This was a special call meeting of the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission held on September 16, 2025. The meeting included approval of a memorandum of understanding for a sanitary sewer project, discussions on four planning items (rezonings and special use permits), and review of numerous new business items including a fire station location, pedestrian improvements, and board/committee updates.
Item 13: Rezoning of O Elberton Road (23 acres from AR to E1)
Staff reported that the planning commission recommended denial due to incompatibility with the comprehensive plan, lack of sanitary sewer, adjacency to a middle school, and limited road infrastructure. Applicant argued for limitations on use intensity. Commissioners questioned feasibility of sewer connection across wetlands and the lack of a binding site plan. No vote was taken.
Item 14: Special Use for Veterinary Clinic at 600 Oglethorpe Avenue
Staff supported the request with a variance for parking lot screening. Planning commission recommended approval. Commissioner Wright expressed support. The applicant offered to plant climbing ornamentals on fencing to improve screening. No vote was taken.
Item 15: Rezoning of 780 Macon Highway from RS5 to RM1 for eight townhomes
Staff and planning commission recommended approval due to environmental constraints (riparian buffer, floodplain, steep slopes) that made subdivision under current zoning unfeasible. Commissioner Cole-Porter supported the project. Discussion included retaining wall design and potential for Native American artifacts. No vote was taken.
Item 16: Rezoning of 0.353 acres on McClure Road from RM2 to CG for commercial driveway
Staff explained the need to allow commercial traffic to access a Dollar General without crossing residentially zoned land, improving safety. Planning commission recommended approval. Commissioner Thornton supported the proposal. No vote was taken.
Item 18: Fire Station Location on Old Lexington Road
Commissioner Myers presented a community-defined option (CDO) to minimize the facility's footprint, use buffers, and address resident concerns while keeping the station at the site identified by the fire chief. He emphasized that the location would provide life-saving services to an additional 800 underserved residents, reducing response times by 3–6 minutes for addresses on Bob Godfrey, Nellie Mays, Lexington Road, Robert Hardeman, and Blue Heron Drive. Fire Chief A. confirmed that the decision affects about 12% of the county (15,000 people) and that alternative locations would reduce coverage. Commissioner Thornton presented a competing CDO for a different cheaper location that would cover more areas, including neighborhoods left uncovered by the proposed site. Discussion included call volumes (Station 5 averages 2–3 calls per day) and station design preferences (single-story, community-compatible). No vote was taken; further discussion anticipated at voting session.
Item 21: Stonehenge Neighborhood Pedestrian Improvements
Commissioner Johnson presented the project overview, including ADA sidewalks, speed tables, and traffic calming, with a $3 million budget. She noted a survey of residents prioritized sidewalk improvements and that temporary speed humps will be replaced with permanent ones. She questioned the user group appointment process and lack of online public meeting records. The county manager stated that the process would be discussed at an upcoming retreat. Item placed on consent.
Item 26: GOC Report on BAC Procedures
Commissioner Davenport summarized recommendations to consolidate boards and committees, update rules, require email addresses for open records, and provide stipends totaling approximately $67,000. Several commissioners requested more time to review the extensive changes and the clean version of the manual. Chair Wright suggested a joint meeting with LRC to break down the details. Item removed from consent for further review.
Item 27: LRC Noise Ordinance Recommendation for Agricultural Zones
Commissioner Thornton presented a text amendment to restrict excessive noise from commercial entities in agricultural zones. Under the proposal, before 11 p.m. Sunday–Thursday and before midnight on weekends, noise audible beyond one mile would be a violation; after those hours, the threshold would be half a mile. Enforcement is limited to a $1,000 fine per state law. Commissioner Thornton sought a vote at the October meeting and expressed willingness to accept minor CDO adjustments. Item removed from consent for possible amendments.
Item 28: Family Connection Performance Metrics
Commissioner Wright requested more time to review the 73-page report. She also suggested that nonprofit reports be provided in a one-page format directly to commissioners, not just via a dashboard. Item removed from consent.
Item 29: Classic City Heights Affordable Housing Cooperation Agreement
Commissioner asked about high connection fees; staff explained they represent equity buy-in for prior infrastructure investments. Item removed from consent for further study.
Item 30: Downtown Athens Phase Two Intergovernmental Agreement
Commissioner requested more time for questions on the complex documents. Staff acknowledged the effort to finalize materials. Item removed from consent.
And I'd like to right now call this meeting to order. This is a special call session. It's Tuesday, September the 26th, 2025. At this time, can I get the um clerk to um call the role, please? Taylor, link, here, right, President Fisher. Here. Johnson. Here. Carl Pepper. Here. Myers. Here. Thornton. Here. Handy. We have a quorum. Thank you, Melon Cloric. Because it is a special call meeting. The purpose of this meeting items listed below. Public input. If you wish to address the mayor commission on any items listed below on this agenda, please go to the poll and state your name and address. Rules of the Commission state that members of the public may speak once during the following portion of the agenda up to three minutes with a 30-second reminder at two and a half minutes. And tonight we will be discussing our old business. And item number one will be sanitary Sanford Stadium Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Improvement Project. Memoranda of Understanding. And this is the request reports. The mayor commission approved this memorandum of understanding within the University of Georgia Afletic Associate Association regarding construction of Stanford State of Phase 2 Sanitary Sewer Project. So do we have any members from the public that like to comment on this particular item? Any commissioners like to comment. Because we have already taken care of A and C previously. So I make a motion we approve. Okay. Second. Okay. It was motion by Commissioner Wright, second by Commissioner Myers. All in favor? Aye. And opposed. Before we adjourn this um special call meeting, I would like to um enter executive session for discussion on real estate acquisition or disposal of that session will be held upon adjournment of our agenda city session. Can I give the motion to adjourn? So move. Second. All in favor? Aye. Now at this time, we will go ahead and get into our agenda sitting um session for tonight. If after um 815, we have not conducted our business, we will take a 15-minute break. And as always, I would like to read this civility pledge. The way we govern ourselves is often as important as the position we take. Our collective decision will be better when different views have had the opportunity to be fully vetted and considered. All people have the right to be treated with respect, courtesy, and openness.