Samantha Ramsey
Athens Clarke-County Mayor Kelly Girtz speaks to University of Georgia journalism students at a news conference on April 19. Athens Clarke-County is in the process of developing their future land use plan. (Photo/Samantha Ramsey)
With the need for more housing and development in Athens Clarke-County, locals are advocating for continued access to green space, Mayor Kelly Girtz said during a news conference at the University of Georgia last Friday.
“Athens Clarke County features the greatest tree canopy of scale, of any community of 100,000 people or more in the country, and we’re really proud of that,” said Mayor Girtz.
With Athens expected to gain 30,000 new residents by 2045, the local government is currently designing the Athens Clarke-County Future Land Use Plan. The government is currently in the process of gathering public input.
Girtz said the community wants to maintain that tree canopy while still having access to the river and other areas for recreation. Additionally, the community doesn’t want to see rural land and areas be used for housing and new developments.
Among the responses collected so far, locals said they wanted to be connected to parks through trails, have water access for recreation or fishing and public green spaces.. Walkability and bike infrastructure was also a community desire.
“People have said that a variety of modes of getting around are important to them, being able to walk safely, being able to bike safely, being able to get on public transit, and also being able to get to other cities,” said Girtz.
Athens already has a greenway in place that offers 8 miles of paved trails and 3 miles of natural surface trails that can be utilized for walking and biking, according to the Athens Clarke-County Government website.
Zoe Tilley, a third-year political science major at the University of Georgia, says that she uses the greenway almost every day unless it’s raining. It’s important to Tilley to keep these green spaces open and to keep trails safe.
“It’s like one of the few spaces I feel like I can find peace and just have a moment to myself. So it’s very important,” Tilley said.
The Athens Clarke-County Future Land Use Plan Map should be drafted in May or June of this year.
Why I Wrote the Story:
Athens Clarke-County is experiencing an increase in residents, leading to discussions of new development and land usage. Mayor Kelly Girtz hosted a news conference to discuss their plans and residents’ concerns. I wrote this to highlight the voices of the community when it comes to possible changes in their town.