The Athens City Council voted Monday to table a rezoning request related to a potential development of rental homes behind SPARK Academy at Cowart Elementary School and next to Thatch-Mann Cemetery.

A public hearing on the rezoning request was held at Monday’s meeting, but Council President Frank Travis said the council had too many remaining questions to take action. The request, which was made by Athens City Schools, seeks to rezone 6.2 acres of property from single-family, low-density residential to single-family, high-density residential.

As previously reported in The News Courier, Athens City Schools voted last month to sell the property to Winter Homes. Developer Kenny Winter plans to build rental homes valued at $160,000 to $180,000. Monthly rent would be $1,350 and up.

Public Works Director James Rich told council members the city’s Planning Commission recommended the rezoning. He said a layout plan had not yet been submitted to the Planning Commission, but added the lot sizes would be 6,000 square feet.

Rich said there would be another public hearing about the master plan for the development at a future Planning Commission meeting, but the project would not come back before the City Council.

Councilman Chris Seibert said he’s heard from concerned citizens about the project and asked how many houses would be part of the project. Rich explained that under the single-family, high-density zoning, developers could build 25 to 30 homes on the property.

Councilman Harold Wales said some constituents were concerned about the fact the homes would be rented and not for sale. Rich explained the city could not control whether a property owner sold or rented his or her property.

Seibert then asked what would happen if an expansion was needed at SPARK Academy. He also pointed out the property to be sold is currently used as green space by school children for certain activities.

Russell Johnson, president of the school board, told council members the board decided the 6.2 acres was property the system “would never really use.” He also explained there are no plans to expand SPARK Academy.

Johnson told the council the board does have conditions on the project, including not allowing any driveways to open on Bullington Road. The access road to the cemetery will also be moved to the north, closer to the school.

Shane Black, who serves as attorney for both the council and school board, said Superintendent Trey Holladay wanted the school board to oversee maintenance of the cemetery road to ensure there would always be access.

Travis said the council would revisit the rezoning request in two weeks.

Elsewhere Monday, the council approved several purchases for the new Athens Recreation Center, including a security system ($103,140), fiber optic cable ($4,220) and various information technology items ($53,457).

Mayor Ronnie Marks said the $16 million rec center should be completed ahead of schedule and is under budget by about $150,000. He credited building inspector Erik Waddell as being a big reason why the project has progressed so smoothly.

Marks estimated both the rec center and Forrest Street bridges could be completed within the next 90 days if weather conditions are favorable.

Other business

In other business Monday, the council:

• Voted to amend its speed limit ordinance to set a baseline speed of 25 mph unless otherwise posted. Rich said the issue should resolve confusion about the speed limit on residential streets; and

• Amended its paving contract with Reed Contracting Services to mill, pave and stripe Bullington Road from Washington to Jacobs streets at a cost of $110,681.