Policy Analysis Report: A Look Back at ACC Commission Activities in November

This is Cole Hendricks, the co-lead for policy analysis at API. Our center members continued to look at the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Commission’s activities to achieve a better understanding of what the commission did during the month of November as it pertains to the topics covered by API’s other centers. The following is what they found relative to each subject.

Criminal Justice by Max Swain

Additionally, the ACC Commission had policy proceedings connected to the field of criminal justice and social equity during the month of November. The Commission approved a waiver of water and wastewater connection fees for the Bray Street affordable housing project. This waiver reduces development costs for the income-restricted housing units, which in turn is intended to support long-term affordability for future residents. The vote represents a continuing effort to reduce economic barriers associated with housing access in Athens-Clarke County.

The Commission also approved a resolution to discontinue the issuance of mobile home decals, transitioning manufactured homes to the standard property-tax and code compliance framework used for other residential structures.While primarily administrative, this change shifts the regulatory structure for mobile home properties and alters how enforcement and compliance procedures are carried out moving forward.

Education by Max Swain

During the November 4th meeting, the Commission approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University System of Georgia Board of Regents for Cooperative Extension services. Cooperative Extension provides education programs for ACC residents, including youth development opportunities such as 4-H, agricultural and environmental learning, and family and consumer science support. The MOU outlines operational responsibilities between the ACC government and the Board of Regents to ensure that these programs continue to be accessible across the community.

This action standardizes ongoing support for local educational outreach and maintains the structure that allows Cooperative Extension programming to operate in Athens-Clarke County.

Economic Development by Jordan Smith

The ACC plans to revitalize downtown Athens’s College Square into a more walkable accessible area for pedestrians. Specifically, they plan to construct a pedestrian plaza in collaboration with the Athens Downtown Development Authority (ADDA) on College Avenue. This project is to be funded with revenue from the Transportation Special-Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) and from local funds.

The initiative will extend the Parking Management Agreement in order finance the project, estimating a cost of $1,500,000 in supplemental and contingency funding. The pedestrian plaza will include improved paving, removing barriers, enhanced seating, lighting, and storm water improvements.

This overall improves connectivity to downtown and UGA’s north campus, and satisfies a provision from the ACC’s Future Land Use Plan that aims to “redevelop corridors or nodes that are ripe for transformation.”

Healthcare by Jordan Smith

The ACC Commission voted to offer funding for the Foodbank of Northeast Georgia due to the government shutdown limiting the level of financial support the bank received. During the shutdown, the bank predicted an increase in the amount of resources foodbank recipients will need if the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits ended on November 1st 2025. The commission proposed $150,000 in financial aid, and this money would come from the ACC government's Fiscal Year 2026 contingency funds (money set aside for emergencies or unexpected expenses). The bank expects a loss of up to $500,000 in resources due to higher demand after the temporary pause of SNAP benefits, and $150,000 covers 30% of their shortfall.

This action is in accordance with ACC’s Fiscal Year 26-Fiscal Year 28 strategic plan goal of “closing gaps in partnership with the community,” which includes developing outreach programs to provide both information and resources to those with the highest need. ACC government staff are verifying if ARPA funds can offset the use of the contingency funds.

Housing by Tanish Karnala

In the 2 most recent agenda-setting sessions, the mayor and commission have discussed many proposals regarding housing. 2 topics have been raised that have serious implications for housing, and Athens-Clark County will be explored throughout this article. A common theme for both topics is the challenge of balancing growth while preserving community.

The biggest point of contention was Item 27, the temporary emergency data center moratorium, which will last until March 2026 and prevent new construction while giving the commission time to develop more concrete zoning regulations for data centers. The debate was sparked by a proposal from Reynolds Capital to build a data center on its Athena Studios Property. The business has been facing pressures from a shrinking movie industry in Georgia and writer strikes, forcing the company to shift to AI Chatbots. Such development should be possible under its Employment-Industrial zoning. However, such regulations are 25 years old and do not adequately consider data centers, drawing scrutiny from opponents. Mayor Kelly Girtz mentioned that data centers are “unique,” requiring a “specific code language written around it (Flagpole).”

Similar discussions have occurred throughout Georgia as the state legislature has approved incentives for data center development, but the strain on water and electricity, and concerns of environmental pollution, have resulted in many cities issuing moratoriums. The BBC published an article on the construction of a Meta data center in rural Georgia and its effects on locals, who face water shortages and higher utility prices. The growing challenges local governments pose to large technology companies that require data centers to run their online services and develop AI. Nationally, pushback from communities has blocked or delayed $64 billion in data center projects.

A mixed-use redevelopment proposal of the Homewood Hill Shopping Center was also debated. Carter USA, the developer, argued that their proposal would be much much-needed investment in the area and create 233 apartment and townhome units with 633 parking spaces. The developer also has a track record of similar mixed-use developments throughout the Southeast. The proposal calls for the demolition of the rear commercial space (~46,000 sq. ft.), while maintaining the front retail space (~92,000 sq. ft.). Supporters argued in favor of redevelopment and demolishing outdated commercial buildings, while opponents raised concerns regarding the aging sewer infrastructure in the area and increased traffic (The Red and Black). The sewer concern is a major one as it currently overflows in heavy rains.

Another important item was the new restrictions on (STR) Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) in multi-family home residential zones. This decision was made to reduce the impact of shortages in the Athens housing market due to investors prioritizing long-term ownership over investment purposes. This debate is a part of Athens-Clark County’s ongoing battle against the financialization of housing, which drives homelessness and drives up prices for both students and workers. This decision prevents the use of Special Use permits to use Residential Multifamily housing for STR. Overall, these two commission meetings display the attempts by both residents and elected officials to address the challenges of a growing Athens while balancing growth and expansion.

Sustainability by Zoe Cannon

In November, the mayor and commission extensively addressed sustainability concerns, including renewable energy and water usage in Athens-Clarke County. The commission approved a SPLOST solar initiative project that involved installing solar panels at Fire Station #9 to reduce energy use and utility costs while advancing renewable energy usage and sustainability goals. The Public Utilities Department also put forward a new concept for raw water conveyance for approval. ACC currently gets the community’s drinking water from the Middle and North Oconee Rivers and the Bear Creek Reservoir. However, nearby counties also withdraw water from those sources, and demand has been increasing in recent years due to growing populations. The EPA additionally stated that there is likely to be an increase in drought severity in Georgia based on climate data trends, further underscoring the need for extra raw water storage.

Citing these water supply concerns and possibilities of droughts, the Public Utilities proposal recommends that the county develop infrastructure to pump water from the North Oconee River at the existing Beacham Water Treatment Plant to a new water reservoir. Thus, in times of drought, water could be pumped back from the reservoir to the water treatment plant for use. The reservoir could also be used to recycle water in the future, thereby maximizing water usage. The timeline for the concept includes infrastructure design bids and design approvals in 2026, construction bids in 2029, and project work starting around 2030. They anticipate the project to be completed by the spring of 2035, ensuring ACC’s drought resilience for decades to come.