City Council - Regular Meeting

Hey, hey, hey. Good evening and welcome to Athens City Council. Before tonight uh regular session, we will hold two public hearings related to zoning matters that have been sent as recommendations to the council from the Athens city planning commission. Public hearings provide an opportunity for members of the public to offer comments to council regarding proposed zoning actions before council considers legislation on the matter. We will begin with the first public hearing. This public hearing concerns a recommendation from the Athens City Planning Commission to designate the zoning classification for an annexation area on Theater Lane as B3 commercial. The property has recently been annexed into the city and council must establish the zoning designation for the annexed area. At this time, we invite members of the public to come forward to the podium to share comments with council regarding this recommendation. Please begin by stating your name and address and whether you're speaking on behalf of yourself or an organization. Uh you'll have three minutes to share comments with council unless otherwise directed. Uh and at this time I'd like to ask if there's anyone that would like to speak.

Hello ladies and gentlemen. Um my name is Matt Frzy and I'm here representing the Qite organization. uh who are planning to build the new building there. Um I think it's just uh important to know that we've grown exponentially here in the last few years thanks to a lot of great people in the community. It's required us to to need to expand our business further and create a new building. Uh with that new building, we're expecting to have to add a relative number close to 20 new jobs uh in the city as well. So that's uh going to benefit everyone involved I believe and short and sweet that's that's about all. So thank you.

May I ask you a question before you leave the be so kind? Yes ma'am. Could you just explain in a little more detail where this building will be, what kind of building it will be, etc. Um are you familiar with where the WXTQ building used to be? Mhm. Uh that building we have have uh already demolished and and cleared that area, flattened it back out to to put a building site in there. Okay. Um the building will will be a new Honda uh motor company building selling uh new Honda automobiles. Okay. And for members of the community that aren't that familiar with that area, will that new building be visible from the existing Hugh White Automotive building? Yes.

Okay. It will. Yeah, it it's a couple hundred yards across the the I know what it was a field basically. Okay. It'll be visible from Columbus Road. Um portions of the highway, but other than that, it it's accessible off of the old theater lane or you know, current that goes back to like the days in um the nursery, you know, nursery and stuff down there. So, it'll be off of that side road there. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Any other questions? Any other members of the public to speak on this? Uh, seeing no additional speakers, I will close the public hearing. Public hearing is now closed and we will move on to our second public hearing for the night. No, we have to wait. Oh, okay. Well, then we will sit patiently for 10 minutes.

Pound egg.

All right. Thank you. And now it is 7:15 and we will continue with our second public hearing tonight. Uh this public hearing concerns a recommendation from the Athens City Planning Commission to reszone approximately 3.4773 4773 acres of property on Dair Lane from E1 educational zoning designation to R3, a resident residential zoning designation. This request was reviewed by the planning commission and forwarded to council with a recommendation for consideration. At this time, we invite members of the public to come forward to the podium to share comments with council. Please begin by stating your name and address and whether you're speaking on behalf of yourself or an organization. Speakers will have three minutes to share comments. And would anyone like to speak? Seeing no one to speak, uh I will uh close the public hearing. Public hearing is now closed. Uh council will now proceed with regular session of Athens City Council. Uh we will start with a call to order. Regular session of Athens city council Monday March 16th 2026 will now come to order. Uh looking at the dis we have a uh full all members of councils are present. So we have established the quorum and I would like to have an approval of the agenda. Uh everyone

I'd move that the agenda be approved as um published. All right. All those in favor I I All right. Moving on. Uh can we have a the dis disposition of minutes? Uh council members have received minutes from regular session held February 17th and regular session held March 26th. Are there any corrections to the minutes? And can I have a motion to approve? So moved. And can I have a second? Second. All those in favor? I uh the minutes have been approved. Moving on to communications. Do any members of council have communications that they would like to share?

Members,

I received this this morning from the um rental inspection uh processes subcommittee and they asked me to read this. It's not very long. Community input needed to improve Athens rental housing. The Athens City Council and the Affordable Housing Commission passed resolution R 0425 that authorized the rental inspection processes subcommittee. This one-year ad hoc group is charged with providing strategies and recommendations the city can use to improve the functional and structural safety of rentals in the city. This is a professionally conducted comprehensive study that is being done by group by a group of community volunteers at no cost to taxpayers. The committee is seeking input through the end of May via surveys. One for landlords, property managers, and one for tenants. These surveys were prepared by researchers and reviewed by several landlords, tenants, and attorneys for landlords and tenants. Survey responses are open now until May 31st. Landlords and property managers were emailed invitations to complete the surveys. Reminders will be sent periodically. If you didn't receive one, contact me and uh we'll make sure that you get one. Tenant survey flyers and access and access information are being distributed across the Ohio University campus, across the city and local media and social media. The QR code which is on the screen right now uh provides access to the tenant survey is being shown um in a multitude of places. Uh the QR code uh will be distributed around town until May 31st. Each confidential survey takes just a few minutes to complete. No identifying information is being asked nor will be revealed. Responses will be reported only in aggregated form. The goal is to support the important work of the Athens code inspectors and recommend a system that maximizes efficiency and

