dump. I

49:57hope all of you have gone out to see it

50:00or can in the very near future.

50:02Their the stream is completely covered

50:04in trash and invasive species.

50:08But there's good news. For properties

50:10like this, Athens-Clarke County has

50:12created an ordinance called Plan

50:15Development so that you can improve

50:18properties that are currently

50:20dilapidated. You can't do anything about

50:22it for generations.

50:23That is why the Plan Development is

50:25here.

50:26This is a quintessential opportunity for

50:29Plan Development.

50:30And this is why Athens-Clarke County has

50:33this type of ordinance. The stream

50:35creates unique material hardship for any

50:39development that will go on this block.

50:41And that makes this block ripe for

50:43redevelopment.

50:45We have been committed for the last 12

50:48months working with all community

50:50stakeholders.

50:53[snorts]

50:54It has touched my heart to listen to

50:56them after be disenfranchised and be

50:59adjacent to this vacant property

51:02for [snorts] generations. It is the

51:03entrance to their neighborhood, and it

51:05has been neglected,

51:07and [snorts] it has continuously chosen

51:09to remain neglected.

51:11Now, [snorts] trust me,

51:13if we could go another story below grade

51:16to add more parking, we would.

51:18But guess what? There's a stream. You

51:20can only go so low.

51:21And if we could go add another story

51:24above that, we would. But we listen to

51:26the neighborhoods around us and we

51:27reduce the height. What is in front of

51:29you today is the only scenario that you

51:31could build on this property. We have

51:33vetted every single avenue and option

51:36to get to the point that we are at

51:37today.

51:39In summary, I want you to know that we

51:40have genuinely worked through every

51:42alternative and avenue for modification.

51:44We've listened to every stakeholder, met

51:46with every neighborhood and

51:47commissioner, and we stand filled with

51:49clear hearts,

51:50clear eyes and full hearts and

51:52appreciate your consideration for

51:53approval.

51:54>> Thank you.

51:59>> Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Commission.

52:02My name is Gary Whitworth. I live at 398

52:05Deering Street and have for the last 49

52:09years.

52:10Uh it's just a lovely family street that

52:14we are the last few years feeling an

52:17awful lot of pressure.

52:19It's coming from [clears throat]

52:21students wanting to park

52:24and walk to class, which you can't blame

52:26them,

52:27and fraternities, sororities, and

52:30everything. But

52:33this project with the 425 bedrooms and

52:37the

52:38211 parking spaces,

52:41I feel like is

52:44just too much

52:46for both neighborhoods, whether it's

52:47Cobham or Deering Street, that area.

52:51Um [clears throat]

52:52you look at the Rambler

52:55next door.

52:57It's

52:58750 beds.

53:01It's 467

53:04parking spaces

53:06in the deck.

53:07Everywhere [clears throat]

53:09around that area,

53:11Finley, Harris,

53:14Reese,

53:17all the

53:18uh

53:19side streets

53:21are being

53:22impacted by the Rambler.

53:25There are 40 parking spaces on this site

53:28to be redeveloped.

53:30Um

53:32it's

53:34I I know the future is going to be for

53:37expansion and

53:39the downtown to go where it's going.

53:44It's inevitable. But the protection

53:48needed by the neighborhoods there is

53:51something you really need to consider.

53:55And it's just uh

53:58um

54:00they

54:01I have to read my notes.

54:03Um I talked about the cross streets.

54:05They're just

54:07flooded right now with the students and

54:12everything else.

54:14But um

54:16you know

54:18the the neighborhoods can't be

54:21um

54:24expected to absorb

54:27whatever is coming with this development

54:31because you've got

54:33at least 40 straight spaces you're

54:35losing, 13 spaces on Finley.

54:39And

54:40there's

54:42214 shortfall with this development. So

54:47please

54:49consider that and how you can

54:52address those issues

54:54for the neighborhoods. But

54:57again, the off-site parking prospect of

55:01the developer tonight is is is not a

55:04permanent solution.

55:06>> Thank you,

55:06>> Whitworth.

55:07>> Thank you.

55:12[snorts] Good evening.

55:13Good evening. Joseph Bates, SPG, 180

55:16Homestead Drive with the design team.

55:18Um there's a concern about density.

55:21And I agree with without community

55:23benefits, density is not good.

55:26Um but this project is loaded with

55:28community benefits,

55:30specifically coordinated and appreciated

55:32by the vulnerable

55:34Reese neighborhood.

55:36Without density, private developers

55:38cannot provide benefits.

55:40[snorts]

55:41Um

55:42as I understand it, either Clark County

55:44is not endeavoring on any kind of stream

55:46restoration project because of the

55:47expense.

55:50It's just not going to happen on the

55:50public side.

55:52Um

55:55want to mention this also I disagree

55:57that

55:58[snorts] this

55:59this um development pushes students into

56:02the neighborhood. I believe it's the

56:03opposite.

56:05And you all understand that.

56:06With students closer downtown,

56:09it actually draws all the students that

56:10are filling the neighborhood.

56:12There was mention [snorts] of a

56:14saturation of student housing.

56:16And um I understand that saturation of

56:19student housing.

56:20There's been a lot of talk about that in

56:22the development world.

56:24But the vacancy

56:25is really happening in the

56:26neighborhoods.

56:28It is not happening downtown

56:30where they're getting 100% occupancy,

56:32where the students are able to walk.

56:34Um

56:36the direct neighborhood Reese

56:38sees this as a benefit

56:40and cataclysmic for families coming back

56:43to their neighborhood.

56:4570%

56:46I believe within the Reese district are

56:48owned by private investors

56:50who are releasing

56:51often to students.

56:55They want families back. They see this

56:56as an opportunity for families to come

56:58back to the Reese neighborhood.

57:00Uh as as a designer working on this,

57:04the parking has been challenging from

57:05the beginning.

57:07You want to provide the benefits,

57:08but you realize there is a parking

57:10challenge here.

57:12We could not

57:14restore the stream as well as

57:16provide the parking

57:18the developer wanted. Developer has done

57:21these kind of projects all over.

57:23It was fine with parking,

57:25but understand it's different from from

57:27place to place. In here in Athens, it's

57:28different.

57:30He's been working very diligently

57:32to procure, like David Elson said, 114

57:37parking spaces adjacent

57:38that are not displacing any

57:40parking that's currently spoken for.

57:43So that gets to 82%

57:46of their residents would have parking,

57:47which is unprecedented

57:50for these urban projects downtown.

57:56I've I've been working with with

57:58this Cardinal Group for a while. They've

58:00spent invested a lot of time, you know,

58:02all the complexities, invested a lot of

58:03time

58:04in community in in coordinating with the

58:06community.

58:09They need to get to a decision.

58:11It's difficult.

58:13Does it feel somewhat penalized

58:16by your community outreach?

58:17>> you, Mr. Bates.

58:23>> Good evening.

58:24>> Good evening. Hi. My name is Kim Moss,

58:26and I am a resident of 220 Dearing

58:29Street.

58:30Longtime resident of Athens, supporter,

58:32business owner,

58:34community

58:36involved in all areas.

58:38I'm speaking in opposition of this

58:40project. The city

58:43adopted a future plan use that we've

58:45heard

58:47many speak on 6 months ago that was

58:49addressed, I think, highly at the last

58:51meeting.

58:52And

58:53the reason I believe this is one of many

58:56reasons but that we hear a lot of

58:58opposition, it's not because it's adding

59:01benefit to ReStreet, but it's because it

59:04is requesting a rezone in a

59:08acreage that cannot sustain what they're

59:10requesting.

59:11Um, I love the idea of a revitalized

59:14park. Um, I walk

59:17the streets, I walk to work, I walk

59:19downtown. Ford during street and for

59:21several streets because of the um

59:26overtaking of people

59:28parking in the streets. And even that

59:31current system does not work. Um,

59:34all this week, last week, um

59:36really since this started, I started

59:38making notable um observation of the

59:42streets at multiple times of the day.

59:44Um,

59:46just to be intentional with that, it is

59:47always

59:49packed

59:51completely, but even making current

59:53observation,

59:55we are already at full capacity. So my

59:57question is we really need to address

1:00:00the current problems um with parking and

1:00:03with the developments that we currently

1:00:05have um in addition to what we're

1:00:07talking about now.

1:00:10It's a very small site. Um, the acreage

1:00:12is between a historic neighborhood and a

1:00:14creek and the request is allowed

1:00:16um is requesting a density seven times

1:00:20the current zoning permits.

1:00:22Um,

1:00:23commercial downtown zoning allows for

1:00:26eight times the current residential

1:00:28but there's a big difference and I think

1:00:30that's where the opposition comes from.

1:00:31It's not from not wanting development.

1:00:34It's this particular development and the

1:00:36location. It's not sustainable.

1:00:39Um, the traffic problems um it's in the

1:00:41current development study, Broad and

1:00:43Pope. It rises. Um, I'm not against

1:00:46development. I'm just asking you to hold

1:00:48this rezoning until environmental

1:00:50permits are in hand, the parking and

1:00:52traffic problems are resolved

1:00:54and the staff concerns are answered. Um,

1:00:58then decide on the complete record for

1:01:00this. Thank you.

1:01:02>> Thank you, Ms. Moss.

1:01:05Commissioner Redsin, District 4, so I'd

1:01:07give you the opportunity to place a

1:01:08motion on the floor.

1:01:10>> Um,

1:01:13on the we have two votes. The future

1:01:16land use motion to [clears throat] deny.

1:01:19>> I'll second.

1:01:20>> All right. There's a motion to deny the

1:01:22future land use.

1:01:24Motion from Commissioner Wright, second

1:01:26from Commissioner Link.

1:01:28Commissioner Wright, remarks?

1:01:29>> Um

1:01:30I

1:01:33the the word complicated does summarize

1:01:35it and it's very clear that

1:01:39the

1:01:42our lack of

1:01:44custodial care

1:01:46for the stream and the riparian buffer

1:01:49has taken on a lot of attention and I

1:01:51regret that I have not been on top of

1:01:53that. I've learned a lot and I have the

1:01:55county manager to explain a little bit

1:01:57about that and how

1:01:59it's several different departments for

1:02:01us to attend to that. I just I don't

1:02:04feel that this

1:02:06I feel that our staff's

1:02:09recommendation to deny was appropriate.

1:02:13There's been changes every since this

1:02:17staff report came out.

1:02:19But the motion and what we need to be

1:02:21voting on

1:02:23is what is in our agenda.

1:02:27And

1:02:30we we can and we will do a better job

1:02:33with what we are custodians over.

1:02:36And I I have concerns about the

1:02:38custodian

1:02:39assignment to the new park of this

1:02:42church, this historic church in our

1:02:44community being custodians of this

1:02:47cardinal

1:02:48property

1:02:49that's going to be their park.

1:02:52I

1:02:53I have concerns about that

1:02:55and

1:02:57the other issues and

1:03:02the parking and the things that the

1:03:04staff has put on here for recommendation

1:03:07to deny.

1:03:08>> Commissioner Link?

1:03:09>> Yeah.

1:03:11We just adopted this future land use

1:03:14plan

1:03:156 months ago. It's a process that only

1:03:17happens every

1:03:1930 years.

1:03:20Um,

1:03:22we had tons and tons of community

1:03:25outreach and input regarding that future

1:03:28land use plan and we heard nothing

1:03:30[snorts] about a desire to

1:03:33make this parcel commercial downtown.

1:03:36Um,

1:03:37you know, we even held that plan, you

1:03:39know,

1:03:40because we did get concerns from folks

1:03:43in this particular neighborhood about

1:03:45Prince Avenue parcels, um,

1:03:48which we

1:03:49stopped downtown from creeping further

1:03:51up Prince Avenue.

1:03:53Um, you know, we talked a lot about

1:03:55transitional zoning between downtown and

1:03:58our neighborhoods.

1:04:00Um, we passed a we approved a project a

1:04:03couple months ago that that represented

1:04:05a similar transitional zoning between

1:04:08downtown and a historic neighborhood

1:04:11along College Avenue.

1:04:13Uh, staff recommended RM-3 for this,

1:04:16which I feel is appropriate and

1:04:19we're about to actually vote on item

1:04:23number 16, expanding our inclusionary

1:04:26zoning ordinance that would allow those

1:04:28kind of payments in lieu in RM district.

1:04:31So this would offer this developer an

1:04:32opportunity to increase density on an

1:04:35RM-3 zoning on this property, um, and

1:04:39and to give be able to give that those

1:04:41millions of dollars back to the

1:04:43community towards our affordable housing

1:04:45fund.

1:04:46Um,

1:04:48you know, we we did not even the the

1:04:50land use

1:04:52plan committee did not even recommend

1:04:54this parcel for for uh

1:04:57commercial downtown.

1:04:59Um,

1:05:02I want to also it was the the

1:05:06projects on Broad and Millage were also

1:05:08brought up.

1:05:10That project, there was a tremendous

1:05:12amount of

1:05:15input and uh attention brought to that

1:05:18parcel when it was discovered that the

1:05:20Varsity wanted to redevelop that whole

1:05:22lot. In fact, we had a moratorium on

1:05:25that entire neighborhood because of that

1:05:27project. A moratorium that allowed us to

1:05:30save several historic homes on that

1:05:33block

1:05:34and to implement an overlay zone that

1:05:37was made sure it was very sensitive to

1:05:39the historic neighborhood that

1:05:40especially paid setbacks and height

1:05:43restrictions on the neighborhood side.

1:05:45I'm going to need more than my three

1:05:46minutes. Is that a

1:05:47>> Uh commissioner, I'm going to have to

1:05:48turn to others and then you

1:05:50>> Well, I'll ask you to come back. I just

1:05:51want to point that out that there was

1:05:52tons of input on those other

1:05:55developments and I'll have much more to

1:05:56say.

1:05:58>> Other input from members of the body?

1:05:59Commissioner Taylor.

1:06:01>> Yeah.

1:06:02[clears throat]

1:06:03Yeah. Um

1:06:05I

1:06:07so

1:06:09I find myself in a peculiar predicament

1:06:11right now because usually when we have

1:06:13these type of developments, I'm the one

1:06:15who's saying all of the things as to why

1:06:19we don't need

1:06:20student housing because of the parking,

1:06:22because it's unaffordable, because

1:06:25there's already too many

1:06:27student houses downtown that does not

1:06:30come with

1:06:32CBAs attached to them. Neither does the

1:06:34developer even

1:06:37take into consideration the impact that

1:06:39their development will have on

1:06:42the community like the Core Group and

1:06:45just like the development that you were

1:06:47just referring to on College Avenue.

1:06:51But this developer has. This developer

1:06:53has spoken to Hill First Baptist and has

1:07:00constructed a community benefit that

1:07:02benefits the area that is going to be

1:07:05immediately

1:07:07impacted by this development. Now, this

1:07:10development

1:07:12is not of my taste,

1:07:14but the fact that they didn't have to go

1:07:17to Hill First Baptist to ask them

1:07:20anything, they that have just went on

1:07:22just like the rest of the developers

1:07:23that this body has allowed to either um

1:07:27have contracts and then bring it before

1:07:30the commission only to vote for it to

1:07:32pass to not even consider what they're

1:07:35going to do for the blacks until a black

1:07:38says well what about the community

1:07:41that's being impacted so so for me I

1:07:43support um this project in its original

1:07:47form um only because this body has has

1:07:51set a precedent of allowing it to happen

1:07:54without there being any benefits or even

1:07:57um taking into consideration

1:08:00inclusionary zoning. The developer over

1:08:04at College Avenue said we don't want to

1:08:06do inclusionary zoning because we're

1:08:07paying into the TAD. So and it still

1:08:10passed. It passed what nine to one. It's

1:08:13always nine to one. Um so tonight the

1:08:16one who is always against the

1:08:18development I support this development

1:08:20in its originals in its original form

1:08:23because that's the president that this

1:08:24body has set forth. Now the parking as

1:08:27far as who's going to manage the the

1:08:29park is not an Athens-Clarke County

1:08:32issue. It's not our business.

1:08:34Um our business is the future land use

1:08:36and and the rezone. Um and so

1:08:40I I support this um project.

1:08:43>> Are there any but Commissioner Johnson?

1:08:51>> I want to say I also

1:08:53I support this rezone

1:08:57for for a lot of the same reasons that

1:08:58Commissioner Taylor mentioned. There are

1:09:01many

1:09:02projects that come before us um where

1:09:05there is a recommendation to approve

1:09:07that goes off off script meaning outside

1:09:12of the ordinance.

1:09:14And I I just want to just say I I've

1:09:17been attending planning commission

1:09:18meetings but this was about a year ago

1:09:21and one of the members of the planning

1:09:23commission

1:09:24there was something before them they

1:09:25were um discussing and the planning

1:09:29commission member, this one sole guy

1:09:31said,

1:09:32but we have an ordinance. We have we

1:09:34have a guide book to tell us what we can

1:09:37approve and what we cannot approve. But

1:09:39it just sounded nice and it looked good

1:09:42and they had faith in the developer.

1:09:44There was very little technical

1:09:46discussion about the project itself. It

1:09:48actually passed.

