The Athens-Clarke County Commission and Mayor Kelly Girtz are set to meet Tuesday night with several key issues up for a vote.
Among the items on the agenda is a rights-of-way ordinance and homelessness support. This proposal would amend the county’s existing right-of-way ordinance by adding language prohibiting camping in certain public areas, which primarily affects those experiencing homelessness.
It was voted down 6-4 by the commission on Aug. 4. In September at a Rights-of-Way Use Ad Hoc Committee meeting, Girtz amended the language in the proposed ordinance to specifically address instances of improper use of transportation corridors in and adjacent to commercial zones.
The Mayor and Commission pledged $1 million towards the development of temporary emergency housing. They also requested that an ACC Police Department Behavioral Health Unit co-responder team be assigned to work downtown to help with homelessness in that area.
Another contentious proposal which will be voted on Tuesday night in City Hall is a street vendors ordinance change.
Written by the Athens Downtown Development Authority, the proposal recommends that on-site cooking and on-site food preparation on the newly renovated College Square be eliminated. The change reads, “Street sales of food and beverages within College Square shall be limited to prepackaged foods and beverages. On-site cooking and on-site food or beverage preparation are prohibited in street merchant-assigned locations within College Square.”
The commissioners were divided in their stance on getting rid of downtown street vendors at their September 15 meeting and there was public input from both sides of the proposal.
Other items the Mayor and Commission could approve are the naming of the East Broad Street Bridge over the North Oconee River as Weaver D’s Bridge, the design plans for the new judicial center in Downtown and a continued commercial leasing agreement with the Smoker’s Den on College Avenue.
The regular session begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall. The meeting will also be live streamed on the ACCGov youtube page and the ACCGov website.
