[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6216587,"mediaKeyId","3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a","parentId",3650900,"title","Council tables church request pending input from fire and police chiefs over traffic concerns","audioSeconds",45,"startMs",1315000,"endMs",1360000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a&start=1315&end=1360","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a/thumbnail_1315000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6216587/Opelika/Lee-County/Alabama/Council-tables-church-request-pending-input-from-fire-and-police-chiefs-over-traffic-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216587-2ffe5657a037b5c272a537973ebe691a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184738&Signature=CMsdaSyaYY2WlGCCtwd-no9QzN0g0HU91hgouA-XJGXZMeY5ABlZD3UAp2Btyb~-eNoeopOWodx6XnvndtNLNkWhHH0jumdlvMrie~ObBfJGqDxvcLP3C0X2-X6xGgBf16FemMF3J76m27cJF-59lOxOAEHWANdNNmZApUHhTpLlqqufn~staiScme5TRUPqsMjckrs6esEpa-kfyWyvSTuE-OxnkJa7OFEwf3rIeTGnAB1GJpDp1-c7qCrrRgBtA3oKTdMpUwTe5dk2-z3gbQl8bwUbcaG8nQHhlY0Feykz~tMrFo~zH4CI-7gGOU1mHi6vogQckw480ySKuyO3MQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Opelika City, AL","date","2025-06-04T11:43:43Z","article","A representative for a church asked the council during the June 30 regular meeting to delay consideration of a matter the speaker said was important to the congregation. The representative asked the council to table the item to allow discussions with the fire chief and police chief.

“Based on some of the information that we received since we submitted this, I think it would be in our best interest to table it until the next meeting… our fire chief along with our police chief. And they must be involved,” the church representative said.

Councilman Allen moved to table the item; Council Member Adrian seconded the motion. The motion carried on a recorded roll call.

During discussion council members and the speaker identified traffic, specifically issues on South Fourth Street, as the primary concern it would be necessary to address before the council takes action. The council did not take additional action and scheduled the item for a future meeting after consultation with the chiefs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council June 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council voted to table a church request until its next meeting so the applicant can consult the fire and police chiefs about traffic flow, particularly on South Fourth Street, before the council considers approval.","taxTitle","Opelika, Lee County, Alabama","taxId",54221,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6216592,"Opelika council approves travel reports, equipment purchases and an ordinance allowing alcohol at Spring Villa Park lodge",309,1437000,1746000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a&start=1437&end=1746","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a/thumbnail_1437000.jpg","/articles/6216592/Opelika/Lee-County/Alabama/Opelika-council-approves-travel-reports-equipment-purchases-and-an-ordinance-allowing-alcohol-at-Spring-Villa-Park-lodge","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216592-0a23d143da961d82a2a221ebdaa53da2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184738&Signature=JP6laEY~~sGWf5fhkPFXcTukfX-0lMo4EOtixcxWNgH1xvkErjgzg8G83TgAf~zqjfFMQ9nZYxKiKXEOj21Dt2TUtO4kZl-KVgaQZmBZHXcQ-JYbHoIhQnVxLXGNEvPanR3kwu~9FnQp70KLVEiECjMWHdXxr3u0WkFeQtSe5Uh60