1:09:50I I would like us and

1:09:52our boards authorities to to be

1:09:54consistent in how we implement um our

1:10:00our policies and our support for

1:10:03different projects because it is it is

1:10:06inconsistent. It

1:10:08just last July there were people

1:10:11standing outside

1:10:13down the hallway outside the door to

1:10:16support the core project and they built

1:10:19um they are building 400 and 1411 beds

1:10:23and they

1:10:25they told us before the vote that they

1:10:27are not building they're building 400

1:10:30fewer parking spaces and week

1:10:33seven I think individuals couldn't wait

1:10:35to approve it and five

1:10:38it passed. And so I I think there's a

1:10:41lot to to be said especially to

1:10:44especially about the developer working

1:10:47very closely with the neighborhood. That

1:10:50goes a long way. I was sold. I actually

1:10:53saw this

1:10:54project being

1:10:56presented at the planning commission

1:10:58twice and that every single time there

1:11:02was a concern

1:11:04from the planning commission or from

1:11:06someone in the neighborhood the

1:11:07developer course corrected and I

1:11:10appreciate that because like

1:11:13commissioner Taylor said it doesn't

1:11:14happen often at all and sometimes when

1:11:17they promise things things don't happen

1:11:19but the developers bent over backwards

1:11:22to accommodate and redevelop the area.

1:11:26If you drive by

1:11:27it's blighted. And whatever the

1:11:30developer

1:11:31is going to do is going to improve the

1:11:34look.

1:11:36I I I don't remember people coming to

1:11:39speak about in opposition of the Core,

1:11:42the Rambler, or any other project. But

1:11:45this one right here where there will be

1:11:48benefit for the the church community and

1:11:51the folks around there, I want to

1:11:54support it.

1:11:54>> Commissioner Myers.

1:11:56>> Yeah.

1:11:57I'm going to make a substitute motion to

1:11:59remand this item back to the Planning

1:12:01Commission with the proposed developer

1:12:03revisions and commitments for the

1:12:05Planning Commission consideration and

1:12:07recommendation.

1:12:11>> Is there Is there a second?

1:12:13We've got a second from Commissioner

1:12:15Culpepper.

1:12:16>> Yeah.

1:12:16>> All right.

1:12:17>> I Yeah, I'd I'd like to speak to this in

1:12:19that it's

1:12:22The The This is a hard one.

1:12:24And And I was one of the people who

1:12:26voted against the Core project. Um but

1:12:30on this one, I'm hearing what's here

1:12:32presented to us as well. And I have

1:12:35already talked with

1:12:37others about the parking being just a

1:12:39major major issue. Um there are some

1:12:43suggestions and remediations to the

1:12:45parking that have been presented by the

1:12:46developer, but they they were just

1:12:48presented. I have not had time to really

1:12:50look at them. We haven't had time to

1:12:52have them look at by our staff, by our

1:12:55attorney to know what everything is in

1:12:58place. So um as much as I'd like to

1:13:02Well, I don't know. I'm not going to

1:13:03trust anyone. I want to see it step in

1:13:05writing writing um that's writing that

1:13:07goes through all the proper channels and

1:13:09that I can understand. So at this point,

1:13:13I don't want to

1:13:16approve this as it is. I would consider

1:13:20it, and I also need to study more about

1:13:22the the tenured creek, which has always

1:13:24been a a an issue for um It's a very

1:13:27difficult issue to understand the pros

1:13:29and cons of that. But I think it's the

1:13:31parking that's been the biggest

1:13:33obstacle. Um,

1:13:35that sounds like a plan, but I got to

1:13:37look at that and understand and get

1:13:38another feedback from our staff as well,

1:13:41from our planning department, from our

1:13:43attorney's office about how all of this

1:13:45works together. So I'd like it to I'd

1:13:47like to be able to give the developers

1:13:50uh recommendations right now a chance to

1:13:52be reviewed so that I can look at them

1:13:54and we can all look at them more closely

1:13:56before making this decision. And I'd

1:13:58like to see them incorporated. Um, if

1:14:01we're voting on this right now as is,

1:14:04that doesn't take into consideration any

1:14:06of these considerations on better

1:14:08addressing the parking, which is a

1:14:10reality and those cars have to go

1:14:11somewhere. Um, you know, I we're not

1:14:14building a another parking deck for them

1:14:17like we did with the core development

1:14:19um,

1:14:20which I wasn't you know, I'm not

1:14:21particularly happy about, but we're not

1:14:23doing that over here. So those cars are

1:14:25going to exist uh somewhere. Um, anyway,

1:14:28I I'd like uh

1:14:30I'd like my colleagues to consider this

1:14:32uh substitute motion.

1:14:34>> Councilman Culpepper?

1:14:36>> Yeah, I'd like to commend the developer

1:14:38um, for working with the neighborhood

1:14:41and finding a solution to work with

1:14:43them. And then, you know, our main

1:14:46discussion at the agenda setting session

1:14:48was the lack of parking. And they they

1:14:51got to work over the last week couple of

1:14:54weeks and provide a great solution. Um,

1:14:57you know, they're reducing the number of

1:14:59beds by um, 40. Uh, they're um, their

1:15:02alternate plan is eliminating the

1:15:04townhouses and providing parking there.

1:15:07And then they found a solution with

1:15:09other parking. So

1:15:11I commend them for trying to figure out

1:15:14a way to make this work and listening to

1:15:16the neighborhood, but also listening to

1:15:18us about the parking.

1:15:20Um,

1:15:20I feel like in talking to um,

1:15:24manager Cowell that the proper procedure

1:15:27would be due to all the changes and that

1:15:29it's a PD, it would we couldn't just

1:15:31approve it like that. It would need to

1:15:33go back through the Planning Commission.

1:15:35Uh, is that correct?

1:15:38>> Yeah, I mean, I think you've got kind of

1:15:40multiple options. One option is deny as

1:15:42was presented, approve as was presented.

1:15:46The other option would be to kind of in

1:15:48effect try to craft some response to

1:15:50what's been proposed here tonight on the

1:15:52floor, which I don't think is a good way

1:15:54to kind of move that forward, or to

1:15:55remand back to the Planning Commission

1:15:57so that they can actually craft what has

1:15:59been presented as alternatives and

1:16:01structured in a way that actually is

1:16:03complete when it comes back to you. So

1:16:05>> Attorney Drake, would you offer some

1:16:06additional

1:16:06>> Yeah, I want to read just what the

1:16:08zoning ordinance says for a type one

1:16:10procedures. Uh,

1:16:12it says after the close of the public

1:16:14hearing, the Athens-Clarke County Mayor

1:16:15and Commission

1:16:17uh

1:16:18may

1:16:20vote to approve both the amendment to

1:16:22the future to the official future

1:16:24development Athens-Clarke County and the

1:16:26rezoning

1:16:29or special use with conditions or

1:16:30without conditions.

1:16:32Vote to deny the rezoning or special use

1:16:35and approve the amendment to the

1:16:36official future development map of

1:16:37Athens-Clarke County,

1:16:39or vote to send the rezoning or special

1:16:41use back to the Planning Commission and

1:16:44to approve the amendment to the official

1:16:46future development map of Athens Clarke

1:16:48County,

1:16:49or vote to deny both the amendment to

1:16:51the official future development map of

1:16:53Athens Clarke County and the rezoning or

1:16:54special use,

1:16:56or hold without action for no more than

1:16:5940 days, or

1:17:01rezone the subject property to the most

1:17:03appropriate zoning classification

1:17:04consistent with the official future

1:17:06development of Athens Clarke County

1:17:08pursuant to the public notice provisions

1:17:09found in subsection 9-4-9 E-3 A.

1:17:14Uh,

1:17:15so I don't see where

1:17:17our current zoning ordinance allows us

1:17:20to send the future land use map by its

1:17:22letter back. I just want to point that

1:17:24out. Of course, this body can do what it

1:17:26wants, but that's what the zoning

1:17:27ordinance says.

1:17:29>> So so just as a procedural matter, it

1:17:31seemed that

1:17:32>> You have to approve the amendment to the

1:17:33future land use map and send the

1:17:36rezoning back.

1:17:37>> So you would generally approve the

1:17:39future land use revision and send the

1:17:41zoning item back. So as a as a procedure

1:17:44that would be

1:17:45>> Now we may want to think about amending

1:17:46that now that I see it, you know, but it

1:17:48is what it says right now. You follow

1:17:50what I'm saying?

1:17:52>> Well you you you you you you've made the

1:17:53substitute motion and so um

1:17:56>> But what is that rule thing then the

1:17:58you know you the motion you made to say

1:18:00what are the rules I want to clarify

1:18:01this

1:18:02>> So by by Robert's Rules of Order the

1:18:05substitute motion is considered first

1:18:07and then the original motion is

1:18:08considered. But what I'm hearing from

1:18:10Attorney Drake is that the form of the

1:18:13substitute motion needs to be to approve

1:18:16the future land use revision but send

1:18:20back to the Planning Commission the

1:18:22terms of the rezoning.

1:18:24>> Well I would say we would take two

1:18:25separate votes to you know

1:18:26>> Or

1:18:27I thought you said something about

1:18:28holding it. Can was that an option for

1:18:31the future land? So you could hold the

1:18:33future land use and then send

1:18:35>> Yeah. It says hold that action

1:18:37>> rezoning back. Is that correct?

1:18:41>> So if they held the if they held the

1:18:43future land use can they remand the

1:18:46zoning part back to the

1:18:50>> Doesn't say that it just says hold that

1:18:52action in 40 days. I guess we

1:18:55I'm trying to think

1:18:56I guess we could interpret it that way.

1:18:58I mean I I I think

1:19:01you would

1:19:02you would go ahead and hold the future

1:19:03land use map. The problem is you're

1:19:04going to have to vote on the future land

1:19:06use map before that thing can get back

1:19:08the rezoning.

1:19:09>> So in in in

1:19:09>> it's going to take more than 40 days

1:19:11correct under the process? [snorts]

1:19:13>> Yeah I would think that

1:19:15>> So under the discussion we're having now

1:19:18there would potentially be a vote

1:19:20>> before it comes back you know.

1:19:21>> So there there'd be a potential vote on

1:19:23the future land use component in

1:19:24December and then potentially a future

1:19:28vote once returned from the Planning

1:19:31Commission with regard to the rezoning

1:19:33components of the plan development.

1:19:35Is

1:19:36Is clear? I know

1:19:37>> Yeah I am it

1:19:38>> is clear, but I'm like, you know, that's

1:19:40that's new information since I

1:19:42received information this afternoon

1:19:44about from the manager's office. So it's

1:19:46like I'm I'm thinking about that.

1:19:49So I guess the

1:19:51I guess that's the only option.

1:19:53I mean, if it besides approval approval

1:19:55or denial here, unless we

1:19:59Is there Is there another option in

1:20:01terms of holding it for

1:20:02>> Is there If they hold the future land

1:20:05use for the 40 days that's identified in

1:20:07the ordinance, can they similar can they

1:20:09hold concurrent the rezoning?

1:20:11>> Yeah, they can hold it.

1:20:12>> So what that what that would do is in

1:20:14effect keep it here. It wouldn't go back

1:20:17to the Planning Commission.

1:20:18And then we would staff would need to

1:20:21explore responses to some of the items

1:20:23that were discussed and were mentioned.

1:20:26And I presume also give the opportunity

1:20:28for the applicant

1:20:31to provide more than just written

1:20:33information about what's been shared.

1:20:35But so for example, demonstrate that

1:20:36they have leases for the parking or

1:20:39whatever that may be with it. That way

1:20:41it would all at least be considered at

1:20:42the same time.

1:20:43>> Okay. So can I revise that motion?

1:20:46>> So so a revised substitute motion would

1:20:48be to

1:20:49>> To

1:20:50Help me again.

1:20:51>> Hold I said.

1:20:53>> Yeah, you're basically going to hold

1:20:54over the future land use plan amendment

1:20:56request and the rezoning for that up to

1:20:5940 days.

1:21:00>> Up to Up to 45 days. Yeah, so that's

1:21:02important.

1:21:02>> And and give direction to staff to

1:21:04review the components that have been

1:21:06presented more recently by the

1:21:07applicant.

1:21:08>> Yes, and to do that, review those

1:21:10components and

1:21:12give us

1:21:14feedback.

1:21:16>> I'll second.

1:21:17>> Okay. All right. So I think everybody

1:21:18understands that. I had Commissioner

1:21:20Hamby on tap.

1:21:21>> I've been having my hand up forever in

1:21:22the day.

1:21:23>> [laughter]

1:21:24>> We're we're we're all in the room.

1:21:26Okay. Thank you, Mayor.

1:21:29You know, I don't know if that option is

1:21:31a good option really at the end of the

1:21:33day. I mean, you know, we don't

1:21:35we don't you know, we've had

1:21:37developments come and go throughout

1:21:39throughout the time our time here in

1:21:40office. And And we

1:21:43We You know, we

1:21:45holding this isn't isn't going to Is it

1:21:49going to change the fact that this

1:21:51project has a lot of conditions

1:21:53associated with it? It's It's It's It

1:21:56has a lot of stuff going along with the

1:21:58riparian buffer. That's a That's kind of

1:22:00a big thing, y'all, when we when we

1:22:03allow a developer to to go into that

1:22:05riparian buffer. That's That's You know,

1:22:08that's going to just open the door for

1:22:10for more of that to happen.

1:22:12Um

1:22:13you know, this developer knew there was

1:22:15a parking problem a month ago when they

1:22:17were going through planning. And And And

1:22:20we Y'all mentioned it last last two

1:22:22weeks ago, and I just sat here and

1:22:24listened. And I'm like, well, there's

1:22:26You know, I don't At the 11th hour, then

1:22:28all of a sudden we have all this all

1:22:29these ideas that are coming forward and

1:22:32then we're going to have It's not going

1:22:33to go through the proper procedure. It's

1:22:35not going to go back to planning, and

1:22:37then we're going to have staff working

1:22:39on this to do this. So

1:22:41um I just It's It's It's just It's It's

1:22:44a project that's fitting a building onto

1:22:47a piece of property that doesn't work.

1:22:50I'm sorry. It just doesn't. RM three

1:22:52might work. I don't know. But But they

1:22:54know it doesn't work because they're

1:22:56having to jump through all the hoops to

1:22:57get it to work.

1:22:58Uh and we're having to jump through

1:23:00hoops here tonight to uh For what? I

1:23:03mean, you know, uh let's just make a

1:23:06decision and move on. Um

1:23:08And you know, is it going to change my

1:23:10vote in in in two weeks or 40 days when

1:23:13they come back to me? No, it's not

1:23:15because we

1:23:16Again, we've talked about the future

1:23:18land use map and the future development

1:23:21uh

1:23:22all summer long, all all year long for

1:23:24the past what? Two years now? And And

1:23:27now all the sudden we're we're going to

1:23:29just creep on up Broad Street and change

1:23:32everything and and have it have it have

1:23:35it that way. So it's just kind of not

1:23:37It's kind of not right uh for us to for

1:23:40us to uh do that and send that signal uh

1:23:43like that. So if you know if you know

1:23:44you how you're going to vote in two

1:23:46weeks, just let's get this over with and

1:23:49and vote.

1:23:51And and it needs six votes to pass

1:23:53tonight. So

1:23:55let's get it over with.

1:23:56>> Commissioner Thorne.

1:23:59>> I um

1:24:02If if we hold it hold it I won't

1:24:05be here but I so I want to make my

1:24:07statement

1:24:08now.

1:24:10Um I questioned the future land use and

1:24:12the process from the onset.

1:24:16And here we are.

1:24:17I do not know how uh and I I had no idea

1:24:20about uh a polluted

1:24:23water

1:24:25area. I had no idea that was even

1:24:27existing. That needs to be fixed and it

1:24:30needs to be fixed immediately

1:24:32immediately.

1:24:33Um I also suggested long time ago that

1:24:37we needed to create student districts.

1:24:40Student districts would not have us

1:24:43talking about this this long.

1:24:47I did change my vote with Core and

1:24:49supported Core

1:24:51when Core put money into the community

1:24:55for youth. I did do that.

1:24:57And it's and and it is paying off.

1:25:00These this developer is doing the same

1:25:02thing. They're putting money back into

1:25:05the community

1:25:06that we have never ever ever impressed

1:25:10upon um

1:25:12other developers. Everybody else builds

1:25:15these monstrosities

1:25:16and put nothing back. They take from the

1:25:19community. They give nothing back.

1:25:21I um would rather

1:25:24vote for this tonight if possible.

1:25:28Um

1:25:29but if

1:25:31if there's a possibility

1:25:34uh that somebody else's vote may change

1:25:36in favor of this, I I can agree with

1:25:39that. But I would rather vote for this

1:25:42tonight for all the work. And I I do

1:25:45want to acknowledge yeah there were a

1:25:47lot of moving pieces since our last

1:25:49meeting. Well, that was because

1:25:52there were so many questions from this

1:25:55commission

1:25:56and people in the community

1:25:59and the developers went back and tried

1:26:01to respond to it. That was no more than

1:26:04two weeks ago. So yeah, there's a lot of

1:26:06new moving pieces that but they could

1:26:09have done nothing. They could have just

1:26:11ignored it and let the chips fall where

1:26:13they may. So I would rather vote

1:26:16tonight. I agree with

1:26:18Commissioner Hamby on that, but if

1:26:20there's a possibility that some other

1:26:23commissioners

1:26:25are are undecided, I'll go with it. But

1:26:28I I'm I'm I'm I'm here.

