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Athens council advances zoning change allowing temporary shelters in R‑3 and B‑3; amendment that would add limits fails to meet required threshold
Summary
Council read an ordinance to allow temporary housing shelters as a conditionally permitted use in R‑3 and B‑3 zones and heard public concern. Member Thomas proposed amendments (licensed‑agency supervision, MOU, caps of six units per site and five sites citywide, no fees) but the change that departed from the planning commission did not meet the statutory three‑fourths threshold and therefore was not adopted at first reading.
Council members on Dec. 1 read an ordinance that would allow temporary housing shelters as a conditionally permitted use in R‑3 (multifamily residential) and B‑3 (general business) zones, and opened discussion about how to regulate those shelters.
Council member Swank read the planning commission recommendation, which describes temporary shelters as housing structures not affixed to property and without kitchen or bathroom facilities and requires “1 sink and 1 toilet available for use within 200 feet for every 3 temporary housing shelter units” and annual reapproval by the service safety director.
During public comment, Jack Stauffer of Elmwood urged council to “drop this tonight” and said the city should provide “real shelter inside a building of some type” rather than…
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