effectiveness and can serve as a model for the other university communities. We welcome everyone's voice in this process. Thank you. Thank you. Any other communications? All right. Any communications or reports from elected officials?

All right. Uh we will move on now to ordinances for third reading. Uh I will read the title and then pass it off to the member that is introducing it. Uh ordinance 1026, an ordinance authorizing the service safety director to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Athens Township for control and maintenance of Theater Lane. Introduced by member Claude Felder. So, um, this proposed, uh, ordinance basically, it will just formalize something that's been just a little bit unclear in the past. The city of Athens, excuse me, has already in the past uh, started taking care of Theodore Lane, which is the the road um, off of Columbus Road. If you're going out of town, it's to the left. It is the road that you take to go to Hugh White Automotive or to go right past Green Leaf Nursery and in town body shop and the days in. Uh it was referred to in the hearing. In fact, um this will just formalize things so that it is official that the city of Athens as opposed to Athens Township will be the government entity um responsible for theater lane for things like snow removal, pothole repair, resurfacing, signage, drainage, and any other maintenance typically performed on city streets. Um the city will also provide uh police and fire emergency services to for any incidents that need those on the lane and the city will bear all costs and expenses associated with the maintenance and administration of theater lane as set forth in this agreement. There are some other provisions but I think those are the big ones. Uh and I move that we approve this ordinance

second. Any other discussion or questions on this before voting? All those in favor of adopting. Any uh questions from the public? Uh now um moving on to vote on ordinance 1026. All those in favor? I I

All right. Uh 1026 has been adopted. Moving on to 11-26, an ordinance suspending Athens City Code 7.05.03, continuous parking in the same location from Sunday, December 13, 2026 through midnight on Sunday, January 10, 2027, introduced by member Claude. This ordinance is similar to to many that we've handled in past years. This has become kind of an annual um thing that we take care of. uh we're doing it a bit earlier in the year than than uh in the past because the city administration is on the ball. But um just as the title suggests really for areas of of the community where people have to move their parked cars once every 24 hours, um there will be a waiver of that requirement from Sunday, December 13, 2026 through midnight on Sunday, January 10th, 2027. So you might have to move your car right after midnight on that night. But um that's it. It's just a waiver of that of that requirement while when there are fewer people in town. Uh so I motion that we approve um ordinance 1126. Second.

Any other questions or discussion from council members? Uh any comments or questions from the public? All right, seeing none, uh can I have a vote? All those in favor on adopting 11-26. I

11-26 has been adopted. We'll move on to ordinance 12-26. Uh an ordinance to approve a 2026 employee retirement incentive program. Uh introduced by myself. Uh we've talked about this a number of times in committee and the last two readings. Uh this is just an attempt from the administration to have a reduction in workforce and maintain balanced revenue and expenditures uh particularly with large uh healthcare cost increases recently. Um this will be administered by the administration and from that we'll see if they have any comments or questions from the administration. Um, I would ask I would move that we adopt 12-26.

Second. Uh, any questions or comments from council members? Uh, questions or comments from the public? Uh, can I have a vote of all those in favor of adopting 12-26? I

uh any opposed? All right. 12-26 has been adopted. Moving on to ordinance 13-26, an ordinance amending Athens city code, title 17, municipal income tax, chapter 17.01 in general section 17.01.0311A definitions and 17.01.096B1 096B1 uh refunds. This is just an adoption. Oh, sorry. Introduced by myself. This was an adoption putting us into uh compliance with the OC additions to definitions in refunds and definitions in OC tax code. Um we talked about this in committee and the past two readings and I would move that we adopt 13-26.

Seconded. All right. Any discussion or questions from the council members? And any questions from the public? Right. Seeing none, I would move to adopt 13-26. All those in favor? I.

