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Blue Heron Study
Cites Opportunity,
Financing Challenge
The proposal for a "Blue Heron" riverfront
district downtown—currently under the pur
view of the EOF after being brought forward
by board members Pete Dugas and Stephanie
Sharp—offers "a moment of remarkable oppor
tunity," says a consultant's study. Although
upbeat about the prospects of such a district,
the study says financing ($41 million for land
purchases, infrastructure, two office buildings,
a large ampitheatre, and business develop
ment loans) could be "challenging."
"The plan envisions a mixed-use district
of entertainment, museum space, retail, non-
traditional office space, an ampitheatre and
riverwalk" and could add 568 permanent jobs,
says the study by the Bleakly Advisory Group
of Atlanta. "It has the potential to bring
high-skill, high-paying jobs into the heart of
the city—a vibrant, urban,
mixed-use setting." The first
phase would be developed
on both sides of Oconee
Street, between the North
Oconee River and downtown.
A significant amount of land
in that area is already owned
by the county; but under
ground rock and steep slopes make develop
ment more difficult, the study says.
The 6,000-seat ampitheatre could host 80
concerts a year but would be expensive to
build; a cheaper plan would first build a hotel,
"research park" and retail space, and add the
ampitheatre later.
The district's mix of retail and busi
ness "can be both a major generator for the
city and significantly expand its tax base."
Funding could come from a "seat tax" on
events, a tax allocation district, parking fees,
hotel taxes, or land resale, the study says.
Substantial additional land is available for
later development.
But "the opportunity to develop the river
front as a major employment center is lost if
these 16 critical acres are converted to more
student housing," the study warns. "A brief
window of opportunity exists to achieve this
vision." ACC commissioners and EDF board
members will meet jointly to review the study
on Aug. 9.
John Huie
Funding Criteria
Put Commission,
EDF at Impasse
A majority of Athens-Clarke County com
missioners appear willing to cut funds to the
county's Economic Development Foundation if
the EDF doesn't add at least one more commis
sioner to its board. In addition to the mayor,
already a voting member, the EDF earlier this
month agreed to add one non-voting commis
sioner in an effort to compromise. That hasn't
satisfied commissioners, several indicated at
last week's agenda meeting.
"I don't think I can support further fund
ing" without additional representation on the
board, Commissioner Alice Kinman said. The
EDF's effectiveness in bring
ing new jobs to Athens has
been widely criticized, but
last year the group replaced
its director and recently has
been redefining duties and
goals. "The EDF is already
making some headway,"
Commissioner Kelly Girtz
acknowledged last week, but said commission
ers are unwilling to continue the status quo.
"It should have been done [years ago]," com
missioner Jared Bailey told Flagpole.
Commissioner Mike Hamby says he expects
the commission to lay out specific conditions
for funding at its Aug. 2 meeting: adding a
voting commissioner to EDF, producing "a
detailed business plan" and committing to
raise at least $50,000 from the private sector.
Two commissioners—Ed Robinson and
Doug Lowry—have indicated they won't vote
to cut funding. "I'm afraid of crowding out the
people who can do the best job," Robinson
said last week.
"I'm afraid the whole economic develop
ment effort is going to get knocked off the
track for the next several years because of
these political shenanigans," Lowry told
Flagpole. Economic development "needs to be
a regional thing," he said; and "not once have
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I heard ideas" from those criticizing the EDF.
Mayor Nancy Denson has also opposed defund
ing the group.
But the ball will likely be in the EDF's
court after next week's vote. If commissioners
insist on a voting seat on EDF's board—a pro
posal already rejected by the EDF earlier this
month—the foundation will have to decide
whether to relent or to forfeit a large part of
its budget. If the EDF and
commissioners can't agree,
"I guess we'd look for a way
to have a different structure"
for economic development,
Hamby says. But "the condi
tions aren't that difficult,"
he says. "I'm trying to be positive."
Commissioners will also vote on whether
to charge citizens 60 cents a month to pay for
the ongoing campaign to increase recycling—
and on how to collect that charge. Plans to
add the charge to trash collection bills (com
mercial haulers would reimburse the county)
were criticized by several commissioners; some
citizens wouldn't be billed, they said, because
they haul their own trash to the landfill. But
the new charge shouldn't just apply to citizens
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who "are easy to find," Commissioner Kathy
Hoard said.
Could the charge be added to water bills?
Not all citizens get water bills either—some
use wells, ACC Manager Alan Reddish pointed
out—and only property owners receive storm
water bills. To bill everyone for such a small
charge could cost the county more than it
collects, Reddish said. The fee will cover
"mailers, quarterly newslet
ters, press releases, stickers,
promotional materials, viral
marketing, outreach pre
sentations and the annual
Environmental Resource
Guide" to help ACC reach its
ambitious recycling goals. So far, it's on track;
the aim is to divert 40 percent of trash from
the landfill by 2015, and 75 percent by 2020.
But less trash dumped also means less
landfill revenue collected. Landfill fees once
covered the costs of promoting recycling; right
now, they aren't even covering the landfill's
own budget. "We might be a victim of our own
success in that respect," Reddish said.
John Huie
“It has the potential
to bring high-skill,
high-paying jobs into
the heart of the city.”
Commissioners are
unwilling to continue
the status quo.
I
COMING TO OVER 300 LOCATIONS AROUND TOWN!
flagpole 2011-2012 GUIDE TO ATHENS
• Athens' Only Complete Bar, Club & Restaurant Guide
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• Profiles of Some People Who Make Athens What It Is
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JULY27.2011-FLAGPOLE.COM 5
