Athens committee reviews uptown event street closures, vending and noise suspensions, holiday parking changes

The Athens City Council transportation committee on March 10 reviewed a package of proposed street closures for uptown events and related temporary ordinance suspensions, and discussed holiday parking fee waivers and a temporary suspension of continuous-parking rules.

The committee’s chair, Solis Pilness, presented a list of planned closures and read event dates and locations that will be proposed in ordinance language. He said the schedule includes multiple Plains Lions Club cruise-ins (including a June date), Ohio Brew Week events in July, the Athens Community Arts and Music Festival on Aug. 2, Bounty on the Bricks on Aug. 9, a fall festival in September and a Halloween block party on Oct. 25. Pilness said the list is still open for additions and some organizers missed the initial deadline.

The committee discussed two related temporary suspensions tied to event areas: suspension of enforcement of the city vending, peddling and soliciting rule (Athens City Code section 11.04) during designated event hours to allow permitted vending in closure areas, and suspension of the city’s noise rule (Athens City Code title 13, chapter 13.04, section 13.04.10) for the same events. Pilness said the vending suspension would run from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. in designated areas and that the ordinance language describes how vendors would obtain licenses.

Committee members flagged potential calendar conflicts and staffing questions. Member Swank noted that a large out-of-town motorcycle event and a major college football game weekend could concentrate large crowds on the same weekend as several uptown events, and asked staff to review timing. Pilness and other members said deputy service-safety director Andrew Chicky’s event form was intended to help determine whether police and other public-safety coverage would be adequate.

The committee also reviewed routine parking measures tied to holiday shopping. Pilness described an ordinance authorizing the service-safety director to suspend meter fees in the municipal parking garage on specific dates in December to support uptown shopping, and a separate ordinance to suspend the city rule against continuous parking in one location during a December–January holiday window to accommodate residents and students who leave town.

The committee did not take a final vote during the committee session; members said there will be three readings and further review before any ordinance is adopted. Several members asked staff to confirm exact dates, vendor-license procedures and public-safety coverage before first reading.

Members of the public did not speak on the street-closure or parking items during the committee session.