1:26:31>> Got Commissioner Lincoln, Commissioner

1:26:33Wright, and then I'll return to

1:26:34Commissioner Myers and Commissioner

1:26:35Hamby.

1:26:36>> Um I think Commissioner Hamby makes a

1:26:37good point that this is project's just

1:26:40too big for this lot and you know,

1:26:42especially when you consider the the

1:26:44constructions of a stream and a riparian

1:26:47buffer.

1:26:48Um that stream's polluted because all

1:26:50our urban streams are polluted. That is

1:26:52the nature of urban streams, especially

1:26:54ones that are that are piped.

1:26:56Um I mean this is an attempt to fit a

1:27:00five-story square peg into a

1:27:03three-story

1:27:05triangular hole.

1:27:06Um

1:27:07and you know, we made the decision on

1:27:09the land use plan only six months ago.

1:27:12And

1:27:14this obviously you know, obviously

1:27:16there's been community engagement and

1:27:18discussions of this project

1:27:20before six months ago. Yet we never

1:27:22heard any input on that land use plan

1:27:26about moving that downtown land use

1:27:29another block in. Um

1:27:32I I have

1:27:33real consternation about making plans

1:27:35and then turning around and changing

1:27:37them like

1:27:38you know, the next day. Um

1:27:41and the parking I can't emphasize to

1:27:43y'all how much of a pain in the ass

1:27:46parking is in these in-town

1:27:48neighborhoods.

1:27:49I represented this this neighborhood

1:27:51four years ago and I heard about it all

1:27:53the time.

1:27:55And I know Commissioner Wright hears

1:27:56about it. I hear about it on the other

1:27:58end of Hancock. I hear about it in

1:28:01Cobham, Normaltown, East Athens. I had a

1:28:05constituent die in her house on Rock

1:28:08Spring Street because she had a student

1:28:11housing developer take her driveway. She

1:28:13could no longer get out her back door

1:28:15and had to be carried down her front

1:28:17steps in a wheelchair.

1:28:19Um these neighborhoods were built over a

1:28:21hundred years ago before cars were a

1:28:23thing. The streets are not made to

1:28:25accommodate cars. Many of the homes do

1:28:28not have driveways. And because this

1:28:30neighborhood was zoned RM, which is the

1:28:32first mistake that happened,

1:28:35because it was zoned RM,

1:28:38students are allowed to live here and

1:28:40they're crammed into these tiny lots and

1:28:42houses that are busted into the attic.

1:28:45Um you know we there's a historic

1:28:47district right there, but it's done

1:28:49nothing to curtail the students living

1:28:52in the houses and packing in. And with

1:28:54every student comes a car. And when we

1:28:57can get

1:28:58it together and have a proper in-town

1:29:00urban transit system with looping buses

1:29:03that come by every 10 or 15 minutes and

1:29:06convince UGA to forbid freshmen from

1:29:09bringing their cars and see to it that

1:29:11students aren't bringing their cars to

1:29:13town and they don't have to park them

1:29:15anywhere, then maybe we consider this

1:29:17kind of density next to these historic

1:29:19neighborhoods with teeny skinny streets.

1:29:21But until then, we need to be really

1:29:24sensitive about these neighborhoods and

1:29:26their historic neighborhoods and there

1:29:27are actual legitimate dangers to to

1:29:30navigating these streets, especially

1:29:32when you're walking and biking and

1:29:33cycling. I ride them on a scooter and

1:29:35there are plenty of times when I've had

1:29:37close calls on those overparked in-town

1:29:39streets.

1:29:40>> Commissioner Wright.

1:29:41>> Um yes.

1:29:43[clears throat]

1:29:44Since we're going to continue um sharing

1:29:46the information, I wanted to see if the

1:29:48county manager would

1:29:50um share the um complexity of what we as

1:29:54uh the stewards um custodians of

1:29:57our side of the

1:29:59the stream. The data that sit that was

1:30:02presented uh was like 2022 from the

1:30:06runoff. Some of the um the riparian

1:30:09buffer is our standard in our community,

1:30:1275 ft, not the state's level. This this

1:30:16applicant wants to go to the state 25 ft

1:30:20and smaller in some areas as well as

1:30:23um moving the stream. And I think that

1:30:26for the stewardship of our community our

1:30:30communities land cuz it's ACC gov on our

1:30:33side the the the current park side

1:30:36um we would basically be donating land

1:30:39and that memorandum of understanding is

1:30:41not in existence for that to happen

1:30:44um as well as several other points of

1:30:46the 10 conditions that came forward from

1:30:49the planning commission, not the

1:30:50planning department.

1:30:52And also the different conditions that

1:30:54have been spoken

1:30:56uh

1:30:57with the applicant is not

1:31:00in the document. Um so I just want to

1:31:04give the manager a chance to talk about

1:31:06how complex it is and and the commitment

1:31:09that we are to not leaving it neglected

1:31:12and um making sure that we are doing

1:31:15what we're supposed to be doing.

1:31:16>> Yeah, I'll quickly touch on maybe two

1:31:18points two points with that. One of them

1:31:21is I think as the applicant is indicated

1:31:23and as is shown in a number of the

1:31:25conditions you referenced,

1:31:27the ability to move the stream and

1:31:28actually do the um both the daylighting

1:31:31as well as clearing out some of the

1:31:33other areas still requires approvals

1:31:35that are beyond the locality. So those

1:31:37will still be forthcoming if the project

1:31:39is is approved um which which also

1:31:42includes some interactions with us

1:31:44because some of that's on on ACC gov

1:31:46land um as well.

1:31:48The um

1:31:49the other piece with kind of the

1:31:51riparian buffer piece of it like the

1:31:54of our drainage channels and streams in

1:31:57our community, they're largely kind of

1:32:00forgotten. They're not actively managed.

1:32:03They're not generally

1:32:06kept free of invasive species. They're

1:32:08generally

1:32:10not areas that there's kind of active

1:32:12litter control except for when we do

1:32:13volunteer groups like have recently been

1:32:15done. This one is certainly no

1:32:17different.

1:32:18I think as somebody just mentioned,

1:32:21essentially all of the streams in the

1:32:24community in the county, I think with

1:32:25the exception of the Sandy Creek, are

1:32:28all of this same kind of polluted

1:32:30standard because, as was mentioned,

1:32:32these are urban areas where they have

1:32:34largely been neglected over the years.

1:32:37Certainly

1:32:38daylighting it,

1:32:41restoring kind of the the buffers

1:32:43alongside of it would be

1:32:46advantageous. I would not expect it to

1:32:48change. That action's not going to

1:32:49change the the designation of the stream

1:32:51or the pollution of the stream. I mean,

1:32:53it's a large it's a larger watershed

1:32:55than just this one reach on it, but

1:32:57so anyway, I offer those up and for us,

1:33:00what is involved in those would be

1:33:02sometimes it's litter services, wouldn't

1:33:03be in this case. Sometimes it's

1:33:05stormwater in terms and sometimes

1:33:07sustainability and moving invasive

1:33:09species. And again, we do that in some

1:33:10areas, but for the most part, these kind

1:33:13of drainage channels largely are left

1:33:16what would

1:33:17what would be perceived as in their

1:33:18native or natural state, but it's really

1:33:21not. I mean, they're very impacted

1:33:24and usually filled with litter and

1:33:26invasive species and

1:33:28probably require attention all over the

1:33:29communities.

1:33:32>> Got

1:33:33commissioners Myers, Hamby, Johnson, and

1:33:36Taylor.

1:33:38>> Um

1:33:40I just want to reiterate and and someone

1:33:42of my colleagues can correct me if I

1:33:44don't have this right, but there's a lot

1:33:46of emails, but the the specifics of this

1:33:48parking suggestion

1:33:50were just received either today or

1:33:52yesterday. I mean, I have the detailed

1:33:55message from this morning, so I I don't

1:33:57want although we were discussing it two

1:33:59weeks ago, we did not get this

1:34:01information

1:34:03from this specific request from the

1:34:06developer until today. Thus my, you

1:34:09know, if there's a

1:34:10my reluctance to

1:34:12look at passing something that where

1:34:15there's a solution to it when we don't

1:34:17include that solution. Um and and that's

1:34:20what we would be doing if we passed it.

1:34:23Denying it, I'd also like to be

1:34:25respectful to all the people who came

1:34:27out in support of the project and look

1:34:29carefully at this recommendation that's

1:34:32come through or this new proposal. Um

1:34:36and I I just want to make

1:34:38[clears throat] it clear that these

1:34:39suggestions, new suggestions to deal

1:34:41with parking are new to the table here.

1:34:45Um and therefore the need to have a

1:34:48little bit more time to see that and get

1:34:50some staff uh feedback on that.

1:34:53>> Commissioner Hamby.

1:34:54>> Yeah, and I I guess I would just say I

1:34:55don't see it as a solution. I don't, you

1:34:58know, it's not going to be a solution um

1:35:0040 days from here when it comes back to

1:35:02us. And the the thing is, y'all, when we

1:35:04think about how how how

1:35:08basically what we'd be doing is making

1:35:09all of these changes on the floor, go

1:35:12ahead and make them now. Make a motion

1:35:13now. If you know that if you know that's

1:35:15the solution, go ahead and make a motion

1:35:17to to to do the parking that way and to

1:35:19take out the town homes. Uh but now what

1:35:22we're doing is we're asking staff to go

1:35:23back and look at it that way when we've

1:35:26already had staff look at one report uh

1:35:29and now we're having them look at

1:35:30another another thing. So I guess what

1:35:33I'm saying is um attorney Drake read the

1:35:36rules to us and the way I understand it

1:35:39is when something uh major like this and

1:35:42it's not it's not insignificant that

1:35:44they're going to take out 10 town homes

1:35:46uh for to help with their parking or

1:35:48whatever other parking arrangements they

1:35:50make uh and the tree canopy, don't

1:35:52forget to add that into your CDO, uh

1:35:55then then it's going to, you know,

1:35:57that's that are those are things that go

1:35:59back to Planning Commission, typically

1:36:01go back to Planning Commission for them

1:36:03to look at. It's always it's been that

1:36:06way.

1:36:06And it's that way, y'all, because we

1:36:08don't

1:36:09we don't design things here on the floor

1:36:12like this. And if we start doing that

1:36:14today, then every developer that

1:36:17henceforth will be at our beck and will

1:36:20be at that podium saying, wait, wait, I

1:36:23know you're about to vote no on this, so

1:36:25here, let me give you these options and

1:36:27and y'all make a commission to find

1:36:29option or put on hold and then have

1:36:31Manager Cowl and and and and and Deputy

1:36:34Saunders go and go and figure this out.

1:36:37That's not fair to them. It's not fair

1:36:39to us. It's not fair to the people that

1:36:40have been here, both pro and con

1:36:43against it. Let's don't waste people's

1:36:45time, y'all. Let's stop doing that.

1:36:48>> We've got Commissioners Johnson, Taylor,

1:36:50and Thornton.

1:36:55>> I want to start I just want to mention

1:36:58the two

1:36:59the commission and the

1:37:01the visitors here tonight. Thank you for

1:37:02coming out and speaking on either side

1:37:05of the ledger where you stand. I

1:37:08appreciate this engagement, but I I want

1:37:10to say that just last just last month

1:37:15this commission approved unanimously

1:37:18an amendment change to the Future Land

1:37:20Use Map.

1:37:22And there was no discussion. I just want

1:37:24to say that for the record, okay? Just

1:37:27just

1:37:28getting started. The second thing I want

1:37:30to say is

1:37:32you know,

1:37:34I've lived here all my life and I live

1:37:38currently in District 6 and at the

1:37:40furthest edge of town and my expectation

1:37:43is not to have um parking challenges.

1:37:48I have parking challenges in my

1:37:51subdivision. In my single family home

1:37:54subdivision, I have parking challenges.

1:37:56There are students living in our

1:37:58community. There are regular folks

1:38:00living in our community And this happens

1:38:02parking is everywhere. The parking

1:38:05challenges are everywhere. I don't know

1:38:06of many communities in our area that

1:38:10don't have yellow curbing, permit

1:38:11parking, or just problems. So

1:38:15I say that because what I'm going to say

1:38:17next is

1:38:19the closer you live to

1:38:22all the happenings

1:38:24it is tougher to find parking because

1:38:27people want to enjoy and

1:38:29and

1:38:31and be involved with the happenings.

1:38:34So it comes with the location. It's not

1:38:37right, but it's it's

1:38:39I don't have I have an expectation to

1:38:41not have parking problems because I live

1:38:43so far out.

1:38:46So I I just wanted to mention that.

1:38:48I also want to just remind

1:38:51the the commission about the benefits

1:38:55the $2.2 million

1:38:57that the developer is going to pay into

1:39:00the

1:39:01the

1:39:02pilot pay in lieu of tax.

1:39:04They're redeveloping an area that is

1:39:06blighted. Um they're improving the sewer

1:39:09and

1:39:11they're they are making an investment.

1:39:13Um this is the develop I heard at the

1:39:16planning commission meeting that this is

1:39:18the only developer in 20 years

1:39:21that willingly and

1:39:24and um

1:39:26thoughtfully engaged with the community

1:39:28and with the church on their own. And um

1:39:31the planning commission members were

1:39:34pleased to hear that. But I I also was

1:39:36pleased to hear that that that goes far

1:39:39cuz it doesn't happen often.

1:39:42My my decision may be different if this

1:39:45project was

1:39:47three blocks away from the from Finley,

1:39:50but it's one block away from Finley.

1:39:54>> I've got Commissioners Taylor and Sloan.

1:39:57>> Yeah.

1:39:58And and again

1:39:59um I think I made clear what my um was

1:40:03on this development, but I wanted to to

1:40:06comment on a few things about the the

1:40:09parking. Um

1:40:11to Commissioner um Johnson's point,

1:40:14parking has been an issue that Clarke

1:40:15County has trying to um solve for um

1:40:20well before I got on the commission. Um

1:40:23but I've seen how we have been able to

1:40:26pivot

1:40:27um when it comes to parking

1:40:30that benefits Athens-Clarke County as a

1:40:33as an organization. Um the same comments

1:40:36that have been made about parking is the

1:40:38same sentiments that First AME has about

1:40:40the Judicial Center.

1:40:42The parking um is going to be on the

1:40:45other side of the Judicial Center, on

1:40:46the other side of the Uncommons. Um so

1:40:49residents will have to get out of their

1:40:51car and walk and and wait on the red

1:40:53light to get to the courthouse. Um so

1:40:55that's a thing. Um there was a comment

1:40:57made about public um engagement for the

1:41:01Varsity property that now is

1:41:05Woo.

1:41:06Just ride up there. You'll see it.

1:41:09I am curious to see what those residents

1:41:11said because I know that they did not um

1:41:15get any CBAs attached to it, nor would

1:41:17they have agreed to be buried um beside

1:41:21that development. But this body chose to

1:41:24move forward with it. So I just want us

1:41:26to be very mindful of how we pick and

1:41:28choose because I am very like I don't

1:41:32want it to be confused that I'm not

1:41:33aware of all of the variances, all of

1:41:36the things that is attached to this

1:41:38project.

1:41:40But I just want this body to to just you

1:41:43know

1:41:44we we've done it before

1:41:46and and

1:41:48it's been championed. Um and so moving

1:41:51forward when when you decide well now

1:41:55there's too much parking I I think we

1:41:56had part we we crossed that path when we

1:41:59allowed the Core Group to build when

1:42:02when we just approved College Avenue

1:42:04prior to that, the Varsity, the Ramble,

1:42:08um game day, all of these things have

1:42:11opened the door to what we are sitting

1:42:13and discussing right now. And I'm new to

1:42:15the commission, so I had nothing to do

1:42:17with it. But I just want us to take into

1:42:20consideration what we do allow and how

1:42:23developers do take what we allow and

1:42:26they

1:42:28they make their own rooms and planning

1:42:29goes along with it and we do too

1:42:31sometimes. Um and so I just want us to

1:42:34be mindful of that.

1:42:37>> Just uh before I return to uh

1:42:39Commissioner Thornton, the former

1:42:41Varsity property has come up a couple

1:42:43times and and just want to make a note

1:42:45for the record that when that property

1:42:47came before the body, the community

1:42:49benefit was donation of 10% of the land

1:42:52for permanently affordable housing on Re

1:42:55Street including the former uh Mac

1:42:57Bernie home uh early black educators and

1:43:00dentists. So um Commissioner Thornton.

1:43:04>> I think that um um Commissioner Taylor

1:43:07um covered thought things that I had I

1:43:10actually had forgotten about. Um

1:43:14I want to say a couple of I I want to

1:43:16say first

1:43:17uh and I did talk to members of uh

1:43:22appeals.

1:43:23I get them mixed. Hills First Baptist. I

1:43:26shouldn't get that mixed up, but um I do

1:43:29sometimes. And um

1:43:32I am not the craziest person,

1:43:35really crazy about this project.

1:43:37Uh my plan was to either vote no or

1:43:42abstain or something like that.

1:43:44But when I look at the benefits and the

1:43:46and I learn about the time that uh these

1:43:50developers have invested in trying to

1:43:52get community support and everything

1:43:56that they've asked, they've tried to

1:43:58tweak it. Um I really appreciate that. I

1:44:02really appreciate that. Folk don't do

1:44:04that no more. They just drop a building

1:44:07down and move on about their business.

