BY MICHELLE KEY | PUBLISHER
MICHELLE@OEPLIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA — At the Opelika Planning Commission’s regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday involved holding several public hearings, including one for the proposed city ordinance text amendment pertaining to allowing bed and breakfast lodging facilities to be operated within residential zones with a conditional use permit.
While the Planning Department staff gave a positive recommendation for the amendment, there was significant opposition presented during the public hearing. Approximately two dozen people were in attendance sporting “NO B&B” stickers on their clothing.
The main arguments against supporting changing the city ordinance centered around allowing Bed & Breakfast facilities to host parties with several people stating that they felt the text amendment as proposed is more of an “event center” ordinance rather than a bed and breakfast ordinance. Alcohol sales, traffic and noise were also topics that residents that live in the historic Northside District mentioned as reasons the commission should not support the change.
One local resident spoke in favor of the ordinance.
The commission voted to remove the previously tabled ordinance and subsequently voted to send a negative recommendation to the Opelika City Council with five commissioners in favor of the negative recommendation and two voting against sending a negative recommendation.
OTHER BUSINESS:
- The commission voted to give preliminary approval for the Wyndham Village Subdivision, Phase 3, containing 100 lots which would be accessed from Wyndham Village Drive. Brandon Bolt is the authorized representative for Tyler Findley of Windham Gateway LLC.
- The commission voted to give preliminary approval for the Fox Run Subdivision, Phase 5, containing 134 lot to be accessed from 1201 Fox Run Parkway. Spencer Cothran and Mike Maher are the representatives for Fox Run Phase V LLC.
- The commission voted to give preliminary and final approval for the Drake’s Landing Subdivision, Section 2 which contains 32 lots to be accessed from Webbed Way. Mark Strozier is the authorized representative for Edgar Hughston Builder Inc.,
- The commission voted to give final plat approval for the National Village 3A Subdivision containing of 49 lots to be accessed from the Robert Trent Jones Trail and National Village Parkway intersection. Mike Maher and Ab Conner are the representatives for the Retirement System of Alabama.
- The commission voted to give final plat approval for The Village at Waterford Subdivision, Phase 4B, consisting of 60 lots to be accessed from Stokes Avenue and Jansen Avenue. Jeff Adams is the authorized representative for DRB Group Alabama LLC.
- The commission approved a conditional use request by David Slocum, authorized representative for Wayne Gentry for 22 townhomes to be accessed at Fox Run Parkway.
- The commission approved a conditional use request by Blake Rice of Barrett-Simpson Inc., authorized representative for JD Real Properties LLC, for Extreme Power Sports off-road equipment sales facility to be accessed at 4800 Birmingham Highway.
- The commission approved a conditional use request by Foresite Group LLC, authorized representative for Broad Metro LLC, for a 323-unit apartment complex to be located at 3310 Society Hill Road.
- The commission tabled a conditional use request per the applicant, Bradley Creasy, authorized representative for Dyas Properties LLC.
- The commission approved an amendment to the Future Land Use Map for 34.5 acres of land accessed from North 29th Street and Cunningham Drive, from light commercial land use category to a mixed use category (residential and commercial) and a rezoning request by Hayes Eiford of Samford Group LLC, representative for Saucier Investments LLC, to rezone the same acres from C-2 to a PUD.
- The commission approved a minor amendment to the master plan for PUD for The Villages at Opelika located at Hi Pack Road. Joe Mazzucchelli is representative for Trust Homes Southcoast, LLC. The amendment changes the use of the 23,160 square-foot amenity lot from playground equipment and open space to a 1,440 square-foot office, gym and storage building with an 800 square-foot open covered patio attached to the building and open space. The amendment provides more opportunities for the residents.
- The commission approved a request for annexation of land by Antione Harvis Sr., for 48 acres to be accessed from 2051 Highway 169 to be sent to the Opelika City Council with a positive recommendation. Harvis stated in his application that a commercial zone will be requested at a later time.