City Council - Regular Meeting

Welcome to Athens City Council. This evening we will be meeting in council committees. The meeting will be called to order by the city council president who will then pass discussion over to a respective committee. The chair of the committee will introduce the discussion topics and provide an overview of the issues at hand. If needed, members of the administration will offer brief statements to provide further context. We will then welcome input from the community. Any citizens who wish to speak will be asked to state their name and address both verbally and on the signin sheet located at the podium. Individuals will be given one opportunity to share their thoughts and the committee chair will have the authority to limit each speaker to three minutes. Once all citizens have had the opportunity to speak within the 15-minute time period allotted for total public participation on each topic, the public comment portion will be closed. Council committee members will then continue their deliberations. There may be additional questions directed to the administration during this time. When the discussion on the topic concludes, the chair will indicate whether legislation will be introduced at the next regular session of council and move on to the next item on the agenda or adjourn the committee if their work is complete. The next committee chair will then call their committee to order, proceeding in the same manner as before. Once all committees have adjourned, city council will conclude for the evening. Hey.

It's me. Okay. Uh, welcome to our Athens City Council uh, committee meetings. Uh this is the uh city and safety services committee and the first item on our agenda is a proposed change to the bylaws of the Athens Municipal Arts Commission. And this is a proposal that would change the number of members from 7 to 9 and allow up to four of those members to reside outside the city but inside Athens County. And there would be no limitations on who can vote on what commission proposals. Um uh let's see any um administration do you want to speak to this issue? I

I can and then we'll open it up um because I know that we have a representative from AAC who's here with us tonight. Uh but you know, I've been working closely with AAC um and with Kelly Reebach talking about these changes and the need for the change um because much like the commission on disabilities looking at the workload in front of them and things that are going on and I would contend that the city of Athens uh over the course of the past 10 to 14 years has really seen an increase in public art um whether it's murals or sculptures or you know um art in the city building here in the community center and elsewhere that um AAC has been doing some wonderful work. Um and so to increase it from 7 to 9 um I think is given the workload and the things that are out there is is more than reasonable. Uh and again in having thinking through this um I see so I'm gonna take out my crystal ball just for a second. I see in the future, whatever that future looks like, there possibly being um either uh a joint Athens, Athens County Municipal Arts Commission or I would strongly encourage the county to think about having their own arts commission if that's what they choose to do currently. That's not something that's being discussed. Um but you know with having um interested parties from within Athens and beyond you know I'm fine with that you know to have five individuals who reside in the city of Athens to include if they reside in the city of Athens um individuals who are either uh MFA or BFA candidates at the college of fine arts moving forward or the the Chattak Morrow College of Fine Arts. Uh moving forward in time is highly encouraged on my part because we have had a number of

undergraduate graduate students serve on various boards and commissions from the in the city of Athens. Uh but also having individuals who reside outside of the Athens is is in my opinion is fine as well. Um because at the end of the day, we're trying to make our city and I would contend the county as well to be as attractive and interesting to people because you only get one first impression and a lot of it is our arts. The art that we have is really has that wow factor. Um I know when I'm traveling across the US or abroad, it is those kinds of elements that catch you off guard and go, "Man, that's really pretty cool." Whatever that is. Um usually it's art. So that said, um I'm I'm gonna turn it back to you and

do you have anything else to add? Okay. And then uh any other members from the public and then uh members of the committee.

Okay. Um if there's no objection, uh we'll propose that this moves forward to full uh council uh next week for consideration of first reading. Okay, seeing no objection, we can do that. Uh, and the second issue on our agenda, we are going to postpone as more uh discussion and and information is needed before uh the committee isn't really going to be in a position to to discuss that. So, um that ends uh city and safety services committee.