1:44:09So um I do want to commend you

1:44:12for your efforts. But,

1:44:15Mayor,

1:44:16sometime, didn't one time

1:44:17[clears throat] we used to have

1:44:20a I know that

1:44:22attorney

1:44:24Drake read the

1:44:26the

1:44:29all all the steps we could do. But,

1:44:31haven't we did something in a week?

1:44:34>> So, this is a

1:44:36this is a type one action requiring both

1:44:38future land use and rezoning action.

1:44:41I think what has happened is with a type

1:44:43two action that just requires a single

1:44:45vote, we remanded that back to the

1:44:47planning commission.

1:44:49>> Okay. So, we can't cheat?

1:44:52>> I I I [clears throat] I I don't know if

1:44:54I want to ask attorney Drake to

1:44:57estimate our cheating ability here

1:44:58tonight.

1:45:00So, we we do have a substitute motion on

1:45:02the floor from commissioner Myers and

1:45:04second from commissioner Culpepper. So,

1:45:06we're going to do a

1:45:09roll call beginning with commissioner

1:45:10Myers.

1:45:10>> And point of order.

1:45:14This is

1:45:15one vote to cover the two that are in

1:45:18the agenda.

1:45:18>> holding both. Correct.

1:45:20Yeah.

1:45:20>> I have a I have a quick question.

1:45:21>> Procedural question.

1:45:22>> Yes, procedural.

1:45:24>> I need to read them.

1:45:26Did

1:45:28this is an ordinance change, right? So,

1:45:30do we How many votes are required to

1:45:32pass? Six.

1:45:34>> So So, this is a hold. So, as I

1:45:36understand it, it does not implement an

1:45:38ordinance change.

1:45:39>> it wasn't the If we voted on the actual

1:45:41project, it would need six votes.

1:45:43>> But But, the substance of an ordinance

1:45:45[snorts] change requires six votes.

1:45:50Do you read the same way, attorney

1:45:51Drake?

1:45:53>> This is not clear.

1:45:55>> It's pretty clear.

1:45:57It

1:45:58Oh, not

1:46:00Hold it.

1:46:02>> It doesn't speak to that. So

1:46:04>> [clears throat]

1:46:06>> It It It's my read that a hold is not an

1:46:08ordinance change. It's simply a hold.

1:46:11So,

1:46:11all right.

1:46:12So, as a

1:46:13>> I need to read them though.

1:46:15>> So, but we do need to read it because

1:46:17we're taking an action.

1:46:21>> Future land use map. An ordinance to

1:46:23amend the code of Athens-Clarke County,

1:46:24Georgia in respect to amending the

1:46:26future land use map of Athens-Clarke

1:46:27County by changing the designation of

1:46:29four parcels of land comprising

1:46:30approximately 2.47 acres located at 363

1:46:33Reese Street, 600 West Broad Streets,

1:46:36660 West Broad Street and 0 North Finley

1:46:38Street from mixed density quarter and

1:46:39major quarter to downtown area for the

1:46:41purposes.

1:46:43The rezoning is an ordinance to amend

1:46:45the code of Athens-Clarke County,

1:46:46Georgia in respect to rezoning four

1:46:47parcels of land comprising approximately

1:46:492.47 acres located 363 Reese Street, 600

1:46:52West Broad Street, 600 West Broad

1:46:54Street,

1:46:55excuse me, 660 West Broad Street and 0

1:46:58North Finley Street from CG commercial

1:47:00general and RM-2 mixed density

1:47:01residential to C-DPD commercial general

1:47:04plan development west end downtown

1:47:05design area and for the purposes.

1:47:08>> All right. So, uh the motion would be to

1:47:11hold both these for 40 days and have

1:47:13staff evaluate those modifications. So,

1:47:16we'll begin with Commissioner Myers.

1:47:18>> Myers.

1:47:19>> Yes.

1:47:19>> Thornton.

1:47:20>> Yes.

1:47:21>> Hamby.

1:47:22>> No.

1:47:24>> Link.

1:47:24>> Yes.

1:47:26>> Taylor.

1:47:26>> [clears throat]

1:47:26>> Yes.

1:47:27>> Wright.

1:47:28>> No.

1:47:29>> Johnson.

1:47:30>> Yes.

1:47:32>> Culpepper.

1:47:33>> Yes.

1:47:37>> Six yes, two no.

1:47:38>> All right. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I

1:47:39appreciate it.

1:47:41>> Did you vote for us?

1:47:42>> I voted for it.

1:47:43>> Okay.

1:47:45>> All right. So, we are moving on to item

1:47:47uh

1:47:48number 13. Uh this is regarding 2295

1:47:52Barnett Shoals Road and 174 Reese Road.

1:47:56Give everybody a moment to clear the

1:47:57chamber very quickly.

1:47:59>> Can we take a break?

1:48:08Mayor, can we take a break?

1:48:10>> Can we take a break

1:48:12early?

1:48:14>> Yeah, yeah, cuz we we can't get out to

1:48:16go the bathroom.

1:48:18>> What?

1:48:19>> No, I can't.

1:48:21No.

1:48:23Are you saying no?

1:48:26>> Yeah.

1:48:29>> Okay, okay.

1:48:45>> I mean this is like

1:48:49>> Absolutely.

1:48:56>> All right, unless you're sticking around

1:48:57for the rest of the zoning items, I hope

1:48:59you enjoy your night and clear the

1:49:00chamber.

1:49:02Thank you, friends.

1:49:32>> All right, so we are going to go ahead

1:49:34and move to public input on item number

1:49:3613, which is 2295 Barnet Shoals Road and

1:49:40174 Forest Road. All right, so if

1:49:43anybody would like to speak to item 13,

1:49:45please line up at the podium at this

1:49:47point.

1:49:48>> What you need?

1:49:48>> Good evening.

1:49:51>> Good evening, Joseph Bates with SPG, 180

1:49:53Homestead Drive.

1:49:55[clears throat] On behalf of the design

1:49:56development team, thank you for your

1:49:57time and consideration this evening.

1:49:59We are excited about this pocket

1:50:01neighborhood.

1:50:02Got to share at the agenda setting a

1:50:04couple of weeks ago.

1:50:07The architecture style is traditional.

1:50:09Elevated slabs,

1:50:11proper eave returns, quality windows,

1:50:16inviting functional front porches,

1:50:18parking in the rear.

1:50:19>> Oh, okay.

1:50:20>> Classical, timeless,

1:50:22inspired by some Athens most beloved

1:50:23neighborhoods.

1:50:26We believe the quality and

1:50:27thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and

1:50:30the plans will translate to property

1:50:31owners,

1:50:32and it will be a development that gets

1:50:34better

1:50:35over time.

1:50:38We believe this [snorts] development

1:50:38will be attractive to an eclectic group

1:50:40of people.

1:50:41Those are first home first time home

1:50:43buyers all the way to retirees.

1:50:46It's designed specifically for folks who

1:50:48are looking for community.

1:50:50Lots of shared amenities as well as

1:50:52everyone getting private courtyards.

1:50:55That's a little quieter.

1:50:56[snorts]

1:50:57This pocket neighborhood will be

1:50:58attractive to folks who want to live

1:50:59have the option to walk or bike to

1:51:01central services.

1:51:03I believe as envisioned on the future

1:51:04land use map, the east side will

1:51:06continue to be more walkable

1:51:08[snorts] and become a proper town

1:51:09center. And we believe projects like

1:51:11this will help realize the vision.

1:51:14I want to thank Green Anchors

1:51:15neighborhood for their invaluable

1:51:16feedback at the three neighborhood

1:51:18meetings we had.

1:51:19This plan was better because of it, and

1:51:20we're thankful for those who have

1:51:21written their letters of support and

1:51:23voiced their support

1:51:25and appreciate your consideration

1:51:26tonight. Thank you.

1:51:28>> Thank you, Mr. Bates. Appreciate it. Is

1:51:30there anyone else here to speak to item

1:51:32number 13?

1:51:43>> Mr. Mayor and commissioners,

1:51:45my name is Kent Middleton. I live at 195

1:51:47Clyde Road. I'm the president of the

1:51:49Green Acres Crestwood Community

1:51:51Association,

1:51:53and I ask you to follow the

1:51:54recommendation of the ACC Planning

1:51:57Department and the unanimous

1:51:58recommendation of the Planning

1:52:00Commission

1:52:01to approve the cottages at Green Acres.

1:52:04Joseph Bates,

1:52:06SPG Designers,

1:52:08has held several

1:52:09meetings

1:52:12with

1:52:13neighborhood together neighborhood

1:52:14viewpoints

1:52:16and has incorporated those into their

1:52:18plans.

1:52:20The cottages plan serves

1:52:22Excuse me.

1:52:24serves Clarke County's goal to expand

1:52:26housing choices with a greater variety

1:52:28of housing types. The development

1:52:31features 24 fee simple single family

1:52:33homes, one carriage house, and three

1:52:36attached single family homes.

1:52:38The homes offer front porches and a

1:52:40shared green space.

1:52:42The development honors the future land

1:52:44use map by being located a short

1:52:47distance from employment and shopping.

1:52:49Water and sewage and infrastructure are

1:52:51already available. The UGA Vet Med

1:52:54campus and the Kroger Publics Town

1:52:57Center are across Barnett Shoals Road.

1:53:00Churches, a daycare center, and

1:53:01restaurants are a short walk away.

1:53:04SPG has addressed existing stormwater

1:53:07issues, managed the tree canopy, and

1:53:10provided adequate parking and access to

1:53:13Forest Road.

1:53:14Importantly,

1:53:16the design and scale of the project fit

1:53:18comfortably alongside existing houses in

1:53:22the long established and most walkable

1:53:25Green Acres Crestwood neighborhood.

1:53:27The cottages serve a market of working

1:53:29families, young professionals, and

1:53:32retirees who don't want or can't afford

1:53:35many of the houses in Athens established

1:53:37neighborhoods

1:53:39and who don't want tiny houses or four

1:53:41bedroom student apartments.

1:53:44Over the last 25 years, the Green Acres

1:53:47neighborhood has opposed several

1:53:49inappropriate development proposals for

1:53:52this parcel, notably a national

1:53:54pharmacy, a national grocery store, and

1:53:58student town houses. I've been down here

1:54:00many times.

1:54:02These developments were incompatible

1:54:04with the scale, design, and ambiance of

1:54:07the Green Acres neighborhood.

1:54:09The design and scale of the cottages at

1:54:11Green Acres are compatible with the

1:54:14Green Acres neighborhood

1:54:16and they will be a welcome transition

1:54:18between the Green Acres community and

1:54:20the Barnett Shoals minor corridor and

1:54:23Town Center. So I respect respectfully

1:54:26asked that you approve the cottages at

1:54:28Green Acres and thank you.

1:54:30>> Thank you, Mr. Middleton.

1:54:32Is that everybody for that item?

1:54:35All right. Go ahead and turn for a

1:54:36motion to Commissioner Myers.

1:54:37>> Yeah, I'd like to make a motion to

1:54:39approve this.

1:54:40>> Second.

1:54:41>> All right. I've got a motion from

1:54:42Commissioner Myers. I have a second from

1:54:44Commissioner Taylor. Commissioner Myers,

1:54:45any remarks?

1:54:46>> Yeah.

1:54:47I am happy to support this development

1:54:49and

1:54:51as Kent Middleton spoke to, there've

1:54:53been many successful, unsuccessful

1:54:56zoning requests over this over the last

1:54:58couple of decades.

1:55:00And we would know that this was not

1:55:02welcome in this community if that was

1:55:05the case because he would not be here

1:55:08alone, but he'd have dozens of people

1:55:10here in opposition.

1:55:12What makes this proposal different? That

1:55:15extensive resident input has been there

1:55:19right from the beginning since May 2025.

1:55:24That has made all the difference. Also,

1:55:26the design and scale are compatible with

1:55:28the neighborhood and provide a good

1:55:29transition for the business corridor.

1:55:31They've dealt with the parking, the

1:55:33drainage, the buffers between the

1:55:35development and the surrounding

1:55:36neighborhoods.

1:55:38And these are local developers. There's

1:55:39a small business contractor, Levin

1:55:41McDonald, who Dougal, maybe I get his

1:55:44name wrong, but

1:55:46McDougal who bought the property and has

1:55:48been working with Joseph Bates and SBG

1:55:50Engineering. And they're really trying

1:55:52to make a neighborhood that is

1:55:55encourages walking, biking, and using

1:55:57the bus. This is developments right

1:56:00adjacent to Green Acres, Kroger's,

1:56:01public shopping areas close to both bus

1:56:04stops, bike lanes, access to Greenway.

1:56:06If this is going to work somewhere, it

1:56:08should work in this spot in this spot.

1:56:11I'm very glad to be supporting this and

1:56:13I hope my colleagues will

1:56:16work with me to get this passed and have

1:56:18them move to the next step of making

1:56:21this happen.

1:56:22>> Anything further, Commissioner Taylor?

1:56:23>> No. I

1:56:25I

1:56:25>> agree um with my colleague um

1:56:27Commissioner Myers. Uh and I I spoke to

1:56:31um Commissioner Davenport about this um

1:56:34development one Sunday after church and

1:56:36I was I was confused about where it was

1:56:39until um Mr. Loney gave a gave us the um

1:56:44up on the on the screen and so I'm

1:56:46grateful to be supporting this as well.

1:56:47I think

1:56:48um when we look at developments um on on

1:56:51a piece of prop- parcel that is abutting

1:56:54to single family homes that this is the

1:56:56development I mean the type of

1:56:59structures that we choose. So happy to

1:57:01support it.

1:57:02>> Commissioner Thornton.

1:57:03>> I If anybody drives down um North Avenue

1:57:08um

1:57:09heading north um

1:57:11there are some beautiful hou- um

1:57:15I guess they're like little houses, but

1:57:17they have these beautiful flowers and

1:57:19birds there. That's some of Blevins'

1:57:21work. He's very creative. I think he'll

1:57:24do a good job

1:57:26on this project, but they're just

1:57:28absolutely beautiful.

1:57:30And we have had no problems at all in

1:57:33that area.

1:57:34>> All right. So there's a motion for

1:57:36approval of the future land use plan.

1:57:38I'm going to have attorney Drake read

1:57:39that.

1:57:40>> Ordinance to amend the code of

1:57:41Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, respect

1:57:42change the future land use map of

1:57:44Athens-Clarke County by changing the

1:57:45designation of one parcel of land

1:57:47comprising approximately 0.395 acres

1:57:49located 174 Forest Road from minor

1:57:52quarter to traditional neighborhood and

1:57:54for other purposes.

1:57:55>> All in favor, please say aye.

1:57:56>> Aye.

1:57:57>> Aye.

1:57:57>> Any opposed?

1:57:59Hearing none, motion carries. Can I get

1:58:00a motion for approval of the rezoning?

1:58:03>> I'll so move.

1:58:04>> Second.

1:58:06>> [laughter]

1:58:07>> Motion second. Any further remarks?

1:58:09>> No.

1:58:09>> No.

1:58:10>> All right. Attorney Drake, can you read

1:58:11that one for us?

1:58:11>> Ordinance to amend the code of

1:58:12Athens-Clarke County, Georgia with

1:58:14respect to rezoning two parcels of land

1:58:16comprising approximately 4.809 acres

1:58:18located 2295 Barnett Shoals Road and 174

1:58:22Forest Road from RS-25 single family

1:58:24residential to RS-5 PD single family

1:58:27residential plan development and for

1:58:28other purposes.

1:58:31>> All in favor, please say aye.

1:58:32>> Aye.

1:58:33>> Any opposed? Hearing none, motion

1:58:35carries. All right, next item number 14

1:58:38is a name change of 105 Epps Bridge

1:58:41LLC's property from Epps Bridge Lane to

1:58:44Big Dog Way. Any public input on this

1:58:47item?

1:58:48Good evening, Mr. Stevens.

1:58:53>> Good evening, everybody. Come to you as

1:58:55TJ Stevens,

1:58:57which stands for Terence Ray Stevens

1:58:59Jr., which is Big Dog Terry Stevens Jr.

1:59:04So I'm very proud to stand here before

1:59:07you guys to

1:59:08put this seems like a no-brainer agenda

1:59:12item on the docket for you today.

1:59:14Big Dog Way is very exciting. All our

1:59:16neighbors are in agreement. This will

1:59:19add to our area.

1:59:21My father did tremendous amount of work

1:59:24for this community.

1:59:26You know, I was born and raised here.

1:59:28Born in St. Mary's Hospital 43 years

1:59:30ago. My mom Sue Stevens is behind me.

1:59:33I'm just very, you know, honored to have

1:59:35the best mentor and

1:59:37the biggest shoes and the most hats to

1:59:40wear in this town for sure. So but

1:59:45I'm just

1:59:46you know, there's a lot of issues,

1:59:48you know, if you just go on Apple Maps,

1:59:50there's a big old Epps Bridge Lane,

1:59:52there's a Epps Bridge Parkway.

1:59:54I'm sorry, we are Epps Bridge Lane.

1:59:56There's a old Epps Bridge Road.

1:59:58There's a lot of confusion there, but

2:00:00Big Dog's Way just seems like a

2:00:01no-brainer. And we have Big Dogs on the

2:00:03River, which we started.

2:00:05I heard all the comments about the

2:00:06stream cleanups.

2:00:08I'll say me and my dad, we were some of

2:00:10the originals

2:00:1125 years ago.

