The Athens City Council approved a couple of changes to the city’s zoning ordinance at its Monday council meeting. Athens City Planner Erin Tidwell proposed changes to the process used when providing public notice and to businesses permitted within a Traditional Neighborhood 3 District (TN-3).

“We are going to modify and clarify the process for providing public notice for items that require a public hearing,” Tidwell said. “We’ve heard a lot of feedback from the public recently about notice being provided or lack of notice being provided. We’ve received notice about issues being received in a timely manner.”

The city council approved the following changes to the public notice requirements.

• Require certified notices be sent 14 days prior to meetings instead of 5 when a public hearing is required.

• Require the applicant to submit a signed and notarized affidavit stating that notification requirements have been met.

• Require staff to post notification signs on properties anytime written (mailed) notice is required to be sent.

The second change approved will add laundromats/dry cleaners to businesses allowed within a TN-3 District.

“Within that TN-3 District, it currently allows for low impact businesses that residents generally interact with for everyday needs. If you live in a TN-3 district, you can walk and go to the grocery store. You can walk and go to a bakery or a coffee shop. You can go to a general retail. You can go to a restaurant or go and get your car repaired. You can not walk and go do your laundry right now. We think that is probably an oversight but we are going to fix that,” Tidwell said.

Consent calendar

• Appoint Will Weir to the Houston Memorial Library Board for a four year term, expiring June 12, 2027.

• Approve travel/education expenses for Councilman Seibert.

• Approve travel/education expenses for personnel of the Water Services Department.

• Approve travel/education expenses for personnel of the Electric Department.

• Approve travel/education expenses for personnel of the City Clerk’s Office.

• Set a public hearing for the regular meeting on July 24, 2023, regarding the request of Miguel and Maria Montalban to abandon a portion of an unimproved right-of-way located between Cain Drive and Levert Avenue.

Regular meeting

• Resolution concerning city property on Fifth Avenue and city property on Wilkinson Street.

• Approve the bid award with Russo Construction, Inc. in the amount of $2,052,873.18 to construct the proposed Lakewood Regional Sewer Lift Station and approve funds in the amount of $56,000 for payment of Aid to Construction by the Water Services Department to the Electric Department.

• Approved an ordinance relating to sanitary sewer development charges for regional sewer system improvements.

• Authorized a cost sharing sewer project in the Strain Road region.

• Approved the well development consulting agreement with Cassady Company, Inc. in the amount of $37,965 to conduct further test water well investigations.

• Approved funding for Ardurra Group, Inc. in the amount of $243,410 to conduct a process operations assessment of the wastewater treatment plant and develop a capital improvements master plan to upgrade the plant.

• Approve the construction of an equipment shed in the amount of $84,907.56 for the Wastewater Collection Division of Water Services.

• Accept the estimate of Premier Structures, Inc. at the cost of $24,000 for the construction of a sidewalk in front of The Salty Cod restaurant.

• Accept the proposal of 5R Design, PC at a cost not to exceed $40,000 for professional and engineering design services for a proposed mausoleum on Stewart Drive.

• Allow the Mayor to use Rebuild Alabama Act funds in partnership with Limestone County and Grayson Carter and Sons, Inc. for the paving and patching along Moyers Road for 2023, under the Bituminous Paving Contract, from Lucas Ferry Road to US Hwy 31. Grayson and Carter has committed $100,000 toward the project. The remaining cost will be split between the City of Athens and Limestone County. Cost to the City is not to exceed $250,000.

• Allow Public Works to enter into an agreement with Alabama Guardrail to repair guardrail on Forrest Street at an estimated cost of $5,250.

• Enter into a contract with Rogers Group Inc. in the amount of $2,066,197.86 to construct the infrastructure improvements in the Vine Street neighborhood.

The Athens City Council also approved a resolution changing the date of the next scheduled meeting. The next meeting is now scheduled for 4 p.m. July 17, 2023 at Athens City Hall.