Okay, next committee planning and development. We'll do the shift of people's seating. Sorry. I wouldn't say anything. Okay. Tonight we just have one topic, DORA. Uh there actually going to be two parts to this, but uh just one topic this evening. Uh the Ohio Revised Code requires all cities who enter into a DORA designation to do a review every 5 years. Um so that's one of the things we're going to be discussing tonight. The second part of that is uh we've had a request to expand the current DORA area. So let's let's start with the review. Um and I'm going to ask member member Thomas to uh to chime in on this also. Uh so far, um we have talked to the Athens police chief and if you'll indulge me, I will read you his uh concise and precise uh response to my question about the DORA over the last 5 years. Council member Swank, since Dora has begun, we have not had a single issue. I truly don't see anything that needs to be impa improved or any concerns. The best thing we can do is keep the door dates as is. Sorry for the short response, but it truly has not been an issue for the police department. Thanks, Chief Nick McGrder. Um, second part is, um, member Thomas put together a very, very nice survey which has begun to circulate and, uh, member Thomas, I'd turn it over to you to give us a little bit of an update on that.

Yeah, thank you. Um, I've sent this out to uh the visitors bureau, the chamber, um, a couple of the people I had contacts with at uh, the tavern association, um, and then all members of council today. Just a brief survey just with some various questions on participation, thoughts, you know, some blank areas where people can add notes. U, we've got about eight responses so far, so we're just gathering that just to get inpoint and they're input input. Um, and they are anonymous or you can add a name. So, either one is is fine. And yeah, and we'll see if we can get this somewhere easy for people to find on the website.

Very good. That's two of the boxes we felt we needed to check. One with our law enforcement and one with the affected uh business owners in the area. The third uh is required by the state OC uh Lisa Lias and our law director checked on this and that is we need to have a public hearing. Um, if we uh decide tonight to to schedule that hearing, the earliest it would appear in the paper would be this Saturday, which would allow us to to do the public hearing on Monday, June the 1st. Um, so let's first go to the community or excuse me, to the administration and then the community and then back for any discussion we have here. Mr. Mayor,

um, Council Member Swank, um, thank you for doing the work that you did on this and getting those that information. And again, I I concur um because I'm very familiar with the DORA and even the expansion that happened in 2024. The uh again, no incidents um even side comments that I often hear from individuals that there's never been an issue with DORA. Um, I I know that uh, Council Member Swank, you and I have had conversations within the past 12 months or so of thinking of kind of opening things up for graduation weekend. Uh, we haven't quite gotten there, but, you know, constantly sitting there thinking, how can we continue to look at the DORA and use the DORA? Um, and and really for the community to be using the Dora. um highly successful, highly effective during the summer months when our population is almost cut in half um with those who are still here. But we're still promoting people to come into our uptown businesses if they so choose, you know, within the door of footprint or on the addition of the um Stimson Avenue extension all the way down to Jackie's tap room and the fire station headquarters. You know, again, it's uh there has been no issues uh only positives in in what I've experienced. I will also add, and I think you've got information to this as well, uh and so I'll reserve that for you, but the city of Athens is the point of sale for the Dora cups by statute, um by OC. uh it has you have to have a a cup that's clearly designated as a DORA vessel for getting uh an adult beverage or beverage from a participating venue within the footprint. Um and I'm I'm going to leave it to you to kind of talk through what that has looked like

over the past five years that we've had the store in place. Um but again um no issues no issues with the purchasing of the cups that are applicable to the door of footprint when the doors door goes live. Just been good. Thank you. Any members of the public? If you would share your name and address for the record and uh Debbie will push the button for three minutes.

I won't take three minutes. I promise. Uh Amy Delich, 124 Morris Avenue. I actually just wanted to make sure and it sounds like the uh council members or committee members have received my husband's Rob Delich's emailed uh comments on Dora which uh it sounds like you're going to address in this next few minutes which include potentially expanding to a greater number of dates uh at least looking at the experience of other college oriented towns like Kent and Oxford uh which have had a year-round dora No, no issues. Also looking at the potential geographic expansion to include the Westside Cider House uh distillery manufacturing facility, Miller's Chicken area. And then also uh he had suggested the possibility of uh targeting some of those DORA funds for community events, community development. Uh, I will say that the the Uptown Dora kickoff um just to get a stage and sound system for that is going to cost more than the whole rest of Porchfest combined over two days. So, um, having a little bit of Dora funds to be able to help contribute to those things would be great. Um, and then the other thing I will add just from my own uh perspective is that I really like the recyclable aluminum Dora cups uh as opposed to utilizing plastic and I hope that we continue with that. Thank you.

