The External Affairs Committee was created by Mr. Newman and Mr. Pitts to increase student involvement in local government. The EAC will become a standing committee in 1999.
The Single-Family Definition:
The Housing Code that keeps
you out of the good neighborhoods.
The A-CC Single-Family Definition:
Family: Two or more persons
occupying a single dwelling unit where all
members are related by blood,
marriage, adoption, or are in foster
care. No single dwelling
unit located in any "RS" (Single-Family
Residential) zoning district
shall have more than two unrelated
individuals residing therein,
nor shall any family have, additionally,
more than two unrelated
individuals residing with such family.
Excerpt from A-CC
Code 9-1-27.
A copy of the Code is available
at the Law Library Reserve Desk.
It is well known that the S-F Definition is designed to keep students out of certain neighborhoods. Even the Athens Daily News agrees: “The ‘definition of family’ ordinance is aimed at limiting the number of college students and other people sharing rental housing.” (ADN/BH 4 March 1998 Page 6A).
Local government leaders will claim that the S-F Definition is not aimed at students. But, Athens-Clarke County, in 1992, testified in a federal court that the S-F Definition was designed to control the large University of Georgia student population. The judge in that case concluded: "The City’s purpose in adopting the zoning restriction at issue was to control the large University of Georgia student population.” Eliot v. City of Athens, 960 F.2d 975 at 982 (1992).
The County brought 10 cases
against landlords on the Single-Family Definition in 1998. All 10
were brought against landlords who had rented their property to University
of Georgia students.
All of these cases are available
for review at the Municipal Court Clerk's office in City Hall. The
Case #s are: OR98-011, 012, 013, 017, 026, 028, 053, 080, 106, 110.
How do we maintain reasonable neighborhoods for families in the Athens area?
The first thing to realize is that our goals are the same: We want quality neighborhoods for families. But, we can have quality family neighborhoods without excluding students.
John Barrow, District 4 Commissioner supports tightening behavioral performance standards in the neighborhoods. Simply put: Kick out students who are disruptive. Keep the students who can exist without disturbing neighborhood standards of behavior.
This approach does not require new laws: We can use existing noise violation laws, and nuisance law to eject disrespectful students.
This is the approach that makes sense: By using behavior standards, we can accomplish the goal of having quiet neighborhoods, keep the landlords in business, and live happily.
When you separate family
neighborhoods from student neighborhoods, students get a lower quality
of living. In fact, there are politicians in the County who will
tell you that local interests are trying to contain the student population
on the East Side of Athens. The East Side of Athens has, according
to East Side Commissioner Ken Jordan, experienced the worst development
in all of A-CC.
Conclusion:
As long as students cannot live alongside local residents, students remain second-class citizens. We support local business, we pay inflated local sales taxes, we volunteer, we are good citizens—but not good enough to share the quality of life experienced in single-family neighborhoods in Athens-Clarke County.