Mayor vetoes zoning ordinance

Wednesday, Dec. 13. Mayor Doc Eldridge announced at a 3 pm press conference today that he has vetoed the Commission's Dec. 5 adoption of the Zoning Ordinance for Athens-Clarke County. The veto means that the current zoning will remain in effect until a new ordinance is enacted, unless the Commission overrides the veto. The Commission can vote whether to override the Mayor's veto at its next meeting. An override would require 7 Commissioners' votes.

The Mayor explained that he would have preferred to veto only the section of the ordinance dealing with the AR zone, but under the Unified Government Charter could not do so.

Athens Grow Green Coalition is delighted with the Mayor's action. The veto allows time to craft a superior zoning ordinance that everyone - landowners, developers, and the community at large - can embrace. We CAN create an ordinance that protects the greenbelt, prevents sprawl, addresses the need for affordable housing, and protects the economic interests of rural property owners. Thank you, Mayor Eldridge for giving us the chance!