Thank you. The other members of the community today.

Okay, back to the committee. Um, couple things. The mayor alluded to this just to give you an idea of the amount of money we're talking about. 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Uh the total revenue of from the sale of the cups from the city to the various business owners, $35,764. Uh the expenses for us to buy those cups over that same 4-year period, $23,91. So, in all told, uh we're not talking about a tremendous amount of money here. This is not a six figure uh uh revenue thing. It's $11,862. So when you divide that over four years, that's less than $3,000 a year. Uh and that money is used for some uptown things. It does go into the general fund, one of which is the arts and music festival we host each year on Union Street generally in August. Uh and and uh Mr. Lockett, you're absolutely right. Uh stages and things of that nature do cost a lot of money. So, this helps offset some of those things for those scheduled events. Uh, it's ironic both member Thomas and I within a matter of hours requested these figures from the auditor and uh auditor was in today and was very uh was very prompt in getting those back to us. But we're talking about a net gain of about $11,800. So, in terms of the money, that's that background. Um, we need to have a hearing. So before we say yay yay or nay on this hearing comments from other members of the committee please

all I would say is that I I I the sentiments that have been expressed so far about your time's up I'm done that now that the door has been a great success has been very well received by the community has added and enhanced the uptown events that um that the city is getting a really positive reputation for for hosting. Uh I I think the expansion that is proposed that I'm sure we can talk about here in a minute um to add to the porch fest on the west side uh those extra community events. I think this is a tremendous thing that I'm very supportive of moving forward. Okay. Thank you, Megan. anything

I was just going to add to when we were talking about the revenue out of that money also is paying for the cups um the signs that we have made for the boundaries that tend to get damaged in some areas stickers things like that and with the aluminum cups that price is going to get higher so um yeah not not a lot of money to put it on every year but yeah and a lot of city labor that goes in It's my ring. I just turned mine off. Do Do you know why there's the spike in 2024 revenue?

Yeah, ex exactly. Um Oh, no, we do not. But I I can I can address why the expense is lower in 2023. That's almost the same thing then. Okay. Car carryover of cups. Yeah.

Yeah. Carry of over of cups. Uh one of And I'm not sure the spike. We can inquire. Um I don't know if there were more events that year or what the case may have been but the carryover cups uh is why we had less uh less of an expense. There is one other thing and from a purely um selfish standpoint in terms of city council's time by having the DORA and also the time and expense for business owners. This relieves them and us of having to get a liquor permit for each and every one of these events. It really streamlines the process. So, it's a it's a gesture that fellow council members extend to business owners in doing that and in the long run it saves us all a lot of time and and uh and expense. Um, so do I hear a consensus that we should schedule this hearing? We have to do it. So, okay. So, clerk Walker, if you could get that in a paper of general circulation Saturday, schedule it for June the 1. Great. Okay. The second part of this, uh, we had an a request, um, a for mentioned, uh, West End Tavern, West Insider House to be included in the Dora. And Ryan, if you'd be so kind as to show us the map. All right. What we see in pink is the original Dora from way back in the very beginning. Uh, that vertical pink is essentially Court Street. We then extended the door in the green shade down Stimson Avenue um you know all the way down uh to the roundabout and what is being requested or suggested is now adding the blue part and that represents the west cider house area and a thin blue line along Bired and then out to Union connecting to the pink. So this would be one contiguous

Dora. Um, we are checking with uh Gerald Balderson uh our city engineer uh to make sure we can do this because there are OC acreage caps on how big a door can be. So, what we're talking about this evening is extending the door down in that area where Schaefer and uh that would be what? West Washington uh intersect and also over to the distillery, the old Athens electric uh uh motor uh company, which is now the distillery associated with the West End Cider House. So, the original was the pink, the first edition was the green, the next proposed edition is the blue. And we, the mayor and I were talking about as we walked in, we've been very intentional in this. Rather than trying to bite off a whole bunch and hoping it works, we have taken it one step at a time. And uh so far so good as you heard from the comments from the public and fellow council members and also through the chief of police. Uh Mr. Mayor, comments on this proposed and requested uh extension of the DORA?

