Hugh White Honda proposes 24,000‑sq.‑ft. Columbus Road dealership; annexation, stormwater and utility ties remain unresolved

Hugh White Honda presented a Title 41 site‑plan communication July 16 to the Athens City Planning Commission to build a roughly 24,000‑square‑foot dealership and service center at 250 Columbus Road, but city staff said annexation, utility tapping fees and stormwater controls must be addressed before permits move forward.

The developer’s architect, Dustin Todd of Arch Hall Architects, said the project would include a showroom and expanded service department and that the site would be raised to remove it from a flood plain. “We’re looking to do a new roughly 24,000 square foot dealership including showroom and service department just to the north of the existing building,” Todd said. He said the dealer plans to use the latest Honda prototype and is coordinating annexation and property combination with ownership.

City staff told the commission that, under city code, water and sewer service cannot be supplied to the site unless the property is annexed or a pre‑annexation agreement is approved by city council. “We’re not allowed to provide water and sewer…