2:00:13That's part of a stream and the

2:00:15the the pollution never stops. That's

2:00:17why it takes a community to continue to

2:00:19take care of it. So that's what happens.

2:00:21Stuff flows downhill. We got to take

2:00:22care of it. I'm out there multiple times

2:00:24a year.

2:00:25I take it very personally to to take

2:00:27care of our streams and that really hit

2:00:29home for me. So you know, you said there

2:00:31was only one stream, Sandy Creek. I I

2:00:33disagree with that. The Miller County is

2:00:35very beautiful between Atlanta Highway

2:00:36and

2:00:38Macon Highway. So, you might want to

2:00:39come check it out sometime.

2:00:41But again, I give a lot of credit to my

2:00:43father. I'm here for him. He was a hell

2:00:46of a man and

2:00:48you know, long live Big Dog Terry

2:00:50Stevens.

2:00:51>> Thank you Thank you Mr. Stevens.

2:00:55Good evening.

2:00:56>> Good evening. I don't want to cry. I

2:00:59don't know.

2:01:00But any

2:01:01So, I'm Sue Stevens. I'm Terry Stevens

2:01:05wife. He passed in

2:01:10I worked at Big Dogs

2:01:12also.

2:01:14My husband got his nickname back in '79

2:01:18cuz he worked so hard and

2:01:23so they called him Big Dog and it's

2:01:25spelled d o g

2:01:27like a dog. So, anyway, and then we

2:01:29opened up Big Dogs on Atlanta Highway in

2:01:33as a family business and that's where I

2:01:35worked.

2:01:37We opened that in 1998

2:01:39and

2:01:41so

2:01:42that Big Dogs Way is is all along the

2:01:46back of our property along the river.

2:01:50So, it doesn't really go anywhere but

2:01:52back there and

2:01:54and TJ's right. It

2:01:56it gets confusing a lot, especially for

2:01:59delivery people. So, not only would it

2:02:02be an honor to

2:02:03be able to remember him and everything

2:02:06he did in the community.

2:02:08But

2:02:09we would be very grateful. Thank you.

2:02:12>> Thank you Ms. Stevens.

2:02:14I think this is in your district,

2:02:15Commissioner Culpepper. Would you like

2:02:16to make a motion?

2:02:17>> Motion to approve.

2:02:18>> Second.

2:02:20>> All right. We've got a motion from

2:02:22Commissioner Culpepper and the second

2:02:23was from Commissioner Wright.

2:02:25Any remarks?

2:02:27>> Yeah, this is

2:02:28it makes sense like TJ was saying.

2:02:31It's a great way to honor his father. He

2:02:33was a great Athenian. [snorts]

2:02:36And also it eliminates a lot of

2:02:37confusion when you're having college

2:02:39events down there.

2:02:41A lot of the students are calling Uber.

2:02:43There's confusion on picking up, you

2:02:45know, where do they go. So this

2:02:47eliminates that problem is a great way

2:02:49to honor

2:02:50Big Dog. So

2:02:52motion to approve.

2:02:53>> Commissioner Wright.

2:02:54>> I want to thank the family for this

2:02:56great idea.

2:02:58Big Dog, he was the host of

2:03:01our brand new Water Trail Committee.

2:03:04Remember when we had that back in the

2:03:05day? And you guys and his team there and

2:03:09the river and the outpost has done so

2:03:12much to let people know and understand

2:03:14our waterways, introducing that to

2:03:16people and I'm sure you've had plenty of

2:03:18people who've rented that went on to get

2:03:20their own vessel and or just continue to

2:03:23rent from you guys.

2:03:25And his way was a specific way and it

2:03:29was a good one and it was in the what

2:03:31he's done with that property

2:03:34outside of the Riparian Buffer. You can

2:03:35see right where that is. The existing

2:03:38buildings are right where that is and

2:03:39where you embellished and augmented so

2:03:42that it continues to get people in that

2:03:45awesome environment is is incredible.

2:03:48And so

2:03:50I look forward to seeing that sign

2:03:52up there.

2:03:54>> Certainly glad that we'll have an

2:03:56opportunity to make sure that Uber knows

2:03:58where they need to go, that FedEx knows

2:04:01where they need to go. But but more than

2:04:03any of that, just delighted that we've

2:04:05got an opportunity to

2:04:07honor with a street name a giant of

2:04:09Athens life and culture, as big-hearted

2:04:12a person as I think I've ever met in my

2:04:14life, Terry Stevens. So I'm really

2:04:16excited for this for the family. I do

2:04:18need to have Attorney Drake read the

2:04:19ordinance for us.

2:04:20>> Ordinance to amend the Code of

2:04:21Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Georgia

2:04:23with respect to changing the name of

2:04:25Epps Bridge Lane to Big Dog Way and for

2:04:27other purposes.

2:04:28>> All right, all in favor please say aye.

2:04:29>> Aye.

2:04:30>> Aye.

2:04:30>> Any opposed?

2:04:31Hearing none, motion carries.

2:04:35Item 15 is building heights and pursuant

2:04:38to commission interest from the last

2:04:40meeting,

2:04:41staff has prepared an option

2:04:44that would simply retain the the height

2:04:47increase in the commercial downtown zone

2:04:49and send CG along with CO and CN back

2:04:53for future consideration. So I want to

2:04:56go ahead and open it up to public input.

2:05:00All right, seeing none, I'll entertain a

2:05:02motion.

2:05:03>> I motion to deny.

2:05:12>> All right, it's

2:05:13Another motion on the floor. As that

2:05:15dies for lack of second.

2:05:16>> I motion to accept staff's proposal to

2:05:20only

2:05:21accept only up zone in a CG, I mean in

2:05:25CD

2:05:26and send everything else back to

2:05:27planning.

2:05:28>> Second.

2:05:29>> All right, any further remarks,

2:05:31Commissioner Link?

2:05:31>> Yeah, I mean I really feel like we need

2:05:33to have an intensive work session and

2:05:35some public input information sessions

2:05:38before we tackle this. You know, we we

2:05:40updated our future land use plan and now

2:05:43it's time to update our zoning.

2:05:46Um but I don't think I I think it needs

2:05:48to be done in a very nuanced and

2:05:51selective manner where, you know, we're

2:05:53able to identify locations where it is

2:05:55absolutely appropriate to up up zone and

2:05:58increase height.

2:06:00This original proposal here with these

2:06:0295-ft structures,

2:06:05you would see, you know, effectively

2:06:07downtown style buildings on Hawthorn and

2:06:10West Broad hovering over the backyards

2:06:13of of lots and lots of neighborhoods. Um

2:06:17you know, we I I believe in transitional

2:06:19zoning. That that's what we need. We

2:06:20need these transitions from our intense

2:06:23zoning to our single family

2:06:26neighborhoods. You know, we we see that

2:06:28with the Green Acres project we just

2:06:31approved. You know, we we

2:06:34now have an RS-5 neighborhood next to an

2:06:37RS-8 neighborhood and

2:06:40along a commercial corridor. Um,

2:06:42I think we need to take that approach.

2:06:44Um, and I can tell you 100 feet is not

2:06:46that far when it comes to a 100 foot

2:06:49building.

2:06:51>> Commissioner Wright, anything further?

2:06:52>> Uh, no. Ready to vote.

2:06:54>> Anything from other members of the body?

2:06:56All right.

2:06:56I'll go ahead and have turn to direct

2:06:58read the ordinance.

2:06:59>> Ordinance to amend the code of

2:07:00Athens-Clarke County, Georgia with

2:07:01respect to maximum building height

2:07:02regulations in the commercial district

2:07:04and for the purposes.

2:07:06>> All in favor, please say aye.

2:07:07>> Aye.

2:07:08>> Aye.

2:07:08>> Any opposed?

2:07:09>> Aye.

2:07:10>> All right. Please note opposition from

2:07:11Commissioner Taylor. Thank you. All

2:07:13right. Item 16 similarly

2:07:16is expansion of the inclusionary zoning

2:07:18payment in lieu option and staff has

2:07:21prepared a version

2:07:23that retains the parking incentive only

2:07:25in commercial downtown but not in the

2:07:26other zones.

2:07:29>> I have a quick question.

2:07:32Let me call for public input.

2:07:34Any public input on this matter?

2:07:38All right.

2:07:39Question, Commissioner Taylor.

2:07:40>> So, we don't have a lot of developers

2:07:43that's wanting to do inclusionary zoning

2:07:45because they don't want affordable

2:07:46housing in their

2:07:49development. So, I don't see the point.

2:07:52Okay, so this is a question. Well, more

2:07:54or less or a statement.

2:07:56I don't see the the reason for this. And

2:07:59I know it it is for like a tool like

2:08:02down the line in case a developer wants

2:08:04to build in a commercial downtown area

2:08:07and include. But what we've seen is that

2:08:10they would rather pay into the tag

2:08:14than

2:08:14>> fund.

2:08:15>> do inclusionary zoning. And there was

2:08:18something that was put into this

2:08:20report that stood out to me that said

2:08:23that low incomes families

2:08:26may benefit more on using the transit

2:08:29because they don't have cars. Well, you

2:08:32know, I I resent that because that's not

2:08:35like a thing like

2:08:38I can say what I want to. You know, I'm

2:08:40I'm not going to say what I would like

2:08:42to say. I just thought that that was

2:08:43distasteful to say. Um also the fact

2:08:46that um

2:08:48I just don't I I don't think that we

2:08:50need this text amendment. I don't think

2:08:52that developers are looking to put

2:08:54people of lower income into their um

2:08:59developments from what we've seen um and

2:09:02to just say well we'll just have this on

2:09:04the book just in case. I think it opens

2:09:06the door to give developers more um

2:09:10leverage to wiggle in some stuff like

2:09:13what we've seen tonight. I mean so I do

2:09:15want us to be mindful. I don't support

2:09:17it um but I do want us to be um mindful

2:09:19and I wanted to make my comments on

2:09:21that.

2:09:22>> Thank you Commissioner Taylor. Just in

2:09:24terms of the contours of this

2:09:26this would provide the ability to make

2:09:28payment in lieu options outside of the

2:09:31CD which is presently the only zone in

2:09:33which you can do that. So it would allow

2:09:34that option in CG or multi-family as

2:09:38well um so that we could get more funds

2:09:41into the inclusionary zoning code. So I

2:09:43I'll I'll entertain a motion from any

2:09:44member of the body.

2:09:47>> I still I have a question without a

2:09:48motion. I'll make a motion to approve

2:09:50the the

2:09:52new version

2:09:54that only has that doesn't allow the

2:09:56parking reduction.

2:09:57>> reduction outside of CD.

2:09:59>> I also

2:10:00>> Got a motion from uh Commissioner Myers,

2:10:02second from Commissioner Link.

2:10:03Commissioner Myers, remarks.

2:10:05>> Um yeah I I think that

2:10:08it

2:10:09what we're seeing is one that they're

2:10:12the developers are not using the

2:10:14inclusionary zoning where you actually

2:10:16build affordable housing. Um I think

2:10:19there were at the the last meeting we

2:10:21were told there were actually just five

2:10:22bedrooms. Was it? Was it really just

2:10:25five bedrooms uh used in that way. Um

2:10:28and what this does allow is for to get

2:10:32money into that affordable housing fund

2:10:35that for example I think we're later on

2:10:37this evening we're considering using

2:10:39that for some of the infrastructure with

2:10:41the Micas Creek project or and that

2:10:44could there's a whole array of different

2:10:46kinds of uses that that could be used

2:10:48for. Um, the I do want to address that

2:10:51parking stuff because I think that we're

2:10:53if I'm correct if that that verbage was

2:10:56in the original one

2:10:57the ordinance. Is that correct? The

2:10:59stuff about the the parking not

2:11:02>> The the original version permitted the

2:11:04reduction in parking in each of the

2:11:06districts that it would now offer the

2:11:08inclusionary option.

2:11:10The change based on the conversation is

2:11:12that that has that language is no longer

2:11:14there so it's only permitted the the

2:11:17only parking reductions permitted in the

2:11:18CD zone.

2:11:19>> Right, but that that

2:11:21the language that Commissioner Taylor um

2:11:24had

2:11:26objections to was not something that's

2:11:28added in here that was in the originals.

2:11:31They were right right right that

2:11:32>> not this ordinance but the original

2:11:33>> in it and obviously that isn't haven't

2:11:36even none of it's actually even worked.

2:11:39Um, and I believe that required that the

2:11:41building be within a

2:11:43thousand feet of a a

2:11:46transit stop as well. But um so

2:11:49yeah, we need tools to get more money

2:11:52into our affordable housing fund. Um,

2:11:55and clearly the developers are not

2:11:58building it themselves when they're

2:12:00building

2:12:01luxury student housing or higher end

2:12:04even

2:12:06developments where the construction

2:12:08costs are so high right now. So um if we

2:12:11can get some more money into our

2:12:12affordable housing fund, I'm for

2:12:14expanding this tool.

2:12:16>> Commissioner Link.

2:12:16>> Yeah, I mean this is a case in point.

2:12:19Um, you know

2:12:21where

2:12:23I mean the the project that we had so

2:12:24much spent so much time on over on Broad

2:12:27Street and Re Street

2:12:29staff recommends RM 3. We pass this

2:12:32ordinance. They can get their extra

2:12:34density and we still get that payment

2:12:36into the affordable housing fund.

2:12:39Um,

2:12:40and

2:12:41but they don't get the parking and the

2:12:43the the fact that we're removing this

2:12:45parking reduction incentive is is just a

2:12:48testament to the problems we have with

2:12:50parking in our neighborhoods. Um, you

2:12:52know, this it's it's

2:12:55until we can come up with a truly urban

2:12:58transit system and a student population

2:13:01that does not bring their cars to

2:13:03college. I didn't have a car in college.

2:13:04I didn't even have a car my first year

2:13:06in grad school.

2:13:07Um, but until we can get there, we

2:13:09really have to be sensitive to this

2:13:12severe parking issue in our

2:13:14neighborhoods and the the dangers of it.

2:13:16People not being able to get their

2:13:18medications in the mail and

2:13:20you know, getting blocked in their

2:13:21driveways and school buses getting

2:13:23stuck. Um, so I'm I'm I'm just going to

2:13:27rant about that and and I I'm

2:13:30I

2:13:31I barely use parking. I mean, I I mostly

2:13:33ride my scooter.

2:13:35But yeah, my husband and I have two

2:13:36cars. We have a long driveway, but most

2:13:38of the houses on my [cough] street do

2:13:39not. Several of them don't have

2:13:41driveways at all. And

2:13:43I live

2:13:44further out from campus. So

2:13:47it's a problem. We got to address it.

2:13:49It's just the reality of the world we

2:13:51live in.

2:13:53>> Commissioner Thorne, do we get to hear

2:13:54your um student history of vehicle use

2:13:56as well?

2:13:59>> You know, I just you know, I I think

2:14:01commissioner um

2:14:05Johnson hit it on [snorts]

2:14:07It's a it's a issue. It it it is. And

2:14:10and every time we tell our stories, it

2:14:12doesn't change anything. It is a issue.

2:14:15And if the people who live in Park View

2:14:18were here

2:14:20that that you know, they're not here to

2:14:21even talk about the the parking issues.

2:14:25I don't know. I you know, it looks like

2:14:27there's a group of people that

2:14:29is always excluded and no solutions.

2:14:33So I'm going to support whatever we folk

2:14:35want. So we go to the bar.

2:14:38>> All right. So we'll go ahead and begin

2:14:40our roll call.

2:14:41>> to call read it.

2:14:42>> Oh oh, let's read the ordinance. Thank

2:14:43you.

2:14:44>> Ordinance to amend the code of Athens

2:14:45Park County Georgia respect to

2:14:46inclusionary zoning and for the

2:14:47purposes.

2:14:48>> All

2:14:49>> We'll give it to Christian Myers.

2:14:50>> Yes.

2:14:52>> Thornton.

2:14:53>> Yes.

2:14:54>> Hamby.

2:14:55>> Yes.

2:14:57>> Link.

2:14:57>> Yes.

2:14:58>> Taylor.

2:14:58>> No.

2:14:59>> Wright.

2:15:00>> Yes.

2:15:02>> Johnson.

2:15:03>> Yes.

2:15:03>> Culp.

2:15:04>> Yes.

2:15:09>> 7 to 1.

2:15:10>> All right. Everybody, we're going to go

2:15:11ahead and take a 10-minute break. We'll

2:15:13be back in our seats at 8:30 sharp.

2:19:42>> Okay.

2:24:34>> Welcome back everyone. Uh we are here

2:24:36now for old and new business. Uh old and

2:24:39new business are items 4 7 10 and 17

2:24:43through 23 and so we'll open uh for

2:24:46public comment on any of those items.

2:24:52>> Okay.

2:24:53>> Good evening.

2:24:53>> Good evening honorable mayor,

2:24:55commissioners. I will be brief but thank

2:24:57you very much last commission meeting

2:25:00for moving forward with the judicial

2:25:01complex. I'm sorry. I'm Chuck Auslander.

