Athens Reporter

The Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) invites residents to provide input on site selection criteria and other elements of a new library branch on the east side of the community as part of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) 2020 Project 25 – East Side Public Library.  

Site selection criteria provides a series of guidelines for evaluating potential sites for the library. The criteria may include characteristics such as acreage, connection to utilities, Transit access, public ownership, and other factors. 

Three public meetings will take place in October for residents to learn more about the project and provide feedback. These meetings will be drop-in listening sessions. Residents interested in the project can visit at any time during the two-hour sessions to discuss the project with the project team and provide feedback on the project. 

• The first public meeting will take place on Saturday, October 1 from 10:00 AM until noon at Fire Station #7 Community Room at 2350 South Barnett Shoals Road.  
• The second will take place on Monday, October 3 from 10:00 AM until noon at Living Hope Church at 2150 Lexington Road. 
• The third will take place on Monday, October 3 from 5:00-7:00 PM at the East Athens Development Corporation at 410 McKinley Drive.  

Public input will also be accepted through an online survey available at www.accgov.com/eastsidelibrary through October 7. The webpage also contains additional project information, including a recording of the presentation to the Mayor and Commission at their September 13, 2022 Work Session that includes detailed project introduction. 

Approximately $14.4 million has been designated for the East Side Public Library through SPLOST funds. This funding includes design, construction, public art, books, land acquisition, permitting, and furniture and equipment among other items. 

The public will also have the opportunity to suggest potential sites for the library during the site selection process. After public feedback on site selection criteria ends, staff will present recommended site selection criteria to the project user group and the Mayor and Commission later this fall in order to begin evaluating sites that meet the criteria. 

Additional public input opportunities are planned as the project moves through additional phases for site selection and design. 

For more information, contact the SPLOST / TSPLOST Program Management Office at 706-613-3025 or splost@accgov.com or visit www.accgov.com/splost.

East Side Public Library Project Page

Original source can be found here.