AMRPC STAFF REPORT 01 06 2024

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Dr. Tillner said she is at the Tennessee Historical Commission, also known as the  State 
Historic Preservation Office. They have state programs and federal. She works  with the 
federal program side. They have the National Register of Historic Places.  They do historic 
preservation throughout the state. She discussed the Certified Local Government Program 
(CLGP). 
 
Chairperson McKeehan said the intent for bringing her in was to go over the  advantages 
of the Historic Overlay district for the commercial area of downtown Athens. 
Dr. Tiller said the CLGP is a partnership through preservation. It is overseen  nationally 
by the National Parks Association. It is for  local governments who have an  active historic 
zoning commission, historic districts, design guidelines, and are  actively practicing 
preservation in their city and want to preserve their resources in their community. They get 
fifteen extra points on their application if they decide to  apply for federal historic 
preservation grants. These can be used for planning, or  they can be used for brick and 
mortar nationally historic buildings. She talked about  where the zoning code came from. 
Historic districts are an overlay superimposed on top of other zoning. They do not alter or 
change that zoning in any kind of way. 
After Dr. Tillner’s presentation, there were questions and comments from those in 
attendance. 
Mrs. Cardin showed the area that the Commission discussed for the downtown historic 
overlay. It is not set in stone; it is just what was most recently talked about. 
Chairperson McKeehan said that the charge of this committee was to recommend that such 
a district be created, and that’s passed on to the planning commission  which encourages 
the Council to pass an ordinance. 
 
MOTION:  To make a recommendation to the Planning Commission that a  historic 
overlay be put in place based on the proposed boundary as presented. 
 
MADE: Jordan Curtis 
SECOND: Justin White 
There was discussion about the process of making the recommendation to whom. 
Mr. Casteel said the process is that they will recommend this to the regular planning  
commission. That planning commission will look at it and then if they choose to, they will make 
a recommendation to the City Council for rezoning. It will then follow the rezoning process for 
an overlay. It will have two readings and public hearing and on the  second reading it will be 
voted on. 
Mrs. Lenoir asked if the boundary could be altered to include other structures and 
museums. 
Mr. Casteel said they could recommend it however they want to. 
There was more discussion.