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Athens‑Clarke Commission approves abandonment and disposition of Puritan Lane and portions of downtown streets
Summary
After public hearings, the Commission voted to abandon Puritan Lane and portions of Hoyt, Madison, Strong and Thomas streets to allow disposition to adjacent owners (with easements preserved); Puritan Lane sale is budgeted to bring $87,000 into a local road improvement fund.
At its Feb. 3 meeting the Athens‑Clarke County Commission adopted several resolutions to close, vacate and abandon portions of public rights‑of‑way including Puritan Lane and parts of Hoyt Street, Madison Avenue, Strong Street and Thomas Street.
Puritan Lane: following a public hearing (WA Engineering’s Buck Bacon spoke in support), the Commission resolved to close and abandon the specified portion of Puritan Lane, authorize disposition to adjacent property owners at appraised value while reserving utility and access easements, and amend the General Capital Projects Fund to record $87,000 in miscellaneous revenue from the sale to fund local road improvements. The Puritan Lane package passed on a roll‑call vote, 7–2 (Commissioners Taylor and Johnson voted no).
Downtown streets: the Commission also adopted resolutions authorizing abandonment of portions of Hoyt Street, Madison Avenue, Strong Street and Thomas Street — actions the agenda ties to a previously approved development agreement and downtown redevelopment around 295 East Dougherty Street. Those abandonments passed by roll call, 6–3 (Commissioners Taylor, Fisher and Johnson voted no).
What changes: each adopted resolution authorizes the Mayor and Clerk to execute quitclaim deeds conveying abandoned portions to abutting owners while reserving easements for government access and utility maintenance; the resolutions reference statutory authority under Title 32, Chapter 7 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated for road abandonments and conform to the Unified Government Charter requirements.
Next steps and fiscal effect: staff were authorized to execute disposition agreements and quitclaim deeds consistent with the adopted resolutions. The Puritan Lane action included a specific capital budget amendment recognizing $87,000 of miscellaneous revenue to be used for local road improvements.
