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Council approves East State Street signal upgrade, Welcome Home Ohio owner-occupied program agreement and ACEDC support; rezoning remains pending
Summary
Athens City Council completed several votes Feb. 3, approving funding and agreements for street signal upgrades, owner-occupied housing development, and continued county economic development support.
Athens City Council completed several votes Feb. 3, approving funding and agreements for street signal upgrades, owner-occupied housing development, and continued county economic development support. The meeting also carried forward a high-profile rezoning (Pomeroy Road) to a later vote.
East State Street signal improvements: Council adopted Ordinance 01‑25 to authorize up to $879,658 for the East State Street signal improvement project, funded with an ODOT Small Cities congestion‑mitigation grant of $429,658 and a $450,000 interfund transfer. Council member Fiona introduced the ordinance and the measure passed by voice vote; Clerk Felder said the upgrade should reduce vehicle idling and improve traffic flow.
Welcome Home Ohio owner-occupied housing program: Council passed Ordinance 02‑25 authorizing the service‑safety director to enter a development services agreement with Community Building Partners LLC and accept a Welcome Home Ohio program grant. The city’s allocation is $2,024,000 to support owner‑occupied housing; the council authorized the administration to proceed with an initial phase expected to produce eight owner‑occupied units, with the specific site to be determined.
Athens County Economic Development Council (ACEDC) support: Council adopted Ordinance 03‑25, extending a contract to provide $65,000 annually to the Athens County Economic Development Council through Dec. 31, 2027. Finance Committee members introduced the contract extension; council approved it by voice vote.
Other business and readings: The council conducted second and first readings on several ordinances, including the second reading of Ordinance 06‑25 (rezoning Pomeroy Road parcels from R‑1 to R‑3), which drew an extended public hearing with substantial public comment; no final action was taken on the rezoning Feb. 3. First readings included routine procurements, park facility expenditures, and a proposed street closure and vending suspension to permit the International Street Fair April 5, 2025.
How the votes were recorded: The three adopted ordinances passed on voice votes during the Feb. 3 regular session. No roll‑call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.