No, I think Council Member Swanky summed it up very well. It's again the request came in, heard it loud and clear. uh we had to really be strategic as to how we we connected them. So again on this slide, it's difficult to see that fine blue line that goes basically from Smith Street at the the little mini roundabout on West Union and goes all the way up like you said along Bayard to and Tatalinos is also included in this. Okay. Yeah, I was going to

We did reach out to other businesses um that are near uh but because of what they sell and the size of their establishment, they they said that they would rather not, which is a business's prerogative. Um you could either do it by just requesting not to be part of DORA, yet you're still in the Dora footprint, which is the case on on Court Street. Um, not every establishment is, you know, has the sticker in their window or we used to have a sticker in their window um, saying that they were basically Dora friendly, but yeah, members of the public,

members of the committee, I'm I'm going to extend it to Megan first because this is in Ward One and see if you have any comments or things you'd like to add to this before we uh move to other members of the committee?

Um I I personally don't have any concerns. It makes sense to expand uh into that section of the west side. um they already there really kind of coexist those businesses and it's just kind of this little network that happens anyways with bringing food into the cider house from like Miller's Chicken or um so I think yeah I think it'll be a nice addition support our local businesses kind of draw the community in a different capacity and yeah I like it and thinking of folks that I know on the west side just off the top of my head I feel like they would be supportive of this as well. So,

very good. Thank you, member Thomas.

Um, I really have more of a an observation question because I was when I was looking at this, you know, it's it's not the most natural path to get to that area from uptown and from where people generally are. And the new rules from the Department of Commerce are you only have to have two permitted spaces to have a Dora. Would it make more sense to have that be a second one that doesn't have to be attached? Um, we are limited to two doors in the city because of our population anyway. But I just I I mean, and I'm not really one way or the other. It was just something that I was looking at. The acreage is 320 and I feel like this might be outside of that. Um, but if we wanted to still be able to have it in that same blue area where the businesses actually are instead of like the kind of path you're hoping people take, it could be a second door location that is of its of its own and still connect all those businesses. Um, and it used to be four permitted places, but the new regulations are two, which makes that viable as a discussion.

Go ahead, please. Uh, thank you, Councer Thomas. You know, we have been thinking about that there's other opportunities in the not too distant future to create a full-blown second DORA in the city. Um, and I think to think about possibly looping that in with the existing Dora, you know, now or in the future and having the one over where it would be currently, the Cider House and the distillery. Um and then maybe Tavalenos if they decided to get a liquor permit and sell alcohol. I don't know. I don't know if they do or not right now. Yeah, I don't think I think it's B. I don't know.

Um it would be a really small Dora. Mhm. Um because there is really internal um small conversations being taken or taking place to where with the potential not the potential I shouldn't call it that with the ridges development in the future to where there could with the U and some other entities on the south side of the city creating a second separate DORA. I will share this too. This is a lesson learned with downtown redevelopment districts or DRDS. Mhm.

Those are much much smaller. They're 10 acres. And one of the lessons learned in some of our early DRDs was we thought, you know, that that by using an entire street to get from point A to point B to connect a historic building with a downtown redevelopment district, which you have to have as a historic building. um that we end up end up not running a foul but but having ODOD sit there and say no the entire street counts. So that thin blue line that you saw that runs between Harold Laughlin's you know properties

on Bayard um it would just be I know it's hard to see it's just the acreage of that sidewalk from Smith and West Union all the way up to capturing then the the the darker blue area. Um, I feel pretty confident that that fits within the acreage we're allowed for that single DRD. That will probably come pretty close to tapping that one out or being its full size and then reserving that second one for something that could in the future end up developing to be larger. Um, yeah. I mean, that's 10 years out, but it is. No,

I mean it does seem like you're getting less restrictive with these things, but I mean that's a fair point, too. I mean, yeah. According to uh the email I received from the city planner today, we're currently at 50.8 acres. Yeah, that's it. So, it's just the street sidewalk. And and yes, and and uh um the request was made that uh uh Jared Balderson, our our city engineer, um figure out what the acreage is the mayor's talking about by Thursday of this week. Seems like probably plenty.

