ATHENS, Ohio — Over 50 people attended an open house on Tuesday where the City of Athens and engineering consultants collected feedback from the public on proposed changes to city code.
The city is early in the process of having American Structurepoint issue recommendations for potential neighborhood corridor overlay zoning, as well as a general code audit.
Overlay zoning adds a layer of regulation to existing zoning codes within a designated area. They often are used to set specific requirements for development to protect habitats, preserve historic districts or to offer incentives for building in a particular area.
The city already has two overlay zones: the Uptown Historic District and the Wellhead Protection Area. The historic district “sets standards for how renovations or facade work on our historic uptown building to be reviewed,” as well as sets design standards, said City Planner Meghan Jennings.
The wellhead protection area, located on the West side, allows the city to “maintain and monitor our drinking water safety,” she told the Independent. An aquifer is located nearby, so “that overlay zone was created in order to protect that water source.”
Jennings said the city hopes that any potential corridor overlay zone(s) would facilitate neighborhood improvements for both residents and businesses.
Jennings told the Independent that possible locations for the new neighborhood corridor overlay zones include East State Street near the Village Bakery and Kindred Market; the south side of Richland Avenue; and the area around the intersection of West State and Shafer streets.
“Maybe in the future it would be West Union Street and Columbus Road,” she added.
Jennings said involving the public early in the process was important to ensuring that residents’ concerns were heard before the consultants got started.
“We didn’t want to have language drafted for [residents] to respond to, because it already automatically kind of closes off the conversation,” Jennings told the Independent. “We’ve not really had that type of engagement before comprehensive planning, and so this really was kind of a fresh start for us to get back in engaging with the public on what they need in their neighborhood.”
Open house
At the open house, the city and American Structurepoint gathered feedback using interactive poster boards, answering questions and talking with the public.
American Structurepoint Project Manager David Baird said American Structurepoint began its work by evaluating the city’s Stimson Avenue corridor plan.
“The city wanted to reach out and say, ‘Well, are there other areas in town where this approach might make sense?’” he said.
Baird said that while the city has a number of existing plans and has made some changes to its codes, “There hasn’t really been a real effort to engage people when there’s a change in the code. And so that’s really what we’re trying to do here … from a conceptual standpoint.”
He said the consultants had already met with some stakeholders several times — such as “developers,” “city staff,” “county staff,” and owners of local businesses including Casa Nueva, Jackie O’s, Prokos Rentals and the Village Bakery — and had held more sessions earlier that day for business owners in existing corridors “to kind of share with us their experiences and their concerns.”
He acknowledged that some business owners were unable to meet that day, “so we are going to be scheduling virtual sessions,” he said. He invited local business owners to contact American Structurepoint to schedule those sessions.
Resident Cody Sigmon asked how the city could use zoning to “help us to attract and retain local business development, as opposed to more money to external developers?”
Baird explained that code modifications had the potential to make regulations more friendly to businesses. “One of the things we’ve heard from stakeholders is that parking requirements are potentially an impediment, and that’s something you guys can give us feedback about,” he said.
Noah Clouse asked if the city and consulting group would be working with any “external investors,” regarding the overlay zones, to which Baird and Jennings said no.
Planning commission member Chris Knisely asked which corridors of the city would be potential sites for overly zones. American Structurepoint Planning and Economic Development Group Leader Matthew O’Rourke said that the city wants to set up overlays in areas where the residential and commercial meet; those “nexus.”
”We don’t even know which ones are going to end up in the ultimate final product,” Baird said. “That’s one of the questions we’re here to ask.”
Another attendee asked if building height limits would be something the consultants consider in overlay zones, for construction of future developments; Baird said yes, though each overlay zone could have its own height limits, rather than the same across the city.
Lorraine McCosker asked how the city and consultants keep in mind the city’s urban tree canopy and sustainability plans, especially in regards to small businesses.
“I think we’re starting to get into some specifics here that we don’t have the answers to yet, because we’re just starting,” O’Rourke replied. “This might be a good time to start thinking about getting around the boards and starting to have more in-depth conversations.”
The consultants repeatedly stressed that the public forum is an early step in their process: “There’s no developments. There’s nothing proposed,” O’Rourke said. “This is about creating a regulatory framework that basically provides guidance to those folks when they do come here.”
Planning commission meeting
At an Athens Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday, American Structurepoint representatives discussed what they gathered from the previous night’s open house.
A recurring theme, Baird said on Wednesday, was walkability. “In this context, we’re thinking about: ‘How do we create a regulatory environment to encourage private property be part of that?’” he told the commission.
American Structurepoint is also conducting a general code audit to make the code more “user friendly” and reduce redundancies.
Board of Zoning Appeals Chair Rob Delach, who attended the open house, spoke in support of the proposed neighborhood corridor overlay zone(s) at Wednesday’s meeting.
“I’ve seen firsthand that the B-3 zoning [residential multi-family] — and this is really talking about the overlay part of this discussion — has failed us,” Delach said. “We need to relook at this, and we’re going in the right direction here, and I really want to encourage that.” He pointed to recent business redevelopment in the Stimson area that caters more to car traffic, rather than pedestrians.
Baird said that kind of specific feedback was helpful.
“What I take away from a comment like that is, we need to take a look at the B-3 zoning as part of the code audit,” Baird said. “Very targeted responses like that are excellent.”
What’s to come
American Structurepoint previously worked on the city’s Stimson Avenue corridor plan, Jennings said. When the subject of an overlay zone for that neighborhood came up, she said, she realized that the tool could be used in many places in the city.
“I saw the opportunity to apply those same goals on other corridors throughout Athens, because the [Stimson Avenue] corridor plan had very specific recommendations,” Jennings said. “That’s when we decided to bring in American Structurepoint again to help us lead the initiative.”
According to a public record obtained by the Independent, the city signed a contract, quoted for $45,000, in October 2024 for the city’s planner to begin work with American Structurepoint.
According to Athens City Auditor Kathy Hecht, “This appropriation was included in the annual 2025 budget ordinance. It was approved by the council but not as an individual line item.” The total is also below the state’s $77,250 bidding threshold, she noted.
According to purchase orders provided by Hecht, via public records request, the city has spent $6,820 thus far.
American Structurepoint is also working with Chillicothe to review its land development codes, according to its website. At the open house, the consultants shared that they’ve also worked with Troy, Ohio, and Detroit.
Jennings said that while there are no plans to host another open house like Tuesday’s, the planning commission will continue to share updates and information on its neighborhood corridor overlay zone website, including the Feb. 18 open house presentation. She also encouraged residents and business owners alike to contact her if they would like to participate in upcoming virtual stakeholder sessions.
The city and American Structurepoint are collecting feedback on the proposed neighborhood corridor overlay zones via survey.
After the survey closes in about a month, Jennings said, American Structurepoint will begin working on proposed changes to code, and draft language for the proposed overlay zone(s). She said she would also like to compile a summary report to share with the public on the feedback the city received.
“I was just really encouraged by how much people do want to be engaged — and our consultants were encouraged by that, too, and really grateful, because it just means that the end product will be better and will serve Athens better,” Jennings said.
The next Athens Planning Commission meeting will be held Wednesday, March 5 at 11:30 a.m. in city council chambers, at 8 E. Washington St. in Athens.
