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Council committee weighs Conestoga hut pilot at Gathering Place and broader zoning change amid split public comment
Summary
Planning and Development committee reviewed a planning commission recommendation to allow a pilot of temporary, non‑affixed housing (Conestoga huts) at the Gathering Place and a separate proposed amendment to allow temporary housing in B‑3 and R‑3 zones; the hearing was set for Oct. 20 and public testimony was sharply divided.
The Athens City Council planning and development committee on Sept. 8 heard a planning commission recommendation to allow temporary, non‑affixed housing shelters at 15 North Congress Street (the Gathering Place property) and considered a related ordinance to permit temporary housing structures in B‑3 and R‑3 zones citywide with administrative and Board of Zoning Appeals review.
Council member Alan Swank summarized the planning commission’s recommendation and the four conditions the commission attached: biennial review by the safety/service director; infrastructure limits of no more than three temporary shelters per available sink and toilet with those fixtures located within 200 feet; revocation authority for the service/safety director for serious safety or sanitation concerns; and automatic cessation of approval if the property transfers ownership.
The G…
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