2:25:04I'm one of the state court judges. With

2:25:05me, I've got

2:25:06Judge Donna Rell Green, chief judge of

2:25:09the Superior Courts, Lisa Lott and Laura

2:25:11Welch from the courthouse. And we had a

2:25:14meeting yesterday with all the judges,

2:25:16and we were very thankful that the

2:25:19project is moving forward, and we're

2:25:21just here to show our thanks and also

2:25:24ask that you continue the project moving

2:25:26forward this time. I know there was a

2:25:28thought about considering waiting on

2:25:30some other information last time, but we

2:25:32just urge you to keep the project moving

2:25:34forward. We've been meeting with the

2:25:35architects all last week, and we are

2:25:38making great progress. So we look

2:25:39forward to you voting later today to

2:25:40keep the project moving. Thank you very

2:25:42much.

2:25:43>> Thank you, Judge Auslander. Is there any

2:25:44other input on old and new business?

2:25:50Good evening.

2:25:51>> Hi. Um Kristen Morales, 338 Sotula

2:25:53Avenue. Um I'm here to talk about item

2:25:5620. Um I just found out about it a

2:25:59couple hours ago, so I'm

2:26:01kind of doing this off the cuff, but um

2:26:05I I get to serve as the chair of the

2:26:07Planning Commission, and when I read the

2:26:09text of this amendment, a couple red

2:26:11flags went up. Um the main change is

2:26:14that it changes our process for

2:26:18postponing an item when it comes to the

2:26:20Planning Commission. Um

2:26:22and I think when this item is presented,

2:26:25it might get presented to you all as

2:26:27this is the same process that the Mayor

2:26:29Commission follows. It's something

2:26:30that's dictated by state law. Um but the

2:26:33thing is it's different for the Planning

2:26:34Commission. We um can table things

2:26:38like that we don't have the same

2:26:39restrictions on the

2:26:41tabling or um postponement of items

2:26:44simply because our role is different in

2:26:47in that sometimes we see projects that

2:26:49have questions or there's technical

2:26:51things that come up and we just need to

2:26:52see changes um

2:26:54at between the next meeting cycle. And

2:26:56the problem is if we're restricted to

2:26:59having

2:27:00only the next meeting cycle to postpone

2:27:02something to, that only gives a

2:27:03developer like five to maybe seven days

2:27:06tops maximum [clears throat]

2:27:08to make those revisions. And sometimes

2:27:10they might be able to do that, but

2:27:12sometimes things can be pretty technical

2:27:14and

2:27:15just the timing of things um basically

2:27:17whenever we have our Planning Commission

2:27:19meetings, there's a very short window

2:27:21before that next meeting is set. So

2:27:23typically when we do um postpone an

2:27:26item, we end up talking with the

2:27:29developer kind of on the fly like it

2:27:31would 60 days work. Usually we we do do

2:27:34that 60-day window because it allows

2:27:35them to submit earlier or give them a

2:27:38little bit more time if they need to. So

2:27:40I just wanted to raise this as a red

2:27:41flag. Um I I also question like why

2:27:44is this even coming up? Why why are we

2:27:47talk what is the problem that this text

2:27:50ordinance is trying to solve?

2:27:52And um

2:27:53I think that's

2:27:54the deeper question here. So um anyway,

2:27:57thank you for your time and your

2:27:59service.

2:28:00>> Thank you, Ms. Morales.

2:28:02Is there any other input on old or new

2:28:03business tonight?

2:28:05>> [snorts]

2:28:08>> All right. Good evening mayor,

2:28:10commissioners, everybody. Uh

2:28:12it's been a long night already, right?

2:28:14I'm not going to hold y'all too long. Uh

2:28:16I just wanted to reiterate what just

2:28:18Council just said. We are very thankful

2:28:20uh to be moving forward with this

2:28:22process in the new judicial center. Also

2:28:25just wanted to take a moment to offer

2:28:27myself for any questions about uh also

2:28:29item number 22 if you have any. Uh just

2:28:32the thoughts behind it. Uh I know you

2:28:34all know we've had double digit

2:28:36fatalities between pedestrians and

2:28:39everything else and the sheriff's office

2:28:42just really wants to do our part uh to

2:28:44reduce that number. Hopefully get it

2:28:46down to zero. If it can be less than

2:28:48zero, we'd be fighting to be less than

2:28:50zero. I have spoke to our community

2:28:53partners including the police

2:28:54department. Uh they are very supportive

2:28:57of us making this effort to help out on

2:28:59the roadways and I think this will be uh

2:29:02a tool

2:29:03uh to help the community, but also to

2:29:06take a little bit of the pressure off

2:29:08from the ACCPD's day-to-day patrol

2:29:11activities and just to be able to

2:29:14impact. So thank you. I'm here if y'all

2:29:16got any questions.

2:29:17>> Thank you, Sheriff.

2:29:20Any other input on old or new business

2:29:21tonight?

2:29:24All right. Seeing none, we'll come to

2:29:25commission action.

2:29:27First item is item number four.

2:29:29Commissioner Johnson, you asked that

2:29:31this be on discussion. And this is the

2:29:33funding recommendation regarding SPLOST

2:29:362020 project two, the affordable housing

2:29:38component.

2:29:40>> I one quick question.

2:29:42I was wondering if staff can explain the

2:29:45math at the top under revenues.

2:29:48The

2:29:50the there's a $890,000

2:29:52difference between what was approved

2:29:55for project two

2:29:57and the total revenue.

2:30:02>> Can you clarify that a little bit? Where

2:30:04are you picking up 890,000?

2:30:06>> The difference between 45910 and 43610.

2:30:12So what was approved

2:30:14for

2:30:15well, I should ask this. Like for

2:30:16project number two was

2:30:1845910 approved

2:30:21for SPLOST 2020?

2:30:23>> That's right. So the number that you see

2:30:25approved in the SPLOST referendum, like

2:30:27on the website or that that big number

2:30:29if you will, is pre

2:30:32fees. So pre program administration or

2:30:35project management that is netted out.

2:30:38So what you see here is kind of the

2:30:39amount that was set aside for

2:30:41construction or other activities.

2:30:46>> Okay. Thank you.

2:30:49>> There's all right. Commissioner

2:30:49Thornton.

2:30:50>> Actually, I

2:30:53made a mistake and probably shouldn't

2:30:54have pulled off seven. It was to that

2:30:56commissioner

2:30:58on Johnson was speaking to, but

2:31:01if the manager would explain the process

2:31:08that

2:31:10is being requested by habitat. I think

2:31:13there's

2:31:14some misunderstanding on

2:31:18on that request and how it was how we

2:31:21got there.

2:31:22>> Sure. So this project was as has been

2:31:26indicated a splash project that was had

2:31:29funding set aside for quite some time

2:31:31actually and

2:31:33some months ago there was direction to

2:31:35proceed with the issuance of an RFP. So

2:31:38there was an RFP issued

2:31:40um for folks that would be interested. I

2:31:41think actually it was even extended one

2:31:43time to give additional time for

2:31:45applications. There were two that were

2:31:46received. Um one as this one which is

2:31:49was recommended. The other one was from

2:31:52the housing authority and the housing

2:31:54authority request had something to do

2:31:56with more of a

2:31:58trail kind of almost a recreational

2:31:59amenity and

2:32:01the staff in making the recommendation

2:32:02felt this was more aligned with what the

2:32:04intent of the funding was and therefore

2:32:06is making the recommendation for

2:32:07approval.

2:32:08>> And and I and I do want to highlight

2:32:11because a lot we catch a lot of

2:32:13criticism about criticisms or questions

2:32:17about how certain folk get certain

2:32:20dollars, but this did go through an RFP

2:32:22process.

2:32:24Only two applicants

2:32:26staff felt this was

2:32:30a better of the the two. Is that

2:32:32correct?

2:32:33And we did and and we extended that

2:32:35request. So

2:32:38it wasn't like

2:32:40anybody else couldn't have applied if

2:32:42they saw the RFP.

2:32:44>> Correct. It would have followed all of

2:32:45the standard procedures regarding RFPs

2:32:48for proposals.

2:32:50You know

2:32:51it was around the if I remember right

2:32:53too it was around the same time that we

2:32:54did a similar RFP for some of the ARP.

2:32:58We had some ARPA funding that was

2:33:00separate from our ARPA funding.

2:33:01Similarly we push out an RFP for it and

2:33:04if I recall correctly that was one we

2:33:06didn't get any applicants for and ended

2:33:08up using it for other purposes. That's

2:33:10the

2:33:11>> Home ARP?

2:33:12>> the home ARP And that's the project that

2:33:13we're actually doing the duplexes on,

2:33:15correct?

2:33:15>> No, that's Home.

2:33:16>> Home.

2:33:17[laughter] Home.

2:33:19>> But yes, so there there actually were a

2:33:20couple of them at the same time.

2:33:22Probably had more interest initially

2:33:24from folks than anyone that actually

2:33:25submitted the application. Um they you

2:33:28know these are structured so that you

2:33:29have a kind of a project ready to go

2:33:32um so that you can pretty quickly move

2:33:33the money to into its purpose.

2:33:35>> Well I you know I guess I just want to

2:33:37emphasize that we get a lot of

2:33:39criticisms, but if the RFP is out there

2:33:42in the public, it's there for anybody to

2:33:45apply and or who meets those

2:33:47qualifications. So thank you.

2:33:48>> Sure. Thank you.

2:33:49>> Would you like to make a motion for

2:33:50approval, commissioner?

2:33:52>> Uh I so move.

2:33:53>> Second.

2:33:54>> All right. I've got a motion from

2:33:55commissioner Thornton.

2:33:57Second from commissioner Taylor.

2:33:59Commissioner Taylor, any other remarks?

2:34:00>> Yes. I will be so glad when Micah's

2:34:02Creek is done only because I remember it

2:34:05being nothing. Now it's

2:34:07becoming something.

2:34:09Um and so that's just between me and

2:34:10God. But I'm very excited, so I support

2:34:13it.

2:34:16>> [clears throat]

2:34:17>> All right. So uh we've got a motion and

2:34:19a second on item four. Any further

2:34:20remarks?

2:34:25>> Okay.

2:34:26>> No, this item four.

2:34:27>> Okay.

2:34:28>> I have some remarks.

2:34:29>> Uh commissioner Link.

2:34:30>> I'm super excited too. Um I ran into the

2:34:34mayor and commissioner Myers at Micah's

2:34:35Creek

2:34:37last weekend for the solar barn raising.

2:34:39And it's a really beautiful

2:34:40neighborhood. And um

2:34:42I this is some good use of those

2:34:44affordable housing dollars. So we hope

2:34:47that they can keep coming in and we can

2:34:49make more of these homes, home owner

2:34:52occupied homes, um small modest homes,

2:34:56kind of homes that fit into the

2:34:57neighborhood, um

2:34:59and also use renewable energy. Um and I

2:35:02hope we can come up with the funds to

2:35:04invest more in the renewable energy cuz

2:35:06that's

2:35:07more and more of a challenge under the

2:35:09current federal administration.

2:35:12>> All right. [snorts] Uh motion second on

2:35:13the floor. All in favor, say aye.

2:35:15>> Aye.

2:35:15>> Aye.

2:35:16>> Any opposed? Hearing none, motion

2:35:17carries. Uh, Commissioner Thornton, did

2:35:19you just want to make a motion for

2:35:20approval of seven?

2:35:22>> Yes. I I I'm I make a motion um um to

2:35:26approve um seven. I have no comments.

2:35:29>> Second.

2:35:30>> All right. Motion from Commissioner

2:35:31Thornton, second from Commissioner

2:35:32Taylor. Any remarks, Commissioner

2:35:33Taylor?

2:35:34>> Ready to vote.

2:35:35>> All right.

2:35:36On favor, please say aye.

2:35:37>> Aye.

2:35:38>> Any opposed?

2:35:39Hearing none, motion carries.

2:35:41All right. Uh,

2:35:42item 10, Commissioner Johnson, you were

2:35:43asking for uh some um opportunity for

2:35:46discussion of this. This is approval of

2:35:48the employee compensation for emergency

2:35:50events and emergency work programs.

2:35:52>> Which what number are we on, sir?

2:35:54>> 10.

2:35:54>> Okay. I was I'm sorry. Okay.

2:35:56I just Chief Moss, I apologize if you

2:35:59stayed this long to hear this one

2:36:00question. Um

2:36:03but I have a question about the policy

2:36:05and procedure statement um it's

2:36:07attachment number one. Um in in the

2:36:10scope, it mentions this policy does not

2:36:12apply to commission to commissioners,

2:36:14elected officials, contractors, or

2:36:16non-employees. But

2:36:18in in the agenda, it discusses um

2:36:21warming shelters. So my

2:36:24question is

2:36:26does this emergency shelter plan include

2:36:30nonprofit partners?

2:36:35>> Okay, it's it it's live.

2:36:38>> Oh, I see. I'm sorry. No, it doesn't. It

2:36:41just It's just just covering employees.

2:36:44>> Okay.

2:36:44>> Yes.

2:36:45>> I just called you Chief Moss. I

2:36:46apologize. [laughter] I thought I saw

2:36:48him.

2:36:49>> He was here. Yeah.

2:36:50>> Okay. Is there going to be I guess

2:36:53that'd be a question for the for the

2:36:54fire department or staff? How we

2:36:57>> We do have some partnerships with them,

2:36:59but but the policy, the compensation

2:37:01piece is just covering the Yeah, just

2:37:03employees. Sure.

2:37:04>> Yeah, right now we rely on volunteers

2:37:06for those, and so it would be kind of a

2:37:08budget consideration when we get into

2:37:09budget discussion if there was a desire

2:37:11to go in another direction with that.

2:37:13>> Would like to make a motion for

2:37:13approval?

2:37:14>> I would like to make a motion to approve

2:37:16item number 10, of the employee

2:37:19compensation for emergency events and

2:37:21emergency work programs policy.

2:37:24>> All right. Motion from Commissioner

2:37:25Johnson, second from Commissioner Link.

2:37:27Commissioner Link, anything further?

2:37:29>> Um I don't think so. It's nice to know

2:37:31our employees are getting compensated.

2:37:33>> All in favor, please say aye.

2:37:34>> Aye.

2:37:35>> Any opposed?

2:37:37Hearing none, motion carries. All right.

2:37:39Item 17 is approval of the award of the

2:37:41third party administrator contract for

2:37:43medical and pharmacy insurance coverage

2:37:45to Elevance Health doing business as

2:37:47Anthem

2:37:48Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia.

2:37:50Sarah, motion?

2:37:51>> So moved.

2:37:52>> All right. Got a motion from

2:37:53Commissioner Wright, second from

2:37:56Commissioner Taylor. Commissioner

2:37:57Wright, any remarks?

2:37:58>> Uh ready to vote.

2:38:01>> Commissioner Johnson.

2:38:02>> Uh thank you. I want to

2:38:04thank the Human Resources Department and

2:38:07the county manager for helping

2:38:11um get answers for me. I had several

2:38:14questions and more than several and they

2:38:16answered the questions and provided that

2:38:18information to me and to all of us, but

2:38:21I wanted to say thank you cuz I I I know

2:38:24it's

2:38:25it's a lot of work. It took some time,

2:38:27so I just want to say thank you. I have

2:38:29a a few

2:38:30I have maybe like six more questions. I

2:38:32don't think it's worth holding up this

2:38:35agenda item,

2:38:37so I'll send those separately, but I I

2:38:39do support this. Thank you.

2:38:41>> Anything else from the body?

2:38:42>> I will similarly thank Vicky and Sarah

2:38:45who did who did all in Bonnie, they did

2:38:47all the the very heavy lifting on those.

2:38:50>> All in favor, please say aye.

2:38:51>> Aye.

2:38:52>> Any opposed? Hearing none, motion

2:38:54carries. 18 is the voluntary benefits

2:38:56renewal and administration. Can I hear a

2:38:58motion?

2:38:59>> Motion to approve.

2:39:01>> Second.

2:39:02>> All right. Got a motion from

2:39:03Commissioner Johnson, second from

2:39:04Commissioner Taylor. Commissioner

2:39:06Johnson, anything further?

2:39:07>> No.

2:39:08>> Commissioner Taylor.

2:39:09>> Ready to vote.

2:39:10>> All in favor, please say aye.

2:39:11>> Aye.

2:39:12>> Any opposed?

2:39:13Hearing none, motion carries. Item 19 is

2:39:16the lease of old fire station number

2:39:18two, which is at the corner of Atlanta

2:39:20Highway uh and um Mitchell Bridge Road

2:39:24to National EMS. This course will move

2:39:26some of those vehicles that formerly had

2:39:28been in Oconee County into Clark County

2:39:31with some stipulations. So,

2:39:33entertain a motion regarding this.

2:39:35>> So moved.

2:39:37>> I mean I mean

2:39:38>> Yeah.

2:39:38>> A motion to

2:39:39>> Motion to approve from Commissioner

2:39:40Taylor.

2:39:41>> [laughter]

2:39:41>> I was waiting on you.

2:39:42>> Is there a second?

2:39:43>> Second.

2:39:43>> All right. I've got a second from

2:39:44Commissioner Myers. Commissioner Taylor,

2:39:46anything on this?

2:39:47>> Yes. Sam and Noah and

2:39:52the other guy,

2:39:53Bob,

2:39:54I should know that, are going to be so

2:39:56excited or well it's closer to Athens.

2:39:59You know the wait time is going to go

2:40:00down and they're closer to Athenians and

2:40:03so

2:40:05>> [clears throat]

2:40:06>> There we go.

2:40:07>> Yeah.

2:40:07>> It's close to my mom and dad too so

2:40:10>> That's the reason

2:40:12>> They need it. I'll give you their

2:40:14number.