Yeah. Do you want though that is part of the reason you want to be able to if you're down on um you know you're down on the area down I'm trying to think what the street is on Union Street that you decide you want to go to an event where you said we're going to go to the cider house now you can bring your door a cup and you can walk on by and you're not breaking any law then right but if you have a situation where you have no connection you're going to have a situation where someone without realizing they've walked past one of those signs that says no beer pass here, you're going to actually violating an open carry law. Is that is that the reason why we want to make sure that there's a connector?

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. Because you can only have that Dora cup with if you have, you know, an alcoholic beverage in it within the door's footprint. And we've never had issue with that either. I mean, I'm glad you brought that up. Yeah. But again, I'm going to fall back to our amazing police department and they've just never had an issue during the times in which the DORA is live, which is basically graduation weekend or soon to be graduation weekend through the last event in the summer, which typically is the Athens Arts and Music Festival for that.

Other comments by members of the committee? Clerk Walker. Um, will we need because I was trying to read through all the emails and I wasn't clear on this. Will we need two hearings? No, just one. One hearing could cover both topics and we've already agreed that we'll have that hearing on uh June the 1st.

Okay. All right. Very good. That concludes Planning and Development Committee. Uh, member Clattfelder, Transportation. Tonight, the the Athens City Council Transportation Committee has one item, and that item is that we've received kind of a late application for one more um street closure related to a community festival. Unlike the others that came in kind of after the deadline, those were for events in August. This one is for May 17th. So, um, we have time, but um, if this comes out of committee next week at the full council meeting, we're going to have to suspend just so they have the information. But this is an application from Art Orike, uh, the owner of Jackie O's for what will be the finale of the Near East Side Porchfest on Sunday, May 17th. This will be the third year in a row that Jackie O's on Jackie's Tap Room um, on the Near East Side has hosted the finale. And on the two previous years, I think they have set the first year they set their all-time Sunday attendance record and then the second year they beat that record. So, lots of people have been coming and he just wants to have more space and he may do something outside um just to spread people out a bit. So, um Art Orike is is requesting to have if you can imagine you're on Stimson going out of town uh toward the roundabout and the fire station. This is all off to the right. The street that runs from Stimson to well for you from Stimson to Jackie O is Grant. And then the street that wraps around and goes right in front of Jackie Os is Campbell.

And he would like to have all of that block of Grant um on the what the north side of Stimson I think. Um south side

excuse me the south side of Stimson. would like to have that closed and a bit of Campbell that goes well Campbell which runs parallel to Stimson in front of his establishment. Just that part and he would like them to be closed um from 300 p.m. Well, the event he is wanting would would involve the closure from 3:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, May the 17th. He's actually asking for the street to be closed by 10:00 a.m. for setup, and saying that the street can be reopened to traffic at 11 p.m., an hour after the close of the event. And he's estimating there could be as many as 250 people there. And he will be requesting um an F2 alcohol permit from the state of Ohio. So any for the event itself

is in the door. Yeah. He in the door. Okay. So, we can tell him Andrew Chicky can tell him he doesn't need to do that, but he he's being thorough. Yeah. So, um any comments? I I've looked at the plan. Um it will still keep um the uh VFW will be fine. That's their neighbor right down there on Campbell Street. So, access in and out of that facility. It won't be impacted at all. It'll basically be um you know barricaded you know I'm sure it's saworse saw horse

barricades that will go up or something um right from the western edge of Jackie O's property the tap room as you indicated then it's going to continue to grant up to Stimson Avenue um you know in my opinion that works with the parking arrangement that is that is there to where people can actually you know loop back and head back if they thought they were going to be um migrating down Campbell and on to Grant Street to get on to Stimson or something like that. Yeah.

So, but we'll make sure we message it enough. You know, again, I'm fine with it. And to to the question that came up, you know, I I know uh I know Art is thorough, but again, I I will reach back out to him and say, "Well, it's in the DORA, so do you really need an F2 permit?" But that's for him to decide one way or the other. Uh but it does fall within the existing Stimson Avenue DORA to be able to to uh have alcohol served in that area. Any would any members of the public like to comment?

Hi Morris Avenue. I am one of the lead organizers of Porchfest, uh secretary of the nonprofit organization that puts on Porchfest and I want to thank you for considering this. I think just as a safety matter, it's a really good idea to do this closure. Uh that's a constricted, tight area. I would be shocked if we have as few as 250 people there. Frankly, I expect that reasonably we can expect at least twice that in that fairly small geographic area. In addition to having one of the most popular Athens bands, the Wild Honeybees, we're going to have an international recording star who has quite an Athens following due to his having performed at Nelsonville, etc. and demar. So, this is going to be a huge event and I really, as you know from me and Rob both, we we like to keep cars and people apart as as often as we can. So, thank you very much for considering this. members of count of the committee. Member Swank,

uh I was at a uh a meeting today uh planning for all things the Fourth of July and Andrew Chicky, assistant service safety director was there. And Ryan, uh for those of you who might have been a little challenged trying to picture what member Cloudfelder was saying about this, this is what we're talking about right here. Stimson Avenue up on top. barricades would be the red on Grant and would wrap around. And as the mayor said there where it says Campbell Street in the lower left or that PBE, that's a uh that's an entrance to the parking lot there. And why that's so important to keeping open, those first two spots in the upper right there of that section are handicap spots. So that would allow people uh who uh may have some trouble getting into the site to be able to come to have access. This will also allow both uh exits to the um which will be off the screen here at the bottom left a little bit. The amvets both entrances and exits will be available there in case there would be an emergency. If one shut down, they can get in the other. So that's what he's talking about right there. Um Grant Street would be closed and then where those red lines are at the bottom, that's where the other saw horses and barricades would be. So that's that's the area we're talking about. Um Mr. strike uh called me last week about this and I suggest that he call you as chair of the transportation commission since you'll be coming through that. So that's what we're looking at.

Yeah, thank you member Swank. That's helpful. Any other members of the committee? Yes, Mr. Wood.

Uh massive fan of Forcefest. It's probably my favorite thing that happens all year. Uh I am so excited about this. Also big fan of MD Mockar. uh pick up his vinyl at your friendly local record store. Uh but yeah, this is an awesome event and I'm very happy about it. One question uh probably for Amy um is and maybe the mayor if consideration has been given to blocking off more of the streets, the side streets in general during that event as it grows. Uh it's there's sort of been a de facto shutdown just as people have spilled out into the street. Um it's been amazing to be a part of it and see that. Uh but I wonder if there's should maybe be thought to formally make that a larger project.

Yeah, we have not requested any street closures formally from uh within the near east side neighborhood. We've discussed that a little bit casually and you know been given the indication that that's probably not something that's a viable solution. We would love to at least you know in future years maybe block off small sections like there's that bit of watt that is very very narrow. Um and just because of because that's where we live and several of our neighbors are very big porchfest people. There's all there's activity in that little zone all day. there's back you could you could sit there and and see music for the entire event. Um but yeah, we have we we don't have any other formal closures planned. Um I will also add that yeah this the the bands will start at the tap room at 5:15 and continue until I believe 9:45 9:30 9:45.

Yeah. just uh generally I think you know it bears thinking about especially you know just having seen more of the interaction of the cars through that area people are super chill about it very Athens very you know uh live and let live kind of thing but I would encourage you all to think about that soon

especially as it's expanding rapidly Yeah, thank you for that. Uh, member Wood, would anyone else on the committee like to make a comment? Okay, great. Um, just for the point of clarification for the public, um, this request for the street closure is is just for Grant and uh, Campbell south of Stimson. It's not there's no request to close any part of Stimson. STSON will remain open. Um, so that concludes um, this discussion. Uh again, I will say next week I will be requesting a suspension of the rules to get this handled since the event is on May 17th. And that concludes the transportation committee. We're done.