BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
OPELIKA — The Opelika City Council voted 4–1 to approve the temporary moratorium on new residential and multiple-occupancy development projects.
Ward 5 Council Member Todd Rauch led discussion and proposed amendments to the ordinance.
“I want to begin by stating clearly that I understand the frustration from residents regarding growth in our community,” Rauch said. “I share the belief that we need to take the necessary time to ensure our ordinances and infrastructure planning reflect where Opelika is today — not simply where we expect it to be 10 years from now.
“The ordinance before us identifies the need to conduct a comprehensive study and review of zoning and building regulations, engage in public outreach, and provide recommendations to the Council. At the last meeting, the mayor outlined key advantages of a temporary development moratorium, including planning time, infrastructure alignment, public safety considerations, and public engagement.”
Rauch said that he is in agreement with the ordinance but that he had a few concerns.
“I agree with those goals,” he said. “My concern is not with the intent of the ordinance — it is with ensuring that those goals translate into measurable, enforceable outcomes. As currently written, the ordinance outlines categories of work that should occur, but it does not require defining criteria for extending the moratorium, establishing a timeline with milestones, providing monthly reporting to council, disclosing consultant scope or cost, or presenting draft ordinance language before expiration. If we are going to pause residential approvals for up to a year, we owe the public a measurable work plan and transparency throughout the process. For that reason, I would like to offer amendments focused on accountability, reporting, and transparency.”
He said his goal is to include measurable standards within the ordinance itself.
“My goal for the amendment is not to stall the process,” he said. “It’s not to table it. My goal with the amendment is to make sure that we have measurable goals that we can prove throughout the process. We have dealt with ordinances before where we have two different things. We have the legislation, and then we have a supporting document that is just words. Nothing in the legislation says what we can or should do.
“We have the ordinance, and then we have the description for it. The idea is to take both of those together and put them together, because otherwise, I believe that the amendment adds some context to what we’re trying to achieve and also provides reporting to us.”
He also questioned whether the amendment would require restarting the ordinance process.
“Is there anything in the amendment — or is it just as a whole, since it has to do with zoning — that would require it to go from the beginning?” Rauch asked the City Attorney Robbie Treese. “Because the idea of it in Section 4 and also Section 6 doesn’t deal with specific ideas of this rezoning. It just deals with the reporting and also the expiration.”
He acknowledged that any amendment could require restarting the process due to public notice requirements.
Ward 4 Council Member Chuck Beams responded to Rauch’s proposed amendments.
“You know, this is the first time I’ve seen this,” he said. “Obviously, you had it during work session. We’ve been talking about this for three weeks. I personally trust our planning director, and I trust the attorney who wrote this document. I think we are completely capable of setting expectations, but I don’t think it’s our job to micromanage these folks.”
Beams said he supports the moratorium but believes the amendment would shift the focus.
“I’m completely for the moratorium,” he said. “But I believe what you’re trying to do here in changing this gets us off track.”
The council voted 4-1 against the proposed amendments.
With the amendments defeated, council members shifted focus to the ordinance itself.
“Before I explain why I’m supporting this moratorium, I want to note that I’ve received many emails and phone calls about it,” Beams said. “Most of the feedback I’ve received has been supportive. There are also some folks who are not supportive, and I appreciate hearing from them. Their input matters, and I’ve taken it seriously.”
He said responsible growth was the top concern he heard while campaigning.
“During my campaign, the number one issue I heard from Ward 4 residents was the need for responsible growth,” he said. “That feedback has stayed with me and is directly relevant to tonight’s discussion.”
He emphasized the moratorium is not intended to halt development.
“I support this moratorium because it’s not about stopping growth. Opelika is growing, and that’s a positive thing. But growth has to be matched with infrastructure, public safety and quality standards. Right now, development is moving faster than our ability to manage that cumulative impact.”
He noted that thousands of previously approved residential units are already in the pipeline and would not be affected.
“What this gives us is a defined window to step back and evaluate traffic, utilities, public safety and zoning together so future growth is sustainable and aligned with our long-term vision,” he said.
He added that disciplined execution would be key.
“For this moratorium to work, we need regular progress updates and measurable benchmarks so the council and the public can see that meaningful work is happening throughout the year,” he said.
He also voiced confidence in city staff.
“I believe in our planning director and our staff. They are trained professionals,” he said. “Our role as council is to define the outcomes we expect — stronger ordinances, clearer quality standards, better infrastructure alignment — and then allow the professionals to determine the most appropriate path to get us there. Clear expectations are appropriate. Overly prescriptive direction at the council level is not.”
He said the moratorium provides an opportunity to modernize outdated ordinances and adopt stronger standards.
“A year from now, we should be able to point to updated ordinances, stronger development standards and a defensible roadmap for responsible growth,” he said. “If we stay focused on outcomes rather than over-regulating the process, we will be in a much stronger position. For those reasons, I will be supporting the moratorium.”
In Other Business
The council also approved a range of administrative, financial and development-related items during its Feb. 17 meeting, including property purchases and event approvals.
Reports and Recognitions
Council members received the January 2026 Financial Summary Report and the January Monthly Building Report. The council also recognized Sherry Cook as the February Character Council Citizen of Excellent Character.
Consent Agenda
The council approved multiple items under the consent agenda, including alcohol license requests, event permissions and various financial and administrative matters.
Alcohol Licenses
- Social Bar and Grill — Restaurant Retail Liquor & Beer (On Premise)
- Eagle Food Mart — Retail Wine & Beer (Off Premise)
- Opelika Package Store — Lounge Retail Liquor (Class 2)
- Petro Food Mart — Retail Wine & Beer (Off Premise)
- Wild Wing Cafe — Restaurant Retail Liquor & Beer (On Premise).
Event and Street Approvals
- Foundry UMC Easter Egg Hunt — March 29, 2026
- Walking With a Purpose 1,000 Youth Walk — April 4.
Financial and Administrative Actions
- Approved departmental expense reports
- Declared certain city property surplus and authorized its disposal
- Approved the purchase of Nutanix Server Cluster for the IT Department ($66,913)
- Authorized a quitclaim deed for 305 N. 22nd St.
- Authorized the purchase of stream and wetland credits for the Northpark Drive Extension project ($46,074)
- Designated Mayor Eddie Smith as the voting delegate for the 2026 Alabama League of Municipalities Convention
- Approved a $5,000 appropriation to Southern Union State Community College Foundation
- Approved a $1,000 appropriation to Walking With a Purpose.
Ordinances
The council also addressed several ordinances related to real property and development:
- The council approved the purchase of real property from Stone Martin Builders LLC
- The council introduced two ordinances that authorized the purchase of real property at 1207 and 1209 Denson Place for their first reading. The council voted unanimously to suspend the rules and vote on those ordinances immediately. Both ordinances were passed.
Final Public Comments
“I think we’ve heard a lot tonight about transparency, public safety and studies about safety,” said Opelika resident Sue Ellen Tallakson. “What I would like to say is, especially if that’s going to apply to residential buildings, I would like to see that apply to commercial development also. I would like to see transparency, and I would also like to know if it is common practice for city council members to sign non-disclosure agreements with businesses that want to develop here — and why they would do that.
“City council works for us, and we should be able to know what’s going on, what’s coming and why, and what studies about safety have been done or not done,” she said. “I would like for each of you city council members to commit to transparency.”