2:40:17Anything further, Commissioner Myers?

2:40:18>> I'm ready to vote.

2:40:19>> I think we've got an ordinance.

2:40:20>> Ordinance to amend the FY 2027 operating

2:40:22capital budget for Athens Clark County,

2:40:24Georgia source of revenue funding from

2:40:25operating contingency for leasing of

2:40:27office space associated relocation and

2:40:29minor improvements and for other

2:40:30purposes.

2:40:32>> All right. All in favor please say aye.

2:40:33>> Aye.

2:40:33>> Aye.

2:40:34>> Any opposed? Hearing none, motion

2:40:36carries. All right. Item 20 is a

2:40:38modification of the zoning timeline. Uh

2:40:41presently as of course we experienced

2:40:43earlier um we as the um

2:40:47governing authority can hold an item for

2:40:49up to 40 days, one cycle.

2:40:52Um this would create an opportunity for

2:40:53the planning commission in code to hold

2:40:55for one cycle. Uh although it would also

2:40:58create an opportunity for the

2:40:59development applicant to ask for a

2:41:01longer delay if there were some

2:41:02technical reasons that that that was

2:41:04necessary. So,

2:41:06uh Commissioner Thornton?

2:41:08>> I'm going to support this but I

2:41:10I guess your statement of the clarity or

2:41:13your clarification, does that answer

2:41:17Oh, she said no. [laughter]

2:41:19I want to know if that answered her

2:41:21question. She wanted to know why

2:41:23why this

2:41:25became an issue.

2:41:26>> Is this at your question?

2:41:27>> Yes.

2:41:27>> All right. So,

2:41:28um you know it was clear kind of via one

2:41:31of the recent planning and zoning items

2:41:33that there were no contours around holds

2:41:35in our current code and this would

2:41:37create some contours around those holds.

2:41:39>> So, there was one issue that made this

2:41:42change.

2:41:43>> Uh yep.

2:41:46>> I'd like to move that we hold this so we

2:41:48can directly ask for input from the

2:41:51planning commission current and past

2:41:53planning commissioners to get some

2:41:55clarity on this and I mean I just think

2:41:57it's

2:41:59I think it's bad form to pass this kind

2:42:01of restructuring and and rules without

2:42:04asking for input from the people who it

2:42:06directly affects especially if they're

2:42:09volunteers who are giving service to our

2:42:11community and we're supposed to rely on

2:42:12their input and their advice.

2:42:16>> Is there a second?

2:42:18>> Uh no, I'm taking my motion back.

2:42:21>> [laughter]

2:42:22>> Uh commissioner Wright.

2:42:23>> Um I make a motion to approve.

2:42:25>> Second.

2:42:27>> All right. I have a got a motion from

2:42:28commissioner Wright

2:42:30and a second from commissioner Johnson.

2:42:32Commissioner Wright, any further

2:42:33remarks?

2:42:34>> Nope, ready to vote.

2:42:35>> Commissioner Johnson.

2:42:36>> Yes, I have some insight from attending

2:42:38the last four planning commission

2:42:40meetings. I'll probably be at tomorrow's

2:42:42planning commission meeting.

2:42:44The

2:42:47it was more of a behavior more so than

2:42:50just one thing, but

2:42:52there was an agenda item that was

2:42:54submitted um with the county as the

2:42:56applicant and

2:42:59and there weren't very many details as

2:43:03as it relates to like renderings and and

2:43:05drawings, um but it was a but it was

2:43:08based on something that the commission

2:43:10approved on March 3rd earlier this year

2:43:13and it's happened before, um but

2:43:17members hadn't they they didn't recall,

2:43:20but

2:43:21the county has been the applicant before

2:43:23and in the

2:43:25their

2:43:26earnest efforts to understand more about

2:43:28the project,

2:43:30it was delayed. And

2:43:33you know, I think the planning director

2:43:35kind of felt in the middle of trying to

2:43:39take you know, complete the charge that

2:43:40was given to him, but at the same time

2:43:42provide a service and information to the

2:43:44planning department. I mean planning

2:43:46commission, excuse me.

2:43:48>> Commissioner Myers.

2:43:50>> Yeah.

2:43:50Can you uh can someone address whether

2:43:54or not these are

2:43:56local rules that we're

2:43:59tightening up or is this a requirement

2:44:02of state rules in terms of like we have

2:44:05to follow state rules, right?

2:44:06>> It's not a requirement of state rules.

2:44:08This is a local policy.

2:44:09>> This this would be a local policy.

2:44:11>> Mhm.

2:44:11>> Thank you.

2:44:13>> Commissioner Thornton.

2:44:14>> Uh yeah, I think I'm going to just

2:44:15abstain because I'm even more confused

2:44:18now

2:44:19uh than before because um

2:44:23if if you're saying that one

2:44:26one uh situation brought about this

2:44:30this change, it just you know, it might

2:44:33have just been a glitch. Um so I I'm I'm

2:44:36not comfortable especially people who

2:44:39are working on these committees come and

2:44:40speak before us to um

2:44:43um to vote yes on these kind of changes.

2:44:46>> I I guess I would note Commissioner

2:44:48Thornton um

2:44:49one episode illustrated that

2:44:53there was a modification needed. So I I

2:44:55guess I would frame it that way. Could

2:44:57could this happen again? Certainly.

2:44:58>> I understand.

2:44:59>> Mhm.

2:45:00All right. Uh so Commissioner Link.

2:45:02>> Yeah. I mean I can understand there

2:45:03needing to be some parameters on it, but

2:45:05uh I I

2:45:07you know, this this one cycle thing I I

2:45:10I mean we often have a hard time

2:45:13and you know, the planning commission

2:45:14often works out way more details than we

2:45:18do. I mean things are supposed to be

2:45:19kind of in order by the time they get to

2:45:21us.

2:45:22Um

2:45:23I fear you know, not giving them this

2:45:25opportunity to work with developers a

2:45:27little more, We're going to have even

2:45:29bigger messes on our hands. Um.

2:45:32And I just think it's courtesy. I mean,

2:45:33we have not had a discussion about this

2:45:35amongst ourselves. Like, I'm not even

2:45:37quite sure what's going on.

2:45:39Um.

2:45:40I I I think we need some further insight

2:45:42into these changes. And also, this is an

2:45:45ordinance, so we need six to pass.

2:45:48Um.

2:45:51>> We have a attorney direct review

2:45:52ordinance.

2:45:52>> Ordinance to amend the code of Athens

2:45:54Clark County Georgia Georgia with

2:45:55respect to Athens Clark County Planning

2:45:57Commission and for other purposes.

2:45:58>> All right. Uh, begin the roll call with

2:46:00Commissioner Wright.

2:46:01>> Yes.

2:46:03Johnson.

2:46:03>> Yes.

2:46:04>> Cole Pepper.

2:46:05>> Yes.

2:46:06>> Myers.

2:46:07>> No.

2:46:08>> Thornton.

2:46:09>> No.

2:46:11>> Hamby.

2:46:11>> Yes.

2:46:13>> Lenk.

2:46:14>> No.

2:46:15>> Taylor.

2:46:16>> Yes.

2:46:17>> [clears throat]

2:46:19>> Five yes, three no.

2:46:22>> All right. Uh,

2:46:23given uh

2:46:24the

2:46:25lack of a body,

2:46:27um there's inconclusive action. And so

2:46:30this will

2:46:32this will go away.

2:46:33>> Put it on the agenda next month.

2:46:36>> Uh, that's an option.

2:46:38>> And by the time we'll have some more

2:46:39information. How about that?

2:46:43>> All right. Thanks everybody. All right.

2:46:45Um, item 20 is excuse me, 21 is the

2:46:49SPLOST 2020 project one. This is the

2:46:51facility space modernization. So this is

2:46:53the cousin to what we had the urban

2:46:56redevelopment plan meeting about

2:46:57earlier. Uh, so

2:46:59>> approve.

2:47:00>> Got a motion to approve the resolution

2:47:01from Commissioner Hamby.

2:47:04Is there a second?

2:47:05>> Second.

2:47:06>> All right. Got a second from

2:47:07Commissioner Wright. Commissioner Hamby,

2:47:09anything further?

2:47:10>> No.

2:47:11>> Commissioner Wright.

2:47:12>> Ready to vote.

2:47:14>> Anyone else?

2:47:15All right. Go ahead and do a roll call

2:47:16beginning with Commissioner Hamby.

2:47:20>> Hamby.

2:47:21>> Yes.

2:47:22>> Lenk.

2:47:23>> Yes.

2:47:24>> Taylor.

2:47:25>> Yes.

2:47:25>> Wright.

2:47:27>> Yes.

2:47:28>> Johnson.

2:47:28>> No.

2:47:30>> Cole Pepper.

2:47:31>> Yes.

2:47:32>> Myers.

2:47:33>> Yes.

2:47:34>> Thornton.

2:47:35>> Yes.

2:47:37>> Seven yes, one no.

2:47:39>> Thank you, ma'am. All right. I need a

2:47:41motion for suspension of rules cuz we

2:47:43have one item that's new to the agenda.

2:47:48All right. Got a motion for suspension

2:47:49of rules from Commissioner Taylor. Is

2:47:51there a second?

2:47:52>> Second.

2:47:53>> All right. Second from Commissioner

2:47:55Thornton. All in favor, please say aye.

2:47:57>> Aye.

2:47:58>> Any opposed? All right. Item 22 is a

2:48:01grant request that Sheriff's Office has

2:48:04submitted to the federal government for

2:48:05the HEAT grant. And so I need a motion

2:48:08regarding this.

2:48:09>> So moved.

2:48:11>> I'll second.

2:48:12>> All right. I've got a motion from

2:48:13Commissioner Taylor. Got a second from

2:48:15Commissioner Commissioner Taylor,

2:48:17anything else?

2:48:18>> Anytime we can get the the

2:48:20Sheriff Department some extra funds, I'm

2:48:23supporting it.

2:48:25>> Yeah.

2:48:25I agree. I want to thank the Sheriff for

2:48:27being here.

2:48:29This is something that I feel very

2:48:31strongly about. I just spent most of

2:48:33this week in the White County Courthouse

2:48:35attending the trial of the young man who

2:48:37was held responsible for the death of

2:48:39one of my best friends when he had a

2:48:40head-on collision with a street racer.

2:48:43So

2:48:44I really appreciate all the eyes we can

2:48:46get on our roads and and the willingness

2:48:49of the Sheriff's Department to join in

2:48:50these efforts.

2:48:52>> Attorney Drake, is there an ordinance

2:48:53regarding this?

2:48:55>> Ordinance to mend the FY 2027 operating

2:48:57capital budget for Athens-Clarke County

2:48:59Georgia associated by grant funding from

2:49:00the Governor's Office of Highway Safety

2:49:02GOHS for personal person personal

2:49:05services and related operating expenses

2:49:07including vehicles for the highway

2:49:08enforcement of aggressive traffic, HEAT

2:49:10grant, and for other purposes.

2:49:12>> Thanks, Attorney Drake. Commissioner

2:49:13Myers.

2:49:14>> Yeah. I did have a couple of questions.

2:49:16I I closed

2:49:17that that

2:49:18my notes by accident. So I apologize for

2:49:21that. But I did have a question about

2:49:23the

2:49:24Are these are these going to be new

2:49:26positions and new I mean, can I address

2:49:28these to the Sheriff?

2:49:30>> Yes, please.

2:49:30>> Yeah. Yeah.

2:49:31>> Sheriff Williams.

2:49:39>> So

2:49:41this I I believe it was I can't remember

2:49:43I didn't open it up but I think it was

2:49:45for cuz for three positions or

2:49:48Right. Are those going to be new people

2:49:49cuz that's those are just

2:49:50>> those are existing positions. We're just

2:49:52going to uh reassign them to that

2:49:55purpose.

2:49:56>> Okay.

2:49:57>> That they're that we are not adding any

2:50:00positions in this grant.

2:50:02>> Okay. Oh, okay. I thought they had to be

2:50:04like new ones. Um and is is this a

2:50:06special So if I understand this this is

2:50:08for

2:50:10special units This will be sort of a new

2:50:12initiative from the sheriff's office

2:50:14that I'll be in traffic

2:50:17uh

2:50:17for DUI, speeding, distracted driving

2:50:20and not using seat belts. Am I getting

2:50:21that?

2:50:22>> Essentially, yes.

2:50:23>> And is it going to be like in certain

2:50:25areas? Is it going to focus on younger

2:50:28people? Do we have any

2:50:29>> No, we're we're we want to focus on the

2:50:31violations so we don't It's not

2:50:34concerned about like age, race, none of

2:50:36that stuff. We want to get this uh

2:50:38problem under control.

2:50:41So countywide.

2:50:43>> Okay. And this is this and how is this

2:50:45being coordinated with the police

2:50:47department? I mean don't they do this

2:50:49stuff?

2:50:50>> Uh they do not have I mean they'll do

2:50:52some of the activities but they don't

2:50:54have an active heat unit. They have in

2:50:55the past. They do not currently have

2:50:57one.

2:50:58>> Okay.

2:50:59Okay, thank you.

2:51:00>> Mhm.

2:51:01Anything else?

2:51:03All right, there's a motion second on

2:51:04the floor. Attorney Drake has read the

2:51:05ordinance. All in favor please say aye.

2:51:07>> Aye.

2:51:08>> Any opposed? All right, hearing none

2:51:09motion carries. Um all right, uh 23 is

2:51:13the nominating committee report for

2:51:14appointment to the hospital authority of

2:51:16Clark County. Could I hear a motion for

2:51:18approval?

2:51:20>> So moved.

2:51:22>> All right, I've got a motion from

2:51:23Commissioner Wright. Who's the second?

2:51:26>> Albin.

2:51:27>> Uh second from Commissioner Thornton.

2:51:30All right, on favor please say aye.

2:51:32>> Aye.

2:51:32>> Aye.

2:51:32>> Any opposed? All right, so I want to

2:51:34thank very much uh Dr. Dr.

2:51:37Matthew Bishop, Dr. Matthew Tyler Crim,

2:51:40and Ms. Barbara Sheets uh for being

2:51:42willing to serve on the hospital

2:51:43authority. So, very excited to have them

2:51:45here.

2:51:46All right. Uh it is now that time when

2:51:49we have public input on any item that

2:51:51was not on tonight's agenda.

2:51:54And so I uh

2:51:56I'm asking the empty room and

2:51:58[laughter]

2:51:59anyone who might be in the hallway or

2:52:01who in their pajamas could make it down

2:52:03here in the last five seconds.

2:52:04>> good. We're good.

2:52:06>> What was that text that went out? We're

2:52:07getting close.

2:52:08>> Yeah. Yeah.

2:52:09>> Love it. All right. Um uh we're going to

2:52:12have reports from myself uh

2:52:15charter officers and commissioners now.

2:52:18And uh so uh my report is that

2:52:22I'm establishing a Legislative Affairs

2:52:24Committee. And uh the Legislative

2:52:27Affairs Committee um will be the conduit

2:52:29for presentation to the Georgia General

2:52:32Assembly for our local needs as we've

2:52:34discussed, of course. And so um one of

2:52:37the things that we'll be doing is

2:52:38utilizing a government affairs team uh

2:52:41to ensure that we can shepherd forward

2:52:43the the needs that we have that can only

2:52:45be satisfied by the Georgia General

2:52:47Assembly. Um we're going to be preparing

2:52:50uh package through that committee that

2:52:52will then come to the full body for

2:52:54approval. Um and of course, we're about

2:52:56to begin the first year of a two-year

2:52:59biennial. And so some of these items we

2:53:01certainly hope will be approved in the

2:53:03coming Georgia General Assembly session

2:53:05in 2027, but also recognizing that some

2:53:08of them may take a little bit longer and

2:53:10would still be alive for 28. And so the

2:53:13members of that Legislative Affairs

2:53:14Committee are Commissioner Dexter

2:53:16Fisher, Commissioner Allison Wright, and

2:53:18Commissioner Patrick Davenport. So,

2:53:20appreciate them being willing to um

2:53:23ferry this forward.

2:53:25>> If I may, the two items that were

2:53:27included in the packet were the items

2:53:29that we shared with you at the retreat

2:53:31that kind of spelled this out and sort

2:53:32of those tasks. And

2:53:34because of the way the legislative

2:53:35legislative session is structured and

2:53:37also because just of your calendar. So

2:53:40I've already talked to commissioner

2:53:42um Fisher who will need obviously to

2:53:45reconstitute this committee come January

2:53:48because it's structured so that the

2:53:50mayor pro tem serves on it and then

2:53:52others and obviously with him assuming

2:53:53the mayor. So we'll get started under

2:53:55this structure and then there'll be

2:53:56likely a January item to to kind of

2:53:58reconstitute it. Thanks.

2:54:00>> All right. And uh do really just before

2:54:03I move on to um charter officers, want

2:54:06to thank everybody

2:54:07who came out to vote in this recent

2:54:10cycle. Um we we for a midterm had very

2:54:13high level voting here in Clark County.

2:54:15Appreciate everybody doing that. And I

2:54:17really appreciate the election staff and

2:54:19everybody who worked those polling

2:54:20places.

2:54:21Um that they were friendly as the day is

2:54:24long and put in long hours and made sure

2:54:27that we got very quick results. So thank

2:54:30them so much. I want to move on to

2:54:32manager Callow.

