Council rezones 33.4‑acre Ken Gardner property from light industrial to R‑13 amid neighbor concern

The Athens City Council on Sept. 8 voted 5‑0 to rezone approximately 33.4 acres owned by Ken Gardner from M‑1 light industrial to an R‑13 high‑density single‑family residential district.

The rezoning request was the subject of public comment. Resident David Delich said he and his neighbors opposed the rezoning, raising concerns about noise from adjacent railroad tracks, loss of tree cover, and potential runoff from future grading. “We do oppose this,” Delich told the council, describing his property as lying 4–5 feet below the proposed parcel and expressing concern that removing trees would increase runoff to nearby yards.

City planner Erin told the council that the planning commission recommended approval and that staff had no objections. Erin said a buffer requirement adjacent to the railroad would be reviewed and enforced at preliminary and final plat stages. She referenced a nearby R‑13 development (Town Creek Trails) that had constructed a buffer along the railroad track.

Council also discussed that leaving the parcel zoned M‑1 would allow industrial uses to locate there; rezoning to R‑13 limits that possibility and aligns the parcel with adjacent residential zoning. The rezoning request was initiated by the property owner, Mr. Varner, Erin said.

After suspending the rules to consider the ordinance the same night, the council passed the ordinance by roll call (Harper, Wailes, Seibert, Henry, Lucas all voting yes). No formal amendments to the ordinance were recorded at the meeting.

The council’s action changes the parcel’s allowable uses from light industrial to single‑family residential and will bring future development proposals under the city’s subdivision and plat review process, where buffers and other site‑specific controls will be reviewed.