Any opposed? Right. 13-26 has been adopted. Moving on to 14-26, an ordinance authorizing the adoption of an agreement with the Athens City Firefighters Local 3351 and Ohio Council 8 AFS CME AFL CIO concerning wages and working conditions and declaring an emergency uh introduced by myself. This is the latest contract um that's been approved for with the uh unions for the firefighters. Uh as we discussed in council and committee in the past, this is good for the next three years with the exception of there will be a reopener for wages uh at the end of this year. Um do we have any fact can I have a motion to pass or adopt 14-26?

So moved. Second. And do we have any questions or comments regarding this from council members? And do we have any questions from the public? Uh, I would ask that we adopt 14-26. All those in favor?

Any opposed? 14-26 has been adopted. Moving on to second ordinances for second readings. Uh, I will read the titles and check in with the council members introducing them for any additions or changes. Uh, ordinance n 09-26, an ordinance authorizing the service safety director to advertise and accept bids where necessary and enter into contracts for the North Hill Water Project number 393, introduced by member Isherwood. Ordinance 19-26, an ordinance accepting the petition for annexation of approximately 1.175 acres owned by White Family Athens Property LLC on Theater Lane. Introduced by member Swank. Ordinance 20-26, an ordinance designating the zone for the White Family Athens Property LLC annexation area along Theater Lane. Introduced by member Swank.

All right. Ordinance 21-26, an ordinance reszoning 3.4773 acres on Dair Lane from an educational zone to a highdensity resident residential R3 zone. Introduced by member Swank. Ordinance 22-26, an ordinance authorizing the service safety director to execute a perpetual easement and ingress and egress for the university estates water tower and vacation of a 20 foot ingress egress easement with Atlas Ventures LLC introduced by member Isherwood. Did we do did we do uh 20 as well? I think we skipped 20.

We did 20. We didn't. Yeah, we just Yeah. Oh, okay. You just really want to hear me read more. I'm going to go back to AFL CIO. AFL CI. All right. Uh, ordinance 23-26, an ordinance amending ordinance 14-25 authorizing the annual purchase of water softening salt for the water treatment plant introduced by member Isherwood. Changes. Ordinance 27-26, an ordinance authorizing the extension of city water service and installation of a water tap beyond the corporate limits to 8666 Rock Ripple Road, introduced by member Isherwood.

No change. Uh, ordinance 28-26, an ordinance granting a special right-of-way use permit at 32 West Carpenter Mount Zion Baptist Church to place an elevator vestibule in the city's rightway along North Congress Street. introduced by member Swank. Seeing no other comments, we will move on to announcements and other business. Member Swank,

just one short one, and this probably could have come under communications, but essentially the same thing. uh received a text from a concerned Far East side um resident um Thursday or Friday about an accumulation of what's called in the industry bass carts uh which are commonly called shopping carts down on the uh far east side. Uh gave me the address of the location. I went down and checked them out. They're on Charles Street and there were approximately 20 of these carts. Um, as the son of a retired Kroger manager, I know the value of these things. They're about 800 bucks a piece. Wow.

So, you multiply 800 times 20, that's $16,000. Uh, we could ask the law director, but technically when you remove a cart from a store like that to p off off the premises to private property, it's theft.

It's theft. And I would have to ask the law director. 16,000 would probably put it into a pretty serious category of theft. Um, so talked with several of the managers of the properties down East State Street. They were thankful to find out where their carts are. They're in the process of getting them back. But I would just like to encourage the public to not remove those from the parking lots of the respective businesses because again at 800 bucks a piece, that's why clothing and groceries and those things cost what they do. the fact of what we call shrink is factored into that pricing. So please because that is theft uh leave the carts at the proper location. Thank you.

All right. Any other announcements or other business?

Just want and I probably should have brought this up in communications. Uh I just want to uh as part of my uh position as the chair of the city and safety services committee, I've been undertaking to try and get to know some of the facilities. And uh the week before last, uh Chief Rhymer was very good to meet with me at the uh um headquarters of the fire department and apprised me of the services that that department provides our city and on you know we have second reading on I believe on the on the uh union contract. I just want to publicly say how, you know, we are we have an amazing fire department and something we should be very proud of and if you haven't taken an opportunity to get a tour of the facility, um it is something that our city can be really really proud of.

Thank you. Any other comments or anything from the administration? All right. Uh moving on to an opportunity for citizens to speak on legislative items and city services not covered on the agenda. Uh, do we have anyone that would like to speak tonight? Oh my god, we both. All right, seeing no one that would like to speak, uh, can I ask for a motion to adjourn? So move. Can I have a second? Second. All those in favor? I know.