BY MICHELLE KEY
MICHELLE@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA — The Opelika City Council held four public hearings during Tuesday night’s meeting, with one of those being for the rezoning of the Renfro House located at 414 N. 10th St. in Opelika. That public hearing drew a standing room only crowd with some people having to wait outside of the room for their chance to speak.
Ann Renfro Smith, the great-granddaughter of Frank Monroe Renfro, spoke in favor of rezoning the property for “the sake of preservation.”
“I cannot imagine our city without it,” Smith said.
Comments that were nearly evenly split both for and against the rezoning went back and forth for approximately an hour before Council President Eddie Smith declared the public hearing closed. The majority of those who spoke against rezoning are the owners of properties closest to the Renfro house.
The common goal among nearly all who spoke was the desire to preserve the house, with the disagreement being in how best to accomplish that while at the same time preserving the historic neighborhood against potential future rezoning.
Allison Kovak addressed the council and said she walked the neighborhood, knocking on doors and spoke with homeowners regarding the project and the rezoning.
She brought with her a petition / survey that she had presented to people as she met them. Out of the 86 homes where she said she was able to speak with someone, 76 people signed the petition in favor of the rezoning, two signed remaining neutral, one signed opposing the rezoning and seven gave verbal opposition to the rezoning.
Following the public hearing, the ordinance for the rezoning was introduced for its first reading and will be voted on during the March 5 meeting.
The other public hearings were for demolition cost assessment for property located at 315 S. 4th St. and 622 S. 4th St. and an ordinance to amend the Master Plan for Brookstone Planned Unit Development (PUD) located at 1001 Fox Run Parkway. The PUD consists of 24.05 acres.
The amended development plan for Brookstone is a mixed residential development, consisting of 43 single-family homes and 90 twin homes. The proposed development will create an extension of Fox Run Village, and the residential units within the development will mirror those in Fox Run Village. The development will have a density of 5.53 units per acre.Two individuals spoke against the proposed Brookstone PUD.
Following the public hearing the council introduced an ordinance to amend the Master Plan for Brookstone PUD for its first reading.
Mayor Gary Fuller and the council presented Clarinda Jones-Turner with the Character Council’s Citizen of Excellent Character award. Turner is the executive director for the Greater Peace Community Development Corp.
Fuller also issued a proclamation declaring February as National Parent Leadership Month and recognized Sam Bailey, director of Opelika Parks and Rec as the ARPA Jim Spain Award Winner.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
- The council approved a request for a downtown street closure for a Business After Hours event to be held Feb. 29 by the Crawford Willis Group. The group is only requesting closure of parking spaces along South Railroad Avenue.
- The council approved a request for a downtown street closure for the start and finish of a long-distance bike ride on May 11. The group is requesting a closure of North Railroad between 7th and 8th Streets.
- The council approved a request for a downtown street closure for Workout Anytime Opelika’s “Down the Tracks” 5K event to be held May 25. It is requesting closure of South 9th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.
- The council approved a request for a downtown street closure for the annual Touch-A-Truck event to be held June 8. Main Street is requesting the entire parking lot of South Railroad from 8th to 9th Street, South 8th Street from Railroad Avenue to Avenue A and South 9th Street from Railroad Avenue to Avenue A.
- The council approved a bid from Mayer Electric Supply for LED flood lights and mounting adapters on an as needed basis.
- The council approved the expense reports from various city departments.
- The council approved the designation of city personal property as surplus and authorized its disposal.
- The council approved the purchase of Amusement Park Train and Rail Services from Train Works Global LLC for a new railway at Municipal Park in the amount of just under $45,000.
- The council approved the purchase of 11 police car radios from Motorola Solutions for the Opelika Police Department (OPD) utilizing the state of Alabama contract. The amount of the purchase is just under $68,000.
- The council approved 10 in-car camera systems to be purchased from Motorola Solutions for the OPD for an amount not to exceed $139,950.
- The council approved the purchase of police equipment for 10 2024 police package automobiles from Emergency Lighting by Haynes, utilizing the state of Alabama contract No. MA230000004212 in an amount just over $226,000.
- The council approved an Alabama “811” Membership Agreement for the Public Works Department. Alabama 811 is the one call notification center for Alabama to confirm underground utilities.
- The council approved a resolution to amend the Organizational Chart of Economic Development. It was recommended that the job title for the classification of Talent Attraction and Retention Coordinator be changed to Project Manager — Workforce Development and recommend that the job title for the classification of Project Manager be changed to Senior Project Manager. The pay-grades for these reclassified positions will also be changed.
- The council approved the naming of Covington Center Water Park in honor of Robert Flournoy.
- The council authorized a grant application with FEMA for the Opelika Fire Department (OFD) to construct a burn building for its Fire Training Center. The estimated cost is $650,000 and will require a 10% match of $59,091to come from the city budget.
- The council authorized a grant application with the Alabama State Industrial Development Authority for the extension of Northpark Drive and the construction of a new bridge across Halawakee Creek. The estimated cost of the project is $4,037,280 with $2,537,280 for Northpark Drive extension and $1,500,000 for new bridge construction. The city is seeking a grant of $2,018,640.
- The council approved a demolition cost assessment of $25,154.12 for the demolition of the structure located at 315 S. 4th St.
- The council approved a demolition cost assessment of $5,626.59 for the demolition of the structure located at 622 S. 4th St.
- The council approved a special appropriation of $2,500 to the Domestic Violence Intervention Center. The funds are to be paid equally from the discretionary funds of each council member.
- The council approved a special appropriation of $1,000 to LEAPS Inc. The funds are to be paid from the discretionary funds of Ward Two Council Member Erica Norris.
