BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
OPELIKA — The Opelika City Council approved new regulations governing hemp stores and moved forward with additional restrictions on package liquor stores during its Sept. 15 meeting.
The council approved amendments to the city’s zoning ordinance regulating hemp-related businesses on second reading. The ordinance established separate definitions for tobacco-vape stores, hemp stores, pharmacy-hemp stores and grocery stores with hemp sales and specified where each type of business may operate within the city’s zoning districts. Under the ordinance, a hemp store is defined as a business holding a Consumable Hemp Products Specialty Retailer License from the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
The ordinance also distinguished pharmacies and qualifying grocery stores that sell consumable hemp products from businesses whose primary purpose is hemp sales. A qualifying grocery store must devote at least 75% of its selling area and at least 14,000 square feet of its footprint to food sales.
Public hearings
The council also held a public hearing on proposed regulations for package liquor stores before introducing the ordinance on first reading. The proposed rules would require at least 1,500 feet between package liquor stores and establish a minimum sales area of 2,000 square feet. New package liquor stores would be limited to shopping centers containing at least three commercial tenants and at least 14,000 square feet of total floor area. Walk-up windows and drive-thru sales would not be permitted.
According to information presented with the proposal, Opelika currently has six privately operated package liquor stores and two state-operated ABC stores. The regulations would not affect previously approved stores that remain in operation or those specifically approved through a planned unit development. Following the public hearing, the council introduced the ordinance for its first reading.
Medical clinic
The council also removed from Tuesday’s agenda a proposed agreement with Symbol Health Solutions to take over operation of the city’s existing employee medical clinic when the current provider’s agreement expires. Council members delayed consideration after concerns were raised about the process used to select Symbol and whether local providers had been given an opportunity to compete for the contract. The agreement is expected to return to the council at a later date.
During the mayor’s comments and recognitions portion of the meeting, the city presented its August financial and building reports and recognized the Character Council Citizen of Excellent Character. The August building report showed 358 permits with a total permitted value of approximately $21.36 million. Fiscal-year-to-date activity included 1,729 permits representing approximately $318.98 million in permitted construction.
Citizen of Excellent Character
Dr. Patsy Boyd Parker was named Opelika’s September Citizen of Excellent Character in recognition of the character trait of dedication.
In presenting the recognition, Ward 4 Council Member Chuck Beams shared comments from Mayor Eddie Smith, who has credited Parker with helping him become the first person in his family to attend a four-year university.
Smith said in his statement that he was “not sure where I would be today without the love and compassion of Miss Patsy Parker” and credited her with helping “a poor kid without much of a future achieve things he never dreamed possible.”
Consent agenda
A significant portion of the council’s business was approved as part of the consent agenda, including updated employee pay plans following a compensation study conducted by Evergreen Solutions.
- The study included employee market surveys and a review of classifications, duties, compensation and position policies. City positions were compared with as many as 15 market peers, and Evergreen found that 128 classifications had average salaries below their respective market ranges.
- The council approved four new pay plans covering general city employees, Opelika Power Services, police and fire personnel, with a combined 98 unique pay grades. Employees whose compensation falls below the minimum of their new range will be moved to at least the applicable minimum, and no employee will receive a reduction in pay as a result of implementation. Beginning with the first pay period in December 2026 and annually thereafter, the pay ranges will be adjusted based on changes in the applicable Consumer Price Index.
- The council also approved a new job description for a library programming and outreach coordinator and reclassified the pay grade for the director of Opelika Power Services.
- Also approved was a $45,715 emergency repair to an influent pump at the Eastside Water Waste Treatment Plant. According to the resolution, the plant was operating with only one functional influent pump and no redundancy, creating a risk of wastewater overflow. Goforth Williamson Inc. was authorized to make the repair using Sewer Fund money, with an additional change order of up to 10% authorized for unforeseen repairs.
- The council approved an annual insurance agreement through Marsh & McLennan Agency with premiums not to exceed approximately $1.44 million for the city’s 2026-27 insurance portfolio.
- An excess-loss insurance contract with Wellpoint was also approved. Cobbs Allen & Hall, the city’s insurance broker, will receive a monthly commission of $2,500.
- A $1,250 special appropriation was approved for National Night Out, scheduled for Oct. 6. Each council member contributed $250 from discretionary funds toward the event.
- The council also approved funding for the annual Health Fair at the Opelika Sportsplex on Oct. 13, with each council member contributing $600 from discretionary funds. The event will be held in conjunction with the Auburn University School of Nursing.
The consent agenda also included:
- A retail wine and beer off-premise license for King 426 Inc., doing business as King Mart.
- A downtown street closure for the sixth annual Glow for Epilepsy event on Nov. 1.
- A temporary street closure for Foundry United Methodist Church’s Movie Night on Nov. 4.
- Downtown street closures for the Christmas Parade, Snopelika and Tree Lighting on Dec. 4.
- A bid for right-of-way vegetation management for Opelika Power Services.
- Designation and disposal of surplus city personal property.
- Expense reports from various city departments.
- An annual appropriation contract with Employer’s Child Care Alliance.
- Transfer of current-year City Council discretionary fund balances.
- Appointment of Mark Ennis to the Board of Adjustments & Appeals, with a term expiring Oct. 1, 2030.
- Reappointment of Raymond Williams to the Board of Adjustments & Appeals, with a term expiring Oct. 1, 2030.
- Reappointment of Kenneth Burton to the Lee County Youth Development Center Board, with a term expiring Oct. 1, 2030.
Other business
- Following public hearings, the council approved weed-abatement assessments for four properties.
- The council also approved a right-of-way encroachment agreement with the East Alabama Health Care Authority for Medical Arts parking along First Avenue.
- In addition to the package liquor store ordinance, first readings were held on ordinances to lease a portion of 1103 Glenn St. to the Lee-Russell Council of Governments for a senior center, and to amend the city’s personnel policies to include a sexual abuse prevention policy.
Public comments
A proposed ordinance establishing new licensing and reporting requirements for residential, commercial and short-term rental properties was removed from Tuesday’s agenda and was not considered by the council. Several residents nevertheless addressed the council during public comments and urged members to reconsider the proposal before it returns.
Although the proposed rental ordinance had been removed from Tuesday’s agenda, several residents addressed the council during public comments and urged members to reconsider the proposal before it returns.
Annie Jones said she was concerned the added cost of licensing rental properties would ultimately be passed along to tenants, particularly those already struggling to find affordable housing.
“We always talk about affordable housing, affordable housing, affordable housing,” Jones said. “This is who it’s going to affect.”
Jones said landlords are already dealing with increased costs for materials, labor and property maintenance and argued that additional costs would make it more difficult to keep rents affordable.
Emily Key, who said she has spent more than 10 years providing affordable housing for low-income residents in Opelika, also urged the council to revise the proposal.
“I am grateful that it was removed, but I know that it will be back,” Key said.
She said the ordinance, as currently written, could discourage small landlords and local builders from creating or maintaining affordable housing and could result in higher rents for tenants.
“We should be incentivizing the creation of affordable homes, not taxing them,” Key said. “Please rework this licensing amendment in a way that truly benefits the residents of Opelika.”
Susan Bolt raised concerns about property rights and questioned whether provisions of the proposed ordinance involving inspections, enforcement and different tax rates for residential and commercial rental property could withstand legal scrutiny.
Bolt also criticized the proposed 1.5% gross-receipts tax on residential rentals compared with the lower percentage proposed for commercial rentals and questioned what additional city services residential landlords would receive in exchange for the tax.
“We need less government. We need less regulations,” Bolt said. “We all need to stay involved because this is not right.”
