By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
After a lengthy public hearing on an amendment to rezone 74 properties along Alabama 21 and U.S. 31 that were annexed into the city two years ago, Atmore City Council members approved the amendment, which defines the type of businesses that can set up shop along the state route and just off the federal highway.
The five council members gave the green light during their May 12 meeting to the amendment, which calls for development only by entities that fall into the General Business (B-2) category.
The annexed acres on Highway 21 stretch roughly northward, from Brushy Creek to the Rivercane retail and industrial areas. That annexation was approved by the state legislature.
The parcels along U.S. 31 that became part of the city were annexed after property owners petitioned the city for such a move.
Codes Enforcement Officer Greg Vaughn told the city council, other department heads and more than a dozen people who came to ask questions about the move that the rezoning covered “one or two parcels off each side of the state highway,” but did not include the Martinville community, Sizemore Apartments or some areas of Bell Ford Road.
He said the involved properties will still be open to residential development — including single-family or multi-family dwellings (apartments) but not mobile home parks — and that any ongoing farming or other business development would be “grandfathered in.”
Mayor Jim Staff started to gavel the public hearing to an end but was reminded that he had not yet asked for public discussion in favor of or opposition to the proposal. The mayor did so, and Michael Bethea, a representative of Patsy Brown, who owns property along Bell Fork Road and was at the meeting, asked about how the rezoning would affect valuation of the property, as well why Ms. Brown’s property was included in the first place.
Others asked how the rezoning would affect city services, especially sewerage, in the annexed area, and some expressed concern over police or fire department response to emergencies inside and outside the annexed acreage. There were also concerns over the 7-mill city property tax owners of the annexed properties will now have to pay each year.
Vaughn, City Attorney Larry Wettermark and West Escambia Utilities General Manager Ronnie Hudson answered the questions as best they could and offered maps and promises to follow up on the biggest concerns.
Finally, after nearly 40 minutes of debate, the hearing ended, and the regular meeting began.
Along with unanimous approval of the zoning amendment, the council:
*Approved a resolution that authorizes Police Chuck Brooks to offer cash rewards to individuals who provide information that helps lead to the arrest and subsequent conviction of those who commit violent crimes within the city.
*Approved the purchase from Stivers Ford in Montgomery of two police vehicles, a 2024 Ford 150 Responder Supercrew 4×4 pickup and a 2025 Ford Expedition, which are to be purchased off the state bid list. The F150 will cost $56,936; the Expedition will cost $58,792.
*Approved a Bus Stop Service Agreement between the city, Greyhound Lines and Greyhound’s parent company, Flixbus, that will reinstate curbside passenger pickup and drop-off at the area next to the train depot structure on East Nashville.
City Economic Planner Chris Walker said Greyhound’s Mobile-to-Brimingham route will make two daily stops in Atmore, at 7:50 a.m. and 8:22 p.m., seven days a week, once the service resumes. A date has not been announced yet by Flixbus officials as to when the agreement will go into effect.
*Approved a request from the Armstrong family to use Houston Avery Park for a family reunion on July 19.
*Heard a reading of a mayoral proclamation designating the current week as National Public Works Week in the community.