Athens Reporter

The Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Department, along with the West Broad / Hawthorne Area Tax Allocation District (TAD) Advisory Committee, is organizing three open house sessions and an online survey. These initiatives aim to gather residents' input on potential developments within the TAD boundaries.

The scheduled open house sessions are set for Saturday, January 25 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Athens Farmers Market at Bishop Park; Tuesday, February 4 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Runway Cowork in Beechwood Shopping Center; and Thursday, February 6 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Howard Park Meeting Room A. Residents are encouraged to attend any session at their convenience to learn about the TAD process and share ideas for community enhancements. Light refreshments will be available.

For those unable to attend in person, an online survey will be accessible at www.accgov.com/tads until February 23. Additional outreach efforts will also occur in the West Broad / Hawthorne area with local organizations, businesses, and residents.

A Tax Allocation District (TAD) serves as a redevelopment mechanism that utilizes increased property taxes from new developments within a specified area to fund development-related costs. These costs may encompass public infrastructure, demolition, utilities, and planning expenses.

On November 10, 2020, the Mayor & Commission approved plans for six tax allocation districts across Athens-Clarke County. Detailed information about these districts can be found at www.accgov.com/tads.

The West Broad / Hawthorne Area TAD includes 92 property parcels covering a total of 172.2 acres. The district is centered around West Broad Street between Hawthorne Avenue and Epps Bridge Parkway's split. It is located west of Downtown Athens and bordered by residential neighborhoods on the south and north sides; Epps Bridge Parkway on the west; and Hawthorne Avenue on the east.

For further details regarding public input for the West Broad / Hawthorne TAD, visit www.accgov.com/tads or contact Daniel Young of the ACCGov Economic Development Department via email at Daniel.Young@accgov.com.