Athens Grow Green Coalition
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Archive of news, events and other issues arranged by topic
  
Elections

 
AGGC Issues
  • SB 460, "Stream Buffer Destruction Act," 2004
    AGGC helped our partners in the Georgia Water Coalition to spread the word about this bill that would have removed buffer protection for small streams, with potentially devastating effects on water quality and aquatic habitat...read more.
  • Shoals Creek Sewer Line, 2004
    Grow Green lobbied to prevent a new sewer line along Shoals Creek that would encroach into the AR zone, opening the way for high density development in the AR zone...read more.
  • People of Hope Rezoning, 2003
    On Dec. 2 the ACC Commission voted unanimously to approve the People of Hope Cooperative, Inc.'s request for a rezoning of 17 acres at 225 Freeman Road, clearing the way for them to proceed with plans to develop the first owner-occupied mobile home park in Georgia. People of Hope is the organization created by the former residents of the Garden Springs Mobile Home Park.
  • Conservation Subdivision regulations and AR rezoning, 2003
    In January 2003 the Commission enacted a moratorium on Conservation Subdivisions and directed the Planning Department to re-write the regulations for this type of development. Grow Green played a significant role in this process, bringing in Randall Arendt to provide guidance to staff, Planning Commission and Mayor and Commission; providing input and comments on each successive draft; and keeping the public and the commissioners informed of the major and minor changes and their significance. In October 2003 the Commission adopted a set of new regulations that followed nearly all of Grow Green's recommendations, including rezoning the AR to densities called for in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Read more...
  • Environmental Summit Report: Growing Sustainably in Athens-Clarke County Jan. 2003
    Report by 13 local environmentally-concerned citizens' organizations on the priority environmental issues facing ACC, with concrete suggestions for addressing them.
  • Garden Springs 2001-2002
    In June of 2001, the nearly 500 residents of the Garden Springs Mobile Home Park were informed that they would have to move to make way for a new luxury student apartment complex. Many of the mobile homes were too old to be moved, meaning that their owners faced the loss of their homes, not to mention thousands of dollars of improvements they had recently made to bring the park into compliance with the local building code. But instead of moving quietly, this ethnically diverse, mostly low- and very-low income community decided to fight to keep their homes. AGGC, along with a coalition of local churches and organizations, worked to support their struggle. Read more...
ACC Commission - Votes on Zoning Ordinance (2000)
Events Sponsored by Athens Grow Green - 2000
  • Candlelight Vigil at City Hall
    Dec. 12, 2000 Over 500 people turned out to express their sorrow over the Commission's Dec. 5 vote for sprawl, and to support a potential veto by Mayor Eldridge...read more.
    Pictures from the Candlelight Vigil
  • Land Use Work Shops at the Fire Hall
    Nov. 20 - workshop 1 speakers: Jeff Dorfman of UGA, Bruce Lonee of ACC Planning, and Seth Wenger of UGA
    Nov. 27 - workshop 2 speaker: Judy Daniels of MNCPPC spoke on TDRs and the successful program in Montgomery Co. MD.
    Dec 4 - workshop 3 speaker: Randall Arendt
    flier
  • Candidates Debate on Land Use
    coverage in the Banner Herald
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  • Rally/March on City Hall
    Nov. 14, 2001 - About 100 residents of Athens-Clarke County turned out for AGGC's rally and march on City Hall to express their willingness to help the ACC Commission develop a zoning ordinance that will protect greenspace and prevent urban sprawl. Read More
  • Candidates Debate on Land Use
  • Land Aid 2000
    October 22, 2000 at the Courthouse Steps, Athens, Georgia. Sponsored by the Athens Grow Green Coalition and the Sierra Club... see photos, read more.
  • Program review
  • Exibitors at Land Aid 2000
Riparian Buffers
  • 75 foot buffer protection extended to all streams temporarily, 2003
    The commission voted to temporarily extend 75 foot buffer protection to all streams, not just the few on the Environmental Areas Map, pending final recommendations from the Citizen Stormwater Committee...read more.
  • Buffers: Why They Are Important
    Riparian buffers, also known as stream buffers, streamside management zones, and protected river corridors, are areas of land along streams and rivers that are left in a natural state to help maintain clean water and healthy aquatic communities. Riparian buffers are important to protect because... read more.
  • Buffer Zone Ordinance Summary
    Purpose: To protect the quality of the community's waterways and to provide for the appropriate development of sites in and adjacent to floodplains, wetlands, riparian buffer areas and significant groundwater recharge areas... read more.
  • Buffer Zone Ordinance Q&A
    The Riparian Buffer Zone and Floodplain Section of the Proposed Zoning Ordinance: Questions and Answers
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Subdivision Approvals/Rejections by Commission
  • Planning Dept. Zoning Application Registry
  • Old Lexington Rd.
    Feb. 2, 2001- The Athens-Clarke Planning Commission voted unanimously against allowing 104 houses on the 129 acre property ... read more
  • Commission Votes To Approve Denny Hill's Subdivision
    Nov 7, 2000 - In spite of the many well-reasoned arguments against it, from a steady stream of Athens residents, the ACC Commission voted 7-3 Tuesday night to approve Denny Hill's rezoning request, which will allow him to build a 214 unit subdivision off Jefferson Rd. Commissioners Carter, Farmer, Ford, Kilpatrick, Logan, Sheats and Sims voted to approve the rezoning. Commissioners Barrow, Chasteen and Jordan voted against it.
    View AGGC statement made prior to vote
    View Plan for Oak Grove as proposed by Denny Hill
November 2000 Elections
Other Issues
  • The "Murmer Trestle" News
    Oct 24 - The Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation hosted a press conference yesterday about the status of the "Murmur" trestle. The official Athens-Clarke County Web site now has a "Murmur" trestle page. For information on the potential transportation benefits of restoring the trestle, check out the BikeAthens Web site. Also check out Murmers.com.