By Rebekah Martin
Associate Editor
Breaking a record this month, the city of Opelika reported it issued building permits for property exceeding $80 million.
City Administrator Joey Motley presented the July building report to the Opelika City Council at its Aug. 16 meeting. “It gives me great pleasure to report we have issued a total of … $80,465,636 [in building permits],” Motley said. More than half of that sum is due to Golden State Foods beginning work on its $58 million commercial building at Northeast Opelika Industrial Park.
Fourteen new single-family homes also contributed to the total. The city’s year-to-date total on new family home permits is $139 million. Motley said he is proud of the steady growth and the record-breaking numbers.
In other business the council:
-approved a request for a retail liquor and beer on premise license for La Cantina restaurant.
-approved expense reports for various city employees.
-approved a special appropriation for the 2016 Parks and Recreation Health Fair in the amount of $3,000.
-reappointed Pam Powers-Smith and Lisa Ditchkoff to the Downtown Redevelopment Authority.
-passed a resolution approving the purchase of a 2016 Ford F150 pickup truck for the public works department.
The Opelika City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.