BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER

Starting Friday night, downtown Opelika will be home to Food Truck Friday Nights, with the event happening on the first and third Fridays of every month from 5 to 9 p.m. including a late-night truck from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

There will be four different food truck partners each event.

The four trucks will be parked at the following locations:

– Whistle Stop Bottle  &  Brew

– Studio 3:19

– Farmers Insurance

– Red Clay Brewery in the back patio.

Interested vendors can submit a request along with a copy of their Opelika business license to the Opelika Chamber of Commerce for consideration.

Following public comments on the event, Opelika Chamber President Ali Rauch agreed to bring a presentation to the council during the first scheduled meeting in April, to inform the council of sales trends for the downtown businesses in order to determine if bringing in outside food vendors helps bring business to downtown, or potentially decreases sales to the downtown restaurants.

Furthermore, downtown restaurants will be given an opportunity to vend as one of the vendors should they so choose.

“We are really looking to bring some variety to downtown and to help support all of our businesses that could use an influx of traffic,” Rauch said. “We don’t want to take away from our restaurant partners downtown at all, they are very important to us, but with staffing challenges, a lot of our restaurants are very busy and we are seeing two and three hour waits to get into some of our restaurants and some can’t even accept tables after 7 o’clock. So, this is a way to be able to encourage people to come downtown and us be able to feed them and hopefully get them to stay around for longer periods of time.”

IN OTHER BUSINESS

– The council approved a request for Women’s Hope Annual Run Like a Mom 5K event on Mar. 19.

– The council approved a request for retail beer and wine off premise alcohol license for 2nd Avenue LLC DBA 2nd Avenue Food Mart.

– The council approved a request for an restaurant retail liquor and on premise beer alcohol license for Dobbel Hospitality LLC DBA Louies Chicken, Restaurant Retail Liquor and On Premise Beer.

– The council held a public hearing on amending the zoning ordinance and map to rezone 17.9 Acres located at Arlee Avenue and Crawford Road. This ordinance was introduced for first reading.

– The council approved the purchase of 10 traffic intersection cameras not to exceed a cost of  $152,440

– The council approved an agreement with Counsilman-Hunsaker for a feasibility study on aquatic center capital improvements both at the Sportsplex and Covington Recreation Center

– The council approved a quote from CDW Government for outdoor security cameras at the  Opelika Train Depot for $19,398.38

– The council approved a request for a special use permit with Dish Wireless to install equipment at 2605 Tower St. Dish Wireless maintains a 157-foot monopole tower at the location.

–  The council approved a special appropriation in the amjount of $10,000 to A-O Tourism for hosting the AJGA Golf Tournament at  Grand National from July 4 through July 7.

– The council approved a special appropriation of $2,000 to J. W. Darden Foundation for the Annual Black Tie Gala.

–  The council voted on a resolution to oppose state legislation that eliminates the necessity of citizens to obtain a concealed carry permit. Both Opelika Police Chief Shane Healey and Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones spoke out against the state legislation during the work session, acerting that eliminating concealed carry permits will be detrimental to policing in the area.

– The council voted to amend the Zoning Ordinance and map to rezone 160.2 acres located at Laurel Lakes on North Uniroyal Road and Ridge Road.

– The council introduced an ordinance to amend the zoning ordinance and map to  rezone 17.9 Acres located at Arlee Avenue and  Crawford Road from R-3 to PUD for its 1st Reading.

– The council voted to reappoint Tipi Miller to the Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) for a new term ending Feb. 11, 2025.

– The council voted to reappoint Chris Nunn to the Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) for a new term ending Feb. 11, 2025.

– The council voted to reappoint Jay Walters to the Board of Zoning Adjustments (BZA) for a new term ending Feb. 11, 2025.

– The council voted to appoint Revel Gholston to the Indian Pines Recreation Authority for the remainder of the existing term that ends June 7, 2025.

– The council voted to appoint Tim Aja to the Airport Advisory Board for the remainder of the existing term that ends Nov. 3, 2025.

The next city council meeting will be held on Feb. 15 at 7 p.m.