BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Top Photo: The Prattville City Council on Bridge Street under the light. These lights, including some lights on Main Street will remain illuminated through February. (Photo courtesy of City of Prattville.)
The Prattville City Council held two public hearings Tuesday, prior to their regular council meeting.
The first public hearing concerned issuing a liquor license for Premier Liquor and Wine which applied for a Lounge Retail Liquor – Class II (Package) License for a business located at 1947 Cobbs Ford Road in Prattville.
During the public hearing, no one spoke either in favor or against issuing the license. During the regular meeting when it came time to vote, the resolution failed unanimously.
Prior to the vote, Councilor Lora Lee Boone said, “The investigation report states that this is likely the same entity that was denied a liquor license in July and the investigation recommends that the Council deny this again.”
The second public hearing was about rezoning property inside city limits from B-2 to FAR. No one spoke in favor or against. The property is located inside the City Limits at 200 Gin Shop Hill Road from B-2 (General Business) to FAR (Forest, Agriculture, Recreation) (Petitioner: Rodger D. Gandy, II)
During the regular meeting, the Council unanimously passed the ordinance.
This changes the zoning ordinance for the city, which was adopted on Feb. 10, 1950, and has been amended from time to time. It reclassifies the property to FAR. All other items and provisions of the ordinance not specifically amended will remain in full force and effect. This proposed amendment was first considered in November of last year.
In other business, the Council considered an ordinance to declare a temporary moratorium on permits and approvals for Commercial Developments and signs. This item was held for further discussion until the next City Council meeting scheduled for Jan. 18.
The ordinance says The City of Prattville Planning Commission has held a series of meetings and work sessions to discuss and formulate a new zoning ordinance in order to better implement Project Prattville 2040, the comprehensive plan. The Planning Commission has scheduled public hearings for the proposed, new zoning ordinance on Jan. 6, 2022, and January 20, 2022, and will then be sending their recommendation to the City Council.
The City Council desires to halt new review and permitting of new commercial/business developments and new signs until the new zoning ordinance is adopted. This moratorium would be effective upon passage and would continue until the new zoning ordinance is adopted, or through March 32, 2022, whichever comes sooner, unless terminated or extended by action of the City Council. This moratorium does not apply to projects that are currently submitted and under review or that have current, active building permits, nor does it apply to repairs or renovations of existing structures or sign face replacements.
In other business, the Council considered a resolution to enter into a lease and indemnity agreement between Pratt Mill Properties LLC and the City of Prattville to lease certain property along Court Street for various city events and activities.
In January of last year the City Council authorized the City to enter into a lease and indemnity agreement with Pratt Mill Properties LLC to lease the open land located along the west side of North Court Street from the north end of the “Picker” House to the south end of the concrete building located on the north end of said lot, to include the Gurney Warehouse for storage use.
That agreement will expire Jan. 15, thus a new lease and indemnity agreement through Jan. 15, 2023 was proposed.
The resolution passed unanimously.
In his report to the Council, Mayor Bill Gillespie said that a Police Committee meeting that was scheduled for today at 4:30 has been canceled but will be rescheduled.
He also reported that asphalt is going down around the Gin property and the Public Safety Building. The new roundabout is now open on Bridge Street. When using a roundabout, he said to simply remember to yield right, stay right and choose right. “It takes a little while to get used to them, but it is really a tremendous value,” Gillespie said.
Paving projects continue on Bunche Avenue and Washington Street and should be complete by late February or early March.
Gillespie reminded council members that Monday at 3:30 p.m. Central Alabama Community College will host a ribbon at the new Prattville campus.
Gillespie said another ribbon cutting will be scheduled soon for Mac Gray Park 2.0. The park is partnering with Prattville High School in February for a showcase tournament with 48 teams. Gillespie commended Kelley Cook and the Parks and Recreation Department for getting the project up. He said there “are a few more things on the punch list,” for foresees a ribbon cutting planned soon.
Gillespie said that the Girls Softball program will open their season at the new facility March 5.
Also, some of Prattville’s Christmas lights will remain illuminated through February, including the lights over Main Street and on Bridge Street. A sidewalk on Bridge Street will also be added soon.
In the open comments section of the meeting, resident Jon Lee Finnegan requested for the council to consider adding flashing lights for the pedestrian crossing on the bridge on Bridge Street. She was told the Street Committee will take up at discussion at a future meeting.
She also requested that concrete dividers on Bridge Street be cleaned as they are “filthy” and this is a main entrance into the city.
The next Prattville City Council meeting is Jan. 18 in the courtroom of City Hall at 6 p.m.
