Athens · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Athens public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Place of worship variance at 12 N College Street
A proposed place of worship would sit 5 feet from neighboring lots instead of the required 20, and provide 6 parking spaces where 30 are required. Neighbors may weigh in on setbacks and parking impacts.
Welcome Home Ohio Affordable Homes PUD
Eight new affordable single-family homes, selling for up to $180,000 to income-qualified buyers, are proposed at 93 Hudson Avenue using $2 million in state grant funds. The project needs several variances and returns for a final commission vote September 16.
Minor Lot Split at 52 Lorene (Case 26-05)
A developer wants to split a 100-foot lot on Lorene Avenue into two buildable lots. The catch: two garage foundations already exist before the required principal houses, so the commission had to back a variance letting the lots be technically nonconforming until the homes go up. City Council makes the final decision.
Rental code inspection reform
The subcommittee is building a report on the city's rental inspection processes, using framework sections and violation data from 2023-2025. The findings will shape how Athens inspects rental housing going forward.
Rumpke trash and recycling contract extension
The ordinance would extend Rumpke's contract two years with no rate increase for residents. Recycling advocates want the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District — which took over the former recycling center — to get a chance to propose a competing government-to-government deal, but the auditor warned Rumpke won't hold its rate forever.
Children Services Property Annexation and Zoning
The county Children's Services property is being annexed into the city so it can receive city services, with the commission recommending B-3 zoning on the south and R-1 on the north. City Council makes the final decision.
Neighborhood Corridor Overlay Zone
The Law Director and Clerk recommended the new overlay zone get its own code title (Title 53) instead of tucked into Title 23, matching how other overlay zones are organized.
2027 City Budget
The 2027 budget is about $16 million below last year's, with three grant-funded firefighter positions sunset per plan. Council Member Swank pressed for answers on where the voter-approved $2.1 million income tax increase is going; the mayor and auditor pointed to the medical fund (roughly $1 million more), streets, transit and capital, plus building a carryover reserve.
Special Event Street Closure Fees (Ordinances 95-26 and 96-26)
The city wants to recoup some of the cost of closing Court Street for festivals — fees would cover roughly a third of actual costs, with big discounts for local nonprofits. Late fees proposed; cleanup deposits rejected.
Dead trees behind the library near the bike path
Members raised concerns about sycamores in the Highland Avenue median with significant deadwood that could fall on cars or people, especially after recent storms. The city lacks pruning capacity in-house, so work would need to be contracted and approved by the mayor's office.
Sweet gum removal request at 32 Lorene Drive
A resident wants a mature sweet gum removed after repeated limb drops near her house and street parking, but the commission found the tree healthy and recommended pruning and possible cabling instead. Members weighed the risk of any tree against the city's shrinking tree canopy.
City-funded bike path and Columbus Road median plantings
The Service-Safety Director asked the commission to recommend plantings for the Columbus Road medians, which have shallow soil over asphalt. Members suggested crabapples and understory trees like redbuds and dogwoods, with work contracted out in spring rather than using volunteers.
2027 Sewer Rates Adopted (Ordinance 81-26)
Sewer bills would rise 4% in 2027 — about $1.60–$2 a month for most households — to cover debt on the wastewater plant, contract raises, and needed improvements to aging clarifiers and lines. Council was told holding rates flat would just delay bigger hikes later.
AFSCME Spousal Health Insurance Carve-Out (Ordinance 99-26)
A draft MOU with AFSCME would require new employees after January 2027 whose spouses have other coverage to use it instead of city insurance, easing pressure on the strained medical fund. Council also moved $300,000 between funds to fix how retirement buyouts were charged.
Tax Year 2026 property tax rates
The city formally accepts the county's estimate of about $1.2 million in property tax revenue for 2026. It's routine — nothing new is being taxed, just confirming existing voter-approved rates.
Short-term rentals in single-family neighborhoods
The Athens Real Estate Company wants a variance to run a short-term rental it doesn't live in, in a single-family residential zone. These requests have split neighbors recently — some support them, others worry about noise, parking, and the city's tight housing supply.