Melanie Lekocevic writes in The Daily Mail the Village of Athens is in the final steps of adopting a new zoning code. A public hearing on the matter was recently held and attracted 20 residents and business owners. Mayor Andrea Smallwood said the changes were made in an effort to bring the zoning laws in line with the village's comprehensive plan, adopted a couple of years ago. “Our main goal is to make sure development is controlled in a way that the comprehensive plan indicates was what the public wanted to see for the future of Athens,” Smallwood said. A major change is the decision to concentrate businesses on Second St. Attendees discussed how the law should support the historic district and new energy alternatives. Officials promised to take the public comments into consideration before the final document is approved by the village board. The code was already reviewed and approved by the count, Lekocevic writes. Residents have until Fri., Mar. 9 to submit their comments in writing. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.