February 15, 1999

To: Mr. John Stockbridge
Athens-Clarke County Planning Department
120 Dougherty St.
Athens, GA 30601

Dear Mr. Stockbridge:

We are writing this letter in reference to the development plans recently submitted by Athens Regional Medical Center (ARMC). Although our neighborhoods recognize and support ARMC as a strong community member and service provider, and are highly aware of the benefits they provide to our community in numerous areas, we must come out in strong opposition to these plans.

Building an approximately 100,000 square foot office building not on an established commercial throughfare is unsound public planning. The future impact of this building on traffic, water, housing, etc. becomes obvious with the ARMC 20-year plan. This plan, the necessary road changes to support it, the watershed it effects, and the destruction of a thriving middle class in-town neighborhood is in every way incongruous with Athens-Clarke CountyÆs current and developing land use plan.

Although ARMC does not see this as bad for the neighborhood, this proposed plan not only cuts King Ave, Holman, Sunset and Oglethorpe neighborhoods off from the Cobbham neighborhood and town, it increases traffic to an unacceptable level, and opens the door for King Avenue to be rezoned in the future. It is our understanding that the departments planning to occupy the proposed office building provide outpatient services only and do not have to be in this close proximity to the hospital. The other support services occupying the proposed building could be housed in a small building on the proposed location and would not increase traffic or parking needs on the current residential areas.

Our neighborhoods would like to strongly suggest that this large of a building with the number of clients/cars it will receive must be housed in a commercial district on an existing major thoroughfare. There are numerous available commercial properties close to the hospital on Prince Avenue. ARMC not planning outpatient growth in this direction can only be perceived as being financially motivated.

Although we support ARMC and its mission, we feel these plans should have come before the neighborhoods, community, and the county for input before their final stage. Athens-Clarke County must take a stand here to support in-town neighborhoods and the land use plan as it is currently being viewed. Again, we are not in opposition to ARMC or its development, but would like to give the message that they must be part of the Athens-Clarke long term planning, and that existing in town neighborhoods must be preserved at all costs for obvious reasons (schools, taxes, flight issues, traffic etc).

Thank you for the consideration of this letter and the concern of the groups here named.

Respectfully submitted, 

Concerned citizens of King Avenue, Cobbham, Holman, Oglethorpe and Boulevard.