Committee Wants More Time to Review Ordinance on Government Property Access

The Athens-Clarke County Commission’s Legislative Review Committee at its monthly meeting Tuesday said it needs more time to review a proposed ordinance that would set hours of operation on government building property.

The Athens Banner-Herald reports the committee said it would take up the proposal again next month before making any decisions on it.

The proposal as written would limit the hours of operation in most cases to 6 a.m.-11 p.m. at each government “building campus,” such as city hall, courthouse and the Dougherty Street government building.

Some have viewed the ordinance as an infringement on First Amendment rights by enforcing a curfew on public property. Around 25 observers also were at the meeting, some of whom were holding up signs of disapproval, including one that read, “It specifically focuses on places where people would protest,” according to the newspaper’s report.