Upcoming Decisions on Homelessness and Street Vendors at Athens-Clarke County Meeting
The Athens-Clarke County Commission, alongside Mayor Kelly Girtz, is preparing for a pivotal meeting on Tuesday night. The agenda is packed with significant issues, including amendments to the rights-of-way ordinance and support for the homeless community.
A key proposal involves revising the county’s right-of-way ordinance. This amendment seeks to restrict camping in designated public areas, directly impacting individuals experiencing homelessness. Previously rejected by the commission in a 6-4 vote on August 4, the proposal has been revised by Mayor Girtz to address improper usage of transportation corridors near commercial zones.
In a commitment to address homelessness, the Mayor and Commission have allocated $1 million towards temporary emergency housing. They have also requested the involvement of a Behavioral Health Unit co-responder team from the ACC Police Department to provide assistance downtown.
Another issue on the table is the potential change to the street vendors ordinance. At the September 15 meeting, commissioners expressed differing opinions about the presence of street vendors downtown, with public feedback adding to the debate.
Additional decisions include naming the East Broad Street Bridge over the North Oconee River as Weaver D’s Bridge, reviewing design plans for a new judicial center in Downtown, and continuing a commercial leasing agreement with the Smoker’s Den on College Avenue.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, with live streaming available on the ACCGov YouTube page and the ACCGov website.
