.

NNI Registration

  • Register Your Neighborhood

    • Registration Form

      Required Information:
      1. Neighborhood Boundary Map
      2. Registration Form
      3. Organizational Documents
      OR
      3. Petition

      Why Register?
      A directory of Neighborhood Organizations and Contact Persons will be maintained by the Athens-Clarke County Planning Department in order to aid communication between neighborhoods and those effecting changes in the community. Applicants requesting a zoning action within an identified neighborhood boundary will be given neighborhood contact information to encourage the early exchange of information related to the proposal. The Planning Department will likewise notify the neighborhood's Contact Person with the applicant's contact information.

      How to Register?
      If your neighborhood group is already established as a non-profit, Limited Liability Corporation, or other legal entity, fill out the registration form on the opposite page and submit it along with a copy of your group's articles of incorporation or other document(s) indicating your organizational structure and legal status. A map demonstrating the boundaries of your neighborhood group should also be included. If your neighborhood group is not already established, you should also provide a petition signed by at least 20% of the residents and/or property owners within the proposed neighborhood boundaries.

      What next?
      Planning Staff will provide your area's Commissioners (regular district and super district) with the materials that you submit. With their endorsement, the Mayor and Commission will vote on the official registration and mapped boundaries of your neighborhood organization. Once mapped, residents and other interested parties may sign up to receive e-mail notification of proposed zoning actions within a given neighborhood's boundaries.
  • Maps of Notification Areas

    • Registered Neighborhoods

      Map of Athens-Clarke County including all registered neighborhoods. Click over neighborhood area for enlarged image of individual group's boundaries.

    • Commission Districts

      Each Commission District corresponds to a Special Interest Overlay area for which you may elect to receive email notifications. Super Commission Districts 9 & 10 roughly correspond to the eastern and western halves of Athens-Clarke County. If you elect to sign up for both of these two areas, you will receive every NNI email.

    • Other Special Interest Overlay Areas

      The NNI overlays are geographic interest areas that might overlap different neighborhoods or might correspond to areas where there are no real neighborhood organizations but local interest nonetheless is strong. These are typically transportation corridors or centers of activity like downtown. Listservs are created for these areas on the basis of recommendations.

  • Sign Up for Email Notifications

    • Subscription Page

      E-mail notifications are now available for adopted special interest overlays, adopted neighborhood boundaries, and all commission districts. Anyone may sign up for notifications in any area, regardless of residency location.
      NEW!!! You may now refine your notifications by application type as well as geographic interest area. Choose to receive Planning Commission applications only, Historic Preservation applications only, Plans Review only, Hearings Board only, or any combination of these.

    • Helpful Hints

      The online sign up form is managed on a website external to Athens-Clarke County's web resources. At the sign up page, Neighborhood Organizations are designated by N--Name of Group. Special Interest Overlays are designated by O--Name of Area. There is no functional difference in how the two types of listserv groups operate or in the notifications you will receive. You may also e-mail, phone, or otherwise contact Neighborhood Planner, Lara Mathes, to sign up for notifications. Be sure to use a valid, non-forwarding e-mail account. Alias and forwarding e-mail addresses do not currently function correctly with the listserv program.

    • What Next?

      Once you subscribe for notifications, you will receive an automatically-generated e-mail asking you to confirm your interest in notifications. This is to ensure 100% voluntary receipt of e-mails and avoid unintentional spam mail. Some e-mail programs still flag our notifications as potential spam so be sure to add our e-mail your address book when you receive the initial confirmation to prevent future blocked notices.

  • Email Notification Types

    • Plans Review Applications - Weekly Notices

      These are notifications about proposed projects that are seeking permit approval to begin site or building construction. Projects that require Plans Review include all commercial (office, retail, industrial, etc.), multi-family, and institutional (churches, schools, etc.) developments as well as single-family subdivisions (of more than four lots). Deadlines are every Tuesday at noon with a maximum of 12 agenda items. Plans Review applications are for developments that are compatible with existing zoning regulations so there is no public hearing associated with these projects.

      An administrative Plans Review meeting is scheduled nine days following the application deadline to allow the applicant the opportunity to discuss review comments with representatives from ACC Departments involved in the permitting process. If all Departments have approved the submitted materials, a permit may be issued to begin work. If the submitted materials cannot be approved, the applicant may submit revisions at any point following the Plans Review meeting. Revisions are reviewed by relevant ACC Departments as they are submitted; they are not placed on a new agenda.

    • Planning Commission Applications - Monthly Notices

      These are notifications about proposed rezones, special use permits, and planned developments, which all may affect what types of uses are permitted on the subject property. A minimum of two public hearings correspond to these application types: first before the Planning Commission and then before the Mayor & Commission. If either the Planning Commission or Mayor & Commission votes to table an application and place it on an ensuing month's agenda, additional public hearings take place.

      PLEASE NOTE: Notifications only are sent out about the Planning Commission's agenda. Once the application is placed on the Mayor & Commission's agenda, the Planning Department no longer e-mails a meeting notice.

    • Hearings Board Applications - Monthly Notices

      These are notifications about proposed variances or appeals of staff interpretations of the Planning & Zoning Ordinances. Variances or relief from the strict application of zoning & development standards may be granted where special or unique circumstances exist that would create an undue hardship by their enforcement. Hearings Board decisions are final; therefore, its meeting is the only public hearing associated with a variance request, unless the application is tabled or the decision is appealed. Appeals are heard by the Planning Commission, and a second notification e-mail is sent out with related information.

    • Historic Preservation Commission Applications - Monthly Notices

      These are notifications about proposed Certificates of Appropriateness. Exterior property changes in locally-designated historic districts and to locally-designated historic landmarks require a Certificate of Appropriateness. Historic Preservation Commission decisions are final; therefore, its meeting is the only public hearing associated with a COA request, unless the application is tabled or the decision is appealed. Appeals are heard by the Mayor & Commission, and a second notification e-mail is sent out with related information.