News
Committee Recommends Approval For Revocable License For Balcony
By: Lindsey Zimmerman
Posted on:
The Athens City Council Planning and Development Committee has recommended approval of an ordinance allowing for a revocable license that would provide for the construction of a balcony at 63 N. Court St.
The ordinance reads that the inhabitants of the apartment will have to agree to respect noise restrictions and will not be allowed to have furniture or other personal items out on the balcony.
Safety has been a concern throughout the development process.
"Within our revocable license review, there is a write-up from each head of the departments [including] the code department, the fire department, the police department, the city planner all comment, as well as the public works director," council member Kent Butler said.
The balcony is permitted to extend 48 inches over the city's pedestrian right-of-way.
Most balconies in Athens have been permitted to extend no more than 18 inches over the right-of-way.
Butler said that this new exception is not necessarily a bad thing as long as the rules of the ordinance are followed.
"I think those issues such as adding noise reduction design elements, the maintenance of the public right-of-way below it, and then a leaser agreement acknowledging minimizing the number of people that are on the space and signage within the apartment denoting what is permitted for the number of people, I think those are all helpful conditions
The ordinance is set for first reading at the next City Council meeting on Mar. 4.