The Athens City Council approved over $4.7 million in paving and road projects at Monday night’s City Council meeting. The approved resolution allowed Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks to issue the task orders for the construction and paving of approximately three dozen locations in the city.

“The city of Athens has never had this kind of paving money. I am so proud of this,” Councilman Harold Wales said. According to Mayor Marks, the paving project will equate to an estimated $4.7 million over the next two years.

Locations on the 2022-2024 paving project list include:

Bellview, Longview, Nella Way, Palmer Street, Sunrise Drive. Jefferson Street (Washington to 72), Lucas Street, Newby Road, Chickasaw, Hasting Road (city only), Forrest Street (Jefferson to Houston), Houston Street (Brownsferry to 72), North Madison Street (Washington to Hobbs), Trace Trail, Oakdale Avenue, Clara Street, Clifford Street, Tower Street, Wilkerson Drive, Elkton Road, Shawnee Lane, Cherokee, Summitt Lakes, Brookmeade Avenue, Holldale Drive, Edward Street, Lillion, Hobbs Street (RR to East), Cloverleaf, Moyers Road, Menowa, Mohawk, Pryor (Elkton to 31), Wheeler Street and Plum Street.

Other projects include the widening of Lindsay Lane from Indian Trace to East Strain Road and north from Huntsville-Brownsferry, and Huntsville-Brownsferry/Lindsay Lane- Buc-ee’s Boulevard signal.

A portion of this work will be performed under the City of Athens Bituminous Paving Contract. Both Lindsay Lane widening projects will be bid and awarded by the City Council under a separate resolution. The projects shall be funded from the City of Athens Contingency Fund up to $3,000,000 and the remainder from the Capital Infrastructure Fund.

The Athens City Council held four public hearings for rezoning requests at Monday night’s meeting. After no opposition, the council approved the following ordinances.

• Rezoning of +/- 9 acres located at 22201 US Hwy 72 (east of Publix) from R-1-1 (low density single family residential district) and B-2 (general business district) to B-2 (general business district) within the corporate limits of the city of Athens.

• Rezoning of +/- 13.96 acres located at the intersection of Athens Limestone Lane and Athens Limestone Blvd (behind Ihop) from B2 (general business district) to R-2 (multi-family residential district) and to adopt the Master Development Plan within the corporate limits of Athens, Ala. This is for a planned courtyard style luxury apartment community to be developed by Centerpointe Crossing Development, LLC. The 256 unit apartment community will consist mainly of one-bedroom units but some two and three-bedroom units and will feature open space and amenities including pool, cabana, dog parks and more.

• Rezoning of +/- 35.21 acres located at West Market Street and Lucas Ferry Road from R-1-2 (medium density single family residential district) to R-1-3 (high density single family residential district) within the corporate limits of Athens.

• Rezoning of =/- 2 acres located at 14286 and 14302 Cambridge Lane (Lots 5&6) of the Athens East Subdivision from B2 (general business district) and R-1-1 (low density single family residential district) to INST (institutional district) for Journey Church.

The Athens City Council also approved the following agenda items:

• Resolution to purchase 52 guardian shoulder lights with white front and yellow and blue back from Dana Safety for $4,108 from the Police Department’s existing capital expenditure account.

• Resolution to set a public hearing for the regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. on March 14 to review the request of Dilitina Development Corporation (Lakewood) to rezone +/- 88.29 acres located on the east side of US Hwy 31, south of Hatfield Lake Road, from R-1-1 (low density single-family residential zoning district) to R-1-2 (medium density single family residential zoning district).

• Resolution to set a public hearing for the regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. on March 14 to review the request to de-annex +/- 8.85 acres located on the west side of Mooresville Road, south of Newby Road, zone R-1-1 (low density single family residential zoning district).

• Resolution to approve the purchase of one equipment trailer from Better Built Trailers, not to exceed $7,500, and to be funded from the existing capital budget of the Street Department.

• Ordinance renewing a nonexclusive franchise to Knology, Inc. concerning a cable television system.

• Ordinance extending a nonexclusive franchise to Spectrum Southeast, LLC (Charter) concerning a cable television system.

• Resolution approving the Athens Utilities’ Electric Department’s amended Policy to Make Service Available to Customers.

• Resolution for the city of Athens using $10 million as the standard allowance concerning the use of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.

• Resolution concerning the replacement of nine network switches at a cost of $67, 721.19. (COVID-19 funding)

• Resolution concerning the replacement of seven public wi-fi points at the Athens Sportsplex at a cost of $11,270.14 (COVID-19 funding)

• Resolution requesting approval to execute a consulting agreement with CSL Services, Inc. to conduct a long term support of flow monitoring in the wastewater collection system at a cost of $101,300.

• Resolution requesting approval for a change order (3) in the amount of $97,035.94 to the construction contract with Russo Construction.

• Resolution to adopt a revised organizational chart for the Information Technology Department at add one System Support Specialist.

• Resolution to add the position of Records Retention Clerk (Grade 10) and Civil Engineer (Grade 21/22) to the Public Works Department Organizational Chart.

• Resolution to adopt the job descriptions of Records Retention Clerk and Civil Engineer.

• Ordinance to amend Ordinance 888 to add the job titles of Records Retention Clerk, Grade 10, and Civil Engineer, Grade 21, to the list of classified positions for the Public Works Department.

• Resolution authorizing Public Works to issue a task order from the bituminous plant mix paving contract for the re-striping of several roads for $15,000.

• Resolution authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the State of Alabama Department of Transportation for the maintenance and operation of roadway lighting at the intersection of Alabama 251 and Lindsay Lane in the city of Athens.