As I noted, I'm going to work through some of the information I've picked up regarding the Jittery Joe's parking situation, and that may take some time. However, one of the more interesting nuggets I've come across is found toward the end of the response memo sent by Athens-Clarke County staff to the Athens-Clarke County Commission ...
Records in the Office of Building Inspection and the Planning Department show that the Jittery Joe’s property at 786 E. Broad Street was permitted as a coffee roasting use in 2002. No permits have been issued since then for any other uses. The adjacent property owned by Mr. Bennett, 790 East Broad Street, was occupied by a building which encompassed the entire lot until November, 2006, when he obtained a demolition permit. Parking on the 790 E. Broad Street property began sometime after the demolition occurred.
This suggests that not only is Jittery Joe's utilizing the adjacent lot for parking in a manner that is outside the bounds of existing zoning requirements, but they've also been running their tasting room/coffee shop without the appropriate permit. This, to me, seems to be a more problematic violation ... and one that is puzzling for its lack of enforcement.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Couple of things
- We're going to see a mighty interesting showdown over the Jittery Joe's parking situation between the mayor/staff and the Athens-Clarke County Commission. There are lots of interesting angles to consider here, and I've got some thoughts to flesh out and some information to sift through, but this promises to be a fun one to watch.
- Related to that, here are Athens-Clarke County District Nine Commissioner Kelly Girtz's comments to me on the matter
- Gosh, this is stunning, isn't it? I mean, you make foolish acquisitions, overextend your lines of credit and, upon filing for bankruptcy, publically say it won't impact the employment situation of your company ... and then you go impact 4,200 workers in the Southeast and keep a steady process of shutting down your facilities.
- Via Lee Becker, Esther Porter was named volunteer executive director of the Keep Oconee Beautiful Commission. I've heard good things about Porter, and I admire anyone willing to tackle a challenge like that in a volunteer capacity, but I have serious doubts about the long-term effectiveness of this arrangement. Full-time jobs require full-time compensation, and that includes the non-profit world. And while volunteers bring a level of energy and enthusiasm to the arena, maintaining that passion and engagement is a much more complicated challenge ... particularly if you're tasked with actually running the program.
- I'm just flat-out unclear of the reason to lambast David Letterman. For starters, from a legal perspective, he wasn't married and, therefore, was not having an affair with anyone. From an emotional perspective, it's obvious he corrected his ways many years ago, reconciled with his then-girlfriend, now-wife and has a loving family with him. The need by a partisan hack/culture warrior like Cal Thomas to lecture him is, well, pathetic.
- Related to that, here are Athens-Clarke County District Nine Commissioner Kelly Girtz's comments to me on the matter
- Gosh, this is stunning, isn't it? I mean, you make foolish acquisitions, overextend your lines of credit and, upon filing for bankruptcy, publically say it won't impact the employment situation of your company ... and then you go impact 4,200 workers in the Southeast and keep a steady process of shutting down your facilities.
- Via Lee Becker, Esther Porter was named volunteer executive director of the Keep Oconee Beautiful Commission. I've heard good things about Porter, and I admire anyone willing to tackle a challenge like that in a volunteer capacity, but I have serious doubts about the long-term effectiveness of this arrangement. Full-time jobs require full-time compensation, and that includes the non-profit world. And while volunteers bring a level of energy and enthusiasm to the arena, maintaining that passion and engagement is a much more complicated challenge ... particularly if you're tasked with actually running the program.
- I'm just flat-out unclear of the reason to lambast David Letterman. For starters, from a legal perspective, he wasn't married and, therefore, was not having an affair with anyone. From an emotional perspective, it's obvious he corrected his ways many years ago, reconciled with his then-girlfriend, now-wife and has a loving family with him. The need by a partisan hack/culture warrior like Cal Thomas to lecture him is, well, pathetic.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Girtz on the memo
Athens-Clarke County District Nine Commissioner Kelly Girtz, who was one of six commissioners to ask Athens-Clarke County planning staff to permit a temporary use of an adjacent lot to alleviate the Jittery Joe's parking problem, said he was hopeful county staff would respect the commission's wishes ...
The decision seemed abrupt given the possibility for a more permanent special use designation that involves a 3 month application process, along with the failure to demonstrate immediate damage, and finally, the permitted gameday parking on site - obviously a much shorter, but more intensive use.
Girtz said the community outrage against the decision prompted the commission to take action, and, despite other recent areas where the commission and staff appear to have butted heads, he suggested such disagreements were natural ...
Even generally like-minded commissioners will not always be on the same page (as is the case w/JJ's parking). It is no surprise that staff members, managing the daily ins-and-outs of policy implementation will develop a distinct perspective from that of policy makers. This can be occassionally tough to deal with, but I think our job as elected officials is to let 'em know when we think they've strayed too far off the path.
The decision seemed abrupt given the possibility for a more permanent special use designation that involves a 3 month application process, along with the failure to demonstrate immediate damage, and finally, the permitted gameday parking on site - obviously a much shorter, but more intensive use.
Girtz said the community outrage against the decision prompted the commission to take action, and, despite other recent areas where the commission and staff appear to have butted heads, he suggested such disagreements were natural ...
Even generally like-minded commissioners will not always be on the same page (as is the case w/JJ's parking). It is no surprise that staff members, managing the daily ins-and-outs of policy implementation will develop a distinct perspective from that of policy makers. This can be occassionally tough to deal with, but I think our job as elected officials is to let 'em know when we think they've strayed too far off the path.
What next?
One of the things I'm trying to sort out regarding the Jittery Joe's Memo is exactly what influence the Athens-Clarke County Commission has over the day-to-day activities of the community's staff.
In theory, the commission could vote to suspend the rules for tomorrow night's meeting, add this item to the agenda and then vote on the memo itself. Given that seven votes are required to suspend rules, and only six commissioners have signed the memo, that's not assured by any means.
However, in all likelihood, there doesn't really appear to be a whole lot the commission can do to make staff abide by this request. If staff wishes to ignore the memo, it seems that is its perogative.
In theory, the commission could vote to suspend the rules for tomorrow night's meeting, add this item to the agenda and then vote on the memo itself. Given that seven votes are required to suspend rules, and only six commissioners have signed the memo, that's not assured by any means.
However, in all likelihood, there doesn't really appear to be a whole lot the commission can do to make staff abide by this request. If staff wishes to ignore the memo, it seems that is its perogative.
The Jittery Joe's memo
A copy of the Jittery Joe's memo ...
October 5, 2009
TO: Athens-Clarke County Administration and Planning Staff:
RE: Jittery Joe’s use of East Broad Street Parking Lot
A great deal of public response has resulted from the elimination of parking next to the Jittery Joe’s Roaster on East Broad Street, and a formal response is in order. As a regulating body, local government has a responsibility to act swiftly in cases of public health and safety and environmental threat, when immediate and lasting damage may occur. In the case of the East Broad parking, while there were some technical violations of zoning code underway at the parking lot, there has been no reported environmental damage, health or safety risk, or permanent alteration of the landscape. We ask that Athens-Clarke County administrators allow the parking situation to remain as-is through a temporary permit, pending a special-use hearing by the mayor and commission. As the use has been underway for a number of years, a continuation for a matter of a few months is reasonable to provide both parties with a route to a more lasting resolution. Of course, the applicant should understand that entering the special use application process brings the possibilities of approval or denial, as with any other application.
Signed,
Commissioner Kelly Girtz
Commissioner Mike Hamby
Commissioner Doug Lowry
Commissioner David Lynn
Commissioner George Maxwell
Commissioner Ed Robinson
October 5, 2009
TO: Athens-Clarke County Administration and Planning Staff:
RE: Jittery Joe’s use of East Broad Street Parking Lot
A great deal of public response has resulted from the elimination of parking next to the Jittery Joe’s Roaster on East Broad Street, and a formal response is in order. As a regulating body, local government has a responsibility to act swiftly in cases of public health and safety and environmental threat, when immediate and lasting damage may occur. In the case of the East Broad parking, while there were some technical violations of zoning code underway at the parking lot, there has been no reported environmental damage, health or safety risk, or permanent alteration of the landscape. We ask that Athens-Clarke County administrators allow the parking situation to remain as-is through a temporary permit, pending a special-use hearing by the mayor and commission. As the use has been underway for a number of years, a continuation for a matter of a few months is reasonable to provide both parties with a route to a more lasting resolution. Of course, the applicant should understand that entering the special use application process brings the possibilities of approval or denial, as with any other application.
Signed,
Commissioner Kelly Girtz
Commissioner Mike Hamby
Commissioner Doug Lowry
Commissioner David Lynn
Commissioner George Maxwell
Commissioner Ed Robinson
Commissioners ask for special-use permit
Six Athens-Clarke County Commissioners have signed a memo formally requesting that Athens-Clarke County staff let Jittery Joe's 'remain as-is through a temporary permit' until a special-use hearing could be held by the mayor and commission. This would allow Jittery Joe's to continue using its existing parking facilities
Last week, planning officials closed a small parking lot because its owners lack a special-use permit. Jittery Joe's Tasting Room, which receives more than 100 customers per day, would have been forced to rely on two parking spots to accommodate the visitors.
The six commissioners are Kelly Girtz, Mike Hamby, Doug Lowry, David Lynn, George Maxwell and Ed Robinson.
Last week, planning officials closed a small parking lot because its owners lack a special-use permit. Jittery Joe's Tasting Room, which receives more than 100 customers per day, would have been forced to rely on two parking spots to accommodate the visitors.
The six commissioners are Kelly Girtz, Mike Hamby, Doug Lowry, David Lynn, George Maxwell and Ed Robinson.
Programming update
Pretty busy today with a variety of real-life obligations ... and one of them is my impending purchase of an iPhone which is pretty cool.
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