About Flagpole. (Athens, Ga.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 4, 2000)
CONTACT US AT P.O. BOX 1027. ATHENS. CA SOSOS OR MAIL@ELACROLE.COM LETTERS MAY BE EDITED EOR STYLE, CLARITY AND SPACE CONSIDERATIONS I moved to Athens almost two months ago from Fort Collins, CO, a college town similar to Athens in size, population and demographics. I didn't, and still don't, own a car, but I never felt utterly helpless without one until I arrived in Athens. The absolute reliance and overuse of the automobile in this town is shocking. Brad Aaron's Editor's Notes (27 Sept, issue) answered questions I thought I was the only one asking. Where are the bikes? Why is it so difficult for me to get anywhere on a bike? Colorado State University, my alma mater, is smaller than UGA, but by no means is it a small university. The campus was littered with bike racks and they were always full. I can't imagine people (read: students) are so much less ecologically mindful here than in Colorado. The student body of UGA could be a powerful motivating factor in encour aging the city to provide convenient, safe bike. paths around town—but do they care? Erin Martin Athens Jt GREEN FUTURE? Thank you for Brad Aaron's article on the Athens Grow Green Coalition. We have one clari fication, and a few updates. The clarification: we advocate one-house-per-20-acres, with transfer able development rights, rather than one-house- per-10-acres. The updates: our web site (athens- growgreen.com) is now up. It includes back ground information on riparian buffer zones, the greenbelt portion of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and transferable development rights. Upcoming events include a candidates' debate on land use on Monday, Oct. 23 at the Georgia Center (co-sponsored by Flagpole) and a benefit concert, dates and acts to be announced soon. To learn more, to volunteer or to join our list- serv, send email to moderator@athensgrow- green.com. We urge everyone who cares about water quality, clean air, and preventing sprawl to call the Mayor and Commissioners about the land use plan. (See our web site.) I can't overempha size how important it is that they hear from us. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, nothing less than the future of Athens is at stake. Beth Gavrilles Athens LAND USE REDUX Some random thoughts about the new land use plan: Has anybody noticed that the largely single-family neighborhood between Milledge Avenue, Hill Street, Broad Street and the Plaza is being re-zoned from single-family to RM-1 multi family? Can you say "kiddie condo?" What will happen to families in this proud but poor neigh borhood? Remember when we eliminated the RM-2 zone which cut apartment density from 16 two- bedroom units per acre to eight two-bedroom units per acre? Have you noticed that under the new ordinance there is an RM-3 category which allows 25 two-bedroom units per acre? Have I missed a sea of change in popular opinion on this point? Admittedly, not many areas are zoned this way under the proposed map, but how long 'til the developers whine that their RM-1 property will be "taken' unless they can get a rezone to RM-3? If it's in the ordinance, they'll sue for it and might win. A greenbelt is nice, but has anyone analyzed the effect of this plan on the poor and working poor of our community? Will there be land avail able under the new plan to allow construction of decent and affordable new single-family housing, or will it all be gobbled up in greenbelt? Why must houses in new subdivisions be built only of brick and wood? Are we dooming much of our community to a continued existence in substan dard housing with nowhere to go? Is this the New Urbanism or Reverse Urban Renewal? Are we creating a class of landed gentry who luxuriate in the greenbelt at the expense of the urban poor? The New Feudalism? Why has there been such a lackadaisical effort to encourage clustering (and higher den sity) in greenbelt zones? Is anyone doing quality control? Shouldn't the staff "road test" the impact of the new ordi nance and map designations on various seg ments of the community? For example, can small and start-up businesses comply with the rig orous design standards? What is the impact of multifamily rezoning on single family neighbor hoods? Do the regs really work for charitable and religious institutions? Above all, is the Planning Department adequately staffed to handle the increased administrative load that will result, or will there be a de-facto moratorium as the staff struggles to cope with its new system? The proposed ordinance has much going for it, and stream buffers, design guidelines and greenbelts must be a part of it. I fear, however, that there remain serious, non-ideological issues which will have intractable long term effects if not dealt with now. Let's have a serious discus sion without the hyperbole. Hap Hazard Athens CREENWAV O.K. A disservice was done to the Flagpole reader- ship in a Sept. 27 editorial concerning the trestle issue through a misunderstanding of what the Oconee Rivers Greenway Commission and the North Oconee River Greenway functions are. The Commission is made up of volunteer pri vate citizens, and our Athens-Clarke County gov ernmental charter charges us with the responsi bility of developing a plan for a river-oriented greenway system within the county, the primary purpose of which is the protection of the natural resources of all the waterways in the county. We are an advisory group for the government, and nowhere in our charter is mention made of alter native transportation. Greenway cyclists should have no "trouble negotiating the North Oconee River Valley" for at least that portion of the valley where the first phase of the Greenway is now complete, as bicycle access was planned for that stretch from the start, and the greenway runs parallel to watercourses, unlike trestles which cross them. Department of Transportation funds would not have been granted to ACC were we not able to demonstrate that the Greenway provides trans portation to and from places, in the case of the first phase, from downtown Athens to the Sandy Creek Nature Center. After the first phase is com pleted, opened and used by cyclists, joggers, and others just walking, I doubt it will be seen by users as "a meandering sidewalk with no prac tical function as a transportation corridor". To take a cheap shot at the Greenway, as was done in the editorial, does little for encouraging the cooperation of various citizen groups in raising the quality of life for Athens citizens. To be most effective in achieving this goal, groups interested in alternative transportation issues should seek formal recognition by the Athens- Clarke County government through a charter to function as an advisory commission to that body, as our volunteer citizen group did when we got serious about the need for protecting our riverine resources. Chris Canalos Athens I & J FLEA MARKET Georgia's BIGGEST and BEST 5 BIG BUILDINGS, 750 Outside Tables Under Trees • 500 Inside Spaces 3 Great Restaurants • Bargains Galore New Open Air Shed! 4 miles north of Athens on Hwy. 441 14 miles south of Commerce & I-85 706-613-2410 TABLES: Outside $5/day Shed $6/day Open Every Saturday - Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. DESIGNERS AND MAKERS OF FINE JEWELRY SINCE 1975 546,8826 125 EAST CLAYTON SJREET city salon o spa 196 alps rd. (beechwood promenade) open 7 days a week • 552-1515 hair • nails • skin care • spa services • massage make-up • reflexology • waxing • aromatherapy RjunRunners I DOWNTOWN ATHENS Monday-Saturday 4pm-2am MON-FRI HAPPY HOUR 4-7PM $1.00 Off Everything WEDNESDAY NIGHT AFTER 10PM $2.75 16-oz. Strawberry Snapple Iced Teas THURSDAY HAPPY HOUR ALL DAY LONG NATURAL LIGHT ALWAYS $1.00 RUM RUNNERS ALWAYS $2.00 400 E. Clayton St. 369-8622 Detox This Undetectable is an understatement. • The Stuff • Urine Luck • QuickTabs ObeRrwse □ FLAGPOLE OCTOBER 4, 2000