2:54:33>> He had three quick items. Sorry. Um so

2:54:35one of those is just some reinforcement

2:54:37mayor just said regarding the elections.

2:54:39It was a strong turnout obviously.

2:54:41Certainly want to acknowledge the work

2:54:43of the staff but also the volunteers. We

2:54:45rely a lot on folks that are part-time

2:54:48volunteers and others to actually run

2:54:49the elections for us out in the

2:54:51locations. So certainly appreciate that.

2:54:52Also appreciate all the places that

2:54:54provide us the space to actually conduct

2:54:57those elections as well. So

2:54:59I appreciate that with it. Also want to

2:55:01acknowledge and appreciate everyone and

2:55:03it's still going on everyone's work with

2:55:05the incident today and downtown.

2:55:08There were an unbelievable number of

2:55:10agencies that were working and needing

2:55:12to collaborate

2:55:13down there to to be able to deal with

2:55:15the situation very safely.

2:55:17Even as we were sitting in here, they

2:55:19were still meeting to get ready for

2:55:21tomorrow. And so tomorrow morning

2:55:24stabilization will begin on that

2:55:26building starting around 7:00 a.m. We

2:55:29actually expect that at least Jackson

2:55:32will be closed probably for at least

2:55:33three days as they work on that and

2:55:35Broad probably for a good part of

2:55:37tomorrow if not longer as we go through

2:55:39because we need to make certain that the

2:55:41building

2:55:42I can't say it's safe because it's not

2:55:43safe to occupy, but at least doesn't

2:55:44fall down. So that that work is going

2:55:47on, but wanted to acknowledge the work

2:55:48that everyone has and will be doing.

2:55:51We'll have police officers all night

2:55:52there to keep the the location secure.

2:55:54So

2:55:56more more to come on that as well, but

2:55:57wanted to acknowledge that. Last last

2:55:59item I have is I wanted to take a just a

2:56:03couple of moments to kind of do

2:56:04something that I feel like has been

2:56:05somewhat long overdue

2:56:08with Veterans Day coming next week. So I

2:56:10wanted to recognize the military

2:56:11veterans who are part of our government

2:56:13team.

2:56:15These employees have served our nation

2:56:16in uniform and today continue that

2:56:18commitment to service through their work

2:56:19on behalf of the community. They bring

2:56:22with them experiences, perspectives, and

2:56:23a dedication to something larger than

2:56:25themselves that strengthen our

2:56:26organization. On Veterans Day next week,

2:56:28we'll actually recognize these employees

2:56:30individually through our communications

2:56:32and community engagement department. So

2:56:33watch for that kind of on our social

2:56:35media feeds

2:56:36sharing their names and their branches

2:56:38of the military within which they serve.

2:56:40Of note, there we have about 150 folks

2:56:43in our organization that actually have

2:56:44served.

2:56:45They've served in every branch except

2:56:47for the Space Force, which of course is

2:56:49newer. We have West Point graduate,

2:56:51retired lieutenant colonel, a number

2:56:53that have served in combat, and one at

2:56:56least one that is currently deployed

2:56:58as well. So wanted to just start that

2:57:00off by expressing my personal

2:57:02appreciation and that of our

2:57:04organization for their service as well

2:57:05as the contributions they continue to

2:57:07make here in Athens-Clarke County and to

2:57:09say thank you for their service both

2:57:11past and present. Thank you.

2:57:13>> Thank you, Manager Cal.

2:57:15Mr. Attorney or Mr. Auditor, anything

2:57:16tonight?

2:57:17>> Uh no report, Mayor.

2:57:18>> Mr. Attorney?

2:57:19>> I just want to say thanks to my staff

2:57:23Austin, John, and Laura. We've we've

2:57:25been down at Attorney. They've been

2:57:27working very very hard and I want to

2:57:29give thanks and appreciation for them.

2:57:32>> Great folks over there.

2:57:33>> echo that.

2:57:34Most definitely. They've been super

2:57:35helpful even today. Today they were very

2:57:37busy in helping us with what was going

2:57:39on. So

2:57:40>> Great folks there.

2:57:42So we we'll and begin with Commissioner

2:57:44Link and we'll end with Commissioner

2:57:47Thorton, who will adjourn us.

2:57:49>> You just beat me out of here. That's

2:57:51all.

2:57:52>> [laughter]

2:57:54>> Okay.

2:57:54>> Yeah, I just want to congratulate our

2:57:57soon to be governor Kesha Lance Bottoms

2:57:59and all the women who got elected to

2:58:02major statewide races in our state and

2:58:04across the nation. It was an amazing

2:58:06night and

2:58:08the patriarchy got a

2:58:10righteous kick in the

2:58:12behind.

2:58:14And I'm I'm thankful that

2:58:17things are the tide's going to be

2:58:18turning in this country.

2:58:22>> Yeah, I I echo

2:58:25Commissioner Link. I'd also like to

2:58:27thank staff because I know y'all job

2:58:29hard and I know sometimes I don't make

2:58:31it any easier, but from the bottom of my

2:58:33heart, I appreciate everything that you

2:58:35guys do.

2:58:36Um you make this county work

2:58:39and I know we drive you crazy. Well, I

2:58:41want to speak for myself. My colleagues

2:58:43don't drive you crazy. It's only me.

2:58:45Um but nevertheless, I appreciate all

2:58:48that you guys do. Thank you.

2:58:50>> Um I am also happy with how our

2:58:54elections went. The two I did a little

2:58:56tally collecting and uh just to see what

2:58:59the work is when they're breaking

2:59:01everything down through the window. I

2:59:03did not interrupt.

2:59:04Um and know how long that that takes and

2:59:07then that's only just a part of it. Um

2:59:10so I'm glad that that was all successful

2:59:12with our new director. And um I didn't

2:59:15get to absorb the um outside of Georgia

2:59:18results due to the

2:59:20incident downtown. Like I said, there's

2:59:23a lot cuz on a district four

2:59:25um and can you clarify that it's

2:59:29closed up? People aren't going to try to

2:59:32loot anything I mean we're not going to

2:59:34have people able to get in there, right?

2:59:36>> Uh it is not closed currently cuz it's

2:59:38not safe to actually close, but that's

2:59:40part of the reason why there are

2:59:42officers stationed in that area.

2:59:44>> Okay. So that's secure. And then so

2:59:46Veterans Day is Wednesday, which is our

2:59:49holiday for our staff. So if everybody

2:59:52will stay dialed in about how that

2:59:55shifts and go to solid waste for

2:59:58announcing so you'll know that your roll

3:00:01carts are out at the right time.

3:00:03That's it.

3:00:06>> So I want to thank I want to start by

3:00:07thanking our deputy manager and our

3:00:09assistant manager

3:00:11with the transportation and Public Works

3:00:13Department. Um we had a field visit last

3:00:16week with

3:00:17long long time resident about a serious

3:00:20issue and I I enjoy meeting residents in

3:00:24person.

3:00:25You know and I like going with staff

3:00:27because they're the experts, but it was

3:00:29a good visit and the deputy manager has

3:00:32already

3:00:33outlined a plan of action to move

3:00:36forward with in a positive way that

3:00:39they they will accept. So I wanted to

3:00:42thank you

3:00:45Andrew and also to Ronnie Katrice. I

3:00:47appreciate y'all. And thank you to Bob

3:00:51for facilitating the list of questions

3:00:54and not making me feel like

3:00:56why do you want to know all this info? I

3:00:58appreciate that.

3:01:00Um also I wanted to thank

3:01:04code enforcement. I think I I drove home

3:01:08Friday afternoon Thursday afternoon last

3:01:10week and I think I saw

3:01:12well it was at least one

3:01:15our administrator for code enforcement

3:01:18and the primary officer in the area

3:01:21Officer Keeley. And it's they were

3:01:25actually checking on a property a

3:01:27neighborhood subdivision that's been

3:01:30that's had a lot of trouble and I just

3:01:31happened to drive by at like 4:30 in the

3:01:34afternoon and they were there tag

3:01:36teaming and it just was like a great

3:01:37sight to see them at that neighborhood.

3:01:41So wanted to

3:01:42give them a shout out. The G-DOT

3:01:46town hall went well and I just wanted to

3:01:48let residents know that a follow-up

3:01:51report um should be um in the next week.

3:01:55And uh for those who did not attend the

3:01:59um I think it's

3:02:01at the mall, I want to say it was the

3:02:03best Halloween event I've ever went to

3:02:07I've ever gone to and um Keith Sims

3:02:11she is an employee at the police

3:02:12department did a wonderful job with

3:02:14organizing it. I know she didn't do it

3:02:16by herself so I'm going to stop there.

3:02:18There were so many people that were

3:02:20helping out. It was a a well organized

3:02:24safe

3:02:25fun and family

3:02:27friendly event. Um I think 3,000 people

3:02:30came the night I I went. I only went one

3:02:33night but they had it for a week and it

3:02:34was enjoyable.

3:02:38>> Um yes, I'd like to echo what

3:02:41Commissioner Cowell said about

3:02:43the incident this morning. Um

3:02:45everybody came together and thank you

3:02:47for keeping us informed of what was

3:02:49going on. It was an unfortunate incident

3:02:51but

3:02:52y'all kept us informed and you

3:02:55took care of the situation and also

3:02:57thank you to all the veterans in our

3:02:59community for serving our country. We

3:03:02wouldn't be here if it wasn't for y'all.

3:03:04Um our work session next

3:03:06Tuesday is about the steering committee

3:03:10for the arena district and I look

3:03:12forward to listening that information.

3:03:14Uh Commissioner Wright and I have been

3:03:16part of that committee.

3:03:17There's a lot of good information that's

3:03:19coming out of that and there's a lot of

3:03:20work that's been done and look forward

3:03:22to sharing that with y'all and

3:03:24seeing how we can move that project

3:03:26forward and start collecting some funds

3:03:28to

3:03:29make these bond payments.

3:03:32>> Um I want to thank Commissioner

3:03:35Davenport and and Taylor for co-hosting

3:03:37the town hall we had on the east side

3:03:39for on homelessness. We had about 80

3:03:41attendees.

3:03:42Um special thanks to Anicia Crew who's

3:03:45now with the police department and

3:03:47Neighborhood Watch for helping

3:03:48organizing it and especially with the

3:03:50logistics at the school. She was just

3:03:52great. And I and I have to say thanks, a

3:03:54public thanks to the panelists who were

3:03:56there. Um, and

3:03:59we had Will Fleener, the county

3:04:01solicitor, Bob Cowell, our wonderful

3:04:03Athens Clarke County manager, Deputy

3:04:05Chief Harrison Daniel from the police

3:04:07department, Sheriff John Q. Williams,

3:04:09Marcia Irwin from the Housing Community

3:04:12Development, um, Evan Mills from

3:04:14Advantage, Michael Bean from the

3:04:15Homeless Coalition, Amy Paul, co-editor

3:04:18for Street News and and a homeless

3:04:20individual herself, Michael Moss from

3:04:22the Homeless Coalition, Jamie Scott from

3:04:25Sparrow's Nest, and Andrew Wilkin from

3:04:27Bigger Vision. Um, it was they were the

3:04:30ones talking. We were listening. And I'd

3:04:33encourage my colleagues or any uh

3:04:35community members if they want to listen

3:04:37to this, it was recorded um by the

3:04:40Athens Politics Nerd without any

3:04:42commentary, just a uh a recording and

3:04:44you can find that on YouTube. Um, but

3:04:46that was just a really wonderfully

3:04:48successful event. And um like others

3:04:51have done, I just want to be thankful to

3:04:53everyone who was involved in yesterday's

3:04:55election, our election department, the

3:04:57poll workers, to all the candidates who

3:04:59put their names out there. That takes a

3:05:02lot of hard work as we know here. And

3:05:04importantly to all the candidates who

3:05:06cast their ballots. I had one uh

3:05:08resident who called me up,

3:05:11texted me, texted me all the time to

3:05:13find out where to go to vote. Anyway, I

3:05:15ended up bringing him over to the

3:05:17uh the poll because he was like, I don't

3:05:19know, does it make a difference? And I

3:05:22had to say no, one ballot makes a

3:05:23difference, but all the individual

3:05:25ballots together do make a difference as

3:05:27we saw um yesterday. So um thank you all

3:05:31voters uh that got out there.

3:05:34>> I definitely want to thank um Andrew

3:05:37Saunders for putting up with me with all

3:05:41of my questions about everything and um

3:05:45I really think he does like me a little

3:05:47bit. Um, but um

3:05:49having that meeting that uh Bob set up

3:05:53for looking at the projects in my

3:05:56um district. Um is amazing. I mean, it

3:06:00looks it's it's a lot, but to see it in

3:06:03writing

3:06:05in a chart of things that have actually

3:06:07been accomplished,

3:06:09to see

3:06:11the things that still has to be done,

3:06:14it is it's it it really makes me feel

3:06:17good at that that

3:06:21it makes me feel good. And I really

3:06:22appreciate Josh and Steven and I got a

3:06:26little worried, Bob, when you weren't

3:06:27there. I said, okay, now he done dumped

3:06:29me off one now. But [laughter]

3:06:31but um it was no dumping. It was very

3:06:34educational. Um I did share some time

3:06:37the time with um Mary

3:06:40uh Mary Commissioner Elect uh

3:06:43uh Smith. So she got to see what

3:06:47has been done and what still needs to be

3:06:50done. And I feel like

3:06:53as much that has been done, every

3:06:55everything else is going to happen.

3:06:57Um yesterday was an um a busy day. I was

3:07:01supposed to be supervising

3:07:03election protection folk. Uh I kept

3:07:05calling them the eviction protection. I

3:07:07couldn't get it together, right? But I

3:07:10ended up driving and it was good for me

3:07:14to transport people

3:07:17um to the polls. I transported two

3:07:21Hispanic

3:07:23No, they were Puerto Rican. They didn't

3:07:25even know each other.

3:07:26And that was cool. And a and a elderly

3:07:28man in a wheelchair. I still got muscles

3:07:30cuz I was able to lift that wheelchair.

3:07:33Um but for them to

3:07:37take the initiative, I think it's the

3:07:39reason why um the election turned out as

3:07:42well as it did. Well, I shouldn't say

3:07:44well because some folk it's probably not

3:07:46well for them. But I

3:07:49for me, it made me feel like this is uh

3:07:52worthwhile. So I enjoy helping people

3:07:55and I enjoy seeing people trying to help

3:07:57themselves. And lastly, I make a motion

3:08:00for us to adjourn.

3:08:07>> Commissioner Myers has pointed out a

3:08:08constituent pointed out something

3:08:10related to the previous the matter we

3:08:12voted on related to the

3:08:15uh plan development

3:08:17of

3:08:19downtown.

3:08:20It looks like there was a separate

3:08:22section in the code that says that that

3:08:25panda if the applicant made made a

3:08:27change to the plan development, it has

3:08:29to go back.

3:08:31Uh

3:08:32so we may I'll I'll look at that and try

3:08:35to advise how best to do that, but that

3:08:36may just be automatic. You follow what

3:08:38I'm saying?

3:08:39So we'll have the hold on the other

3:08:41item, but we might send it back as well.

3:08:44Planning Commission has up to 60 days,

3:08:45but I need to study it more.

3:08:47>> All right, so we will anticipate some

3:08:49communication from the attorney's

3:08:50office.

3:08:51>> So so you're saying based on the vote

3:08:55there's some other details that

3:08:57>> Well, it says I'll just read it to you.

3:08:59I'll just read it to you.

3:09:01It says in section

3:09:03914 three specifically related related

3:09:06to plan development procedures.

3:09:09I mean, the thing is a plan development

3:09:11is a rezoning, but this is more

3:09:12specific, so it will control. It says

3:09:18after review and consider

3:09:20Let me see right here. Additionally,

3:09:22after reviewing recommendation by the

3:09:23Planning Commission, any adjustment or

3:09:25amendment submitted to binding site

3:09:26plans by the petitioner beyond those

3:09:28recommended by the Planning Commission

3:09:30shall be considered a new application

3:09:31and cause the original rezoning request

3:09:33to be returned to the Planning

3:09:34Commission for reconsideration.

3:09:36The Planning Commission, if necessary,

3:09:38may take up to 60 days to review the new

3:09:39application. All fees normally

3:09:41associated with

3:09:43with a

3:09:44rezoning request shall also be

3:09:45applicable.

3:09:46So I will look at that and give some

3:09:48binding guidance on that.

3:09:49>> I I appreciate that forthcoming

3:09:51guidance.

3:09:52>> It just means it would have to go back.

3:09:53There's no choice. It automatically goes

3:09:55back.

3:09:57>> Based on the vote that prevailed.

3:09:59>> Well,

3:09:59>> on we just voted to hold it up to 40

3:10:02days, so we didn't really make a

3:10:03decision. Just based on the text of

3:10:05this, it appears that when they

3:10:07submitted

3:10:09uh

3:10:10changes, but I need to make sure they're

3:10:11changes and everything, but it certainly

3:10:13seems like they are.

3:10:14>> So so so we're going to get more, so

3:10:16let's [clears throat] look forward to

3:10:17that. All right, so there is a motion to

3:10:19adjourn. Is there a second?

3:10:21>> Second.

3:10:22>> All in favor please say aye.

3:10:23>> Aye.

3:10:24>> Thank you all.

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