Athens council hears hours of public comment on proposal to allow temporary shelters in R‑3 and B‑3 zones

Athens City Council opened a public hearing on Nov. 3 on an amendment to the city zoning code to permit temporary housing shelters as a conditionally permitted use in R‑3 and B‑3 zones. Supporters argued the change would allow short-term, supervised sheltering options for people who are unhoused; opponents said the text could invite encampments and harm residential neighborhoods.

The hearing drew a mix of residents, social‑service staff, students and people with lived experience. Jeff Lyons, a retired contractor who said he built a Conestoga hut currently at The Gathering Place, described the structures as “very well constructed, very well designed” and said they give occupants “real security and protection from the weather.” Daniel West, a staff member at The Gathering Place for about 19 years, said the proposal responds to limited…