A property developer agreed to extend a road to try to ease traffic to and from its town house development and on Lindsay Lane, an official said.

During Tuesday’s meeting of the Athens Planning Commission, commissioners approved a request by Health Care Authority of ALC to subdivide Lot 1 of Athens-Limestone Medical Village. The subdivision would create two lots and a new right of way for construction of a street, located directly south of the intersection of Medical Village Drive and Greenfield Drive, which is 390 degrees east of Lindsay Lane.

A town house development called Lindsay Lane Townhomes is planned for the area, and city officials say it is destined to add additional traffic to the area. However, the developer’s plan to extend Greenfield Drive should keep traffic off Lindsay Lane, said City Engineer Michael Griffin.

“It would be a extension of Greenfield Drive going south to Lindsay Lane Townhomes,” he said.

Instead of taking Lindsay Lane, one of the city’s busiest roads, according to Griffin, town house residents could take U.S. 72 left onto Greenfield and head south to the development.

“They wouldn’t have to wait at the light because we have a stacking lane on 72,” Griffin said.”

He said officials promote “this kind of interconnectivity in the city so there is more than one way to get out of a development.”

The commission made its approval conditional on the developer posting a bond for the roadway and sidewalks. That way, if something should happen and the developer could not finish the work, the city could get it done and get paid for it.

Other business

In other business Tuesday, commissioners took the following action:

• Approved Shawn and Tessa Baerlocher’s request for a certificate to consolidate two parcels into a single tract at 2498 S. Hine St. in Athens. The tract is in an R-1-1, Single Family Low Density Residential District, and an Estate Agricultural and Residential District.

• Approved Athens West LLC’s request for a public hearing on a proposed resolution to replat Athens West Subdivision, a minor subdivision at the southeast corner of the intersection of Lucas Ferry Road and West Washington Street in Athens. The subdivision is in an Institutional District. Commissioners approved the resolution after the hearing;

• Approved Bill and Richard Keyes’ request for a public hearing on a proposed resolution allowing a final plat of Keyes Estate Subdivision. This is a minor subdivision of a single lot into two lots sized 4.57 acres and 0.71 acres. It is located at 803 Forrest St. in Athens in a Traditional Neighborhood 2 District. The commission approved the resolution after the hearing; and

• Approved a request by John Plunk for a layout of Wauchula Farms Phase 2, a major subdivision of a single tract into 10 lots on the north and south sides of Wauchula Private Drive. It is located on the west side of U.S. 31 in an Estate Agricultural and Residential District.

COVID-19 procedures

Also Tuesday, commissioners approved a procedure for conducting work sessions and meetings during the novel coronavirus epidemic. The change was triggered by the statewide stay-at-home order and other orders, banning all but essential activities.

On March 18, Gov. Kay Ivey issued an emergency declaration saying public bodies could meet via teleconference or videoconference as long as the meeting involved responding to COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, or to perform “essential minimum functions.” The commission agreed to post a summary of its meeting in a prominent location on its website at www.athensal.us no fewer than 12 hours after the meeting.

Commissioners also agreed work sessions and meetings will not be open to the general public. Instead, they will be live-streamed so the public (including any applicant or other person interested in any agenda item) may listen, observe and participate in the meeting without being physically present.

Those interested in doing so should use the meeting invitation and phone number found on the Planning Commission page of the city of Athens website. Contact etidwell@athensal.us with any additional questions for how to do so.