by The public objected to a number of land rezoning proposals that were presented to the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission Tuesday night in order to approve plans for increasing density. Public uproar was also sparked by another special use proposal for one home to be converted into a short-term rental, or STR.
In the Rockwood, Pinecrest, and Woodlake neighborhoods, a number of local homeowners voiced opposition to rezoning, citing worries that such decisions may make their communities denser, which would increase traffic. Additionally, they were concerned that the rezoning would permit short-term rentals, which are promoted on websites such as Airbnb.
The commission and mayor agreed that the process for approving and rejecting STR rezoning petitions is inconsistent. District 2 is represented by Commissioner Melissa Link. According to her, the local government must establish uniform standards for granting STR approval.
Link expressed hope that the planning commission would step up and assist in untangling the STR beast and developing some precise standards that would guarantee they were placed in the right locations.
While the Pinecrest neighborhood’s higher-density proposal and Woodlake Drive’s short-term rental were rejected, the Rockwood neighborhood’s redistricting was accepted.
