Athens City Council discussed Monday rezoning an area of Athens from a business zone to an m-industrial zone.
The area that is being considered for a zone change is 42 Elliot St., as well as 20, 21 and 25 Campbell St., located near Athens Mold and Machine. There has been extensive outreach to all neighbors and adjoining property owners of those properties, Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said.
Mayor Steve Patterson believes that the rezoning could help bring in new businesses as well as help other businesses expand.
“This is in an opportunity zone… it certainly affords opportunity for some other expansion in that area for manufacturing, but it also is something that will be helpful to Athens Mold & Machine where Athens Mold and Machine could bring its own supply chain closer in to their existing production,” Patterson said.
Fahl said in a previous meeting that rezoning would be beneficial because most of the area being considered for rezoning is already next to an industrial zone.
“It would actually concentrate a really core area to be manufacturing, which is a zone that we really don’t have a lot of in the city,” Fahl said.
Council also passed an ordinance that allows for a mutual aid agreement between Ohio University and the city of Athens for law enforcement assistance.
Councilwoman Sarah Grace, D-At Large, said Athens and Ohio University have had a longstanding agreement for law enforcement.
“It’s a beneficial thing in our town to have an agreement and cooperation between our two entities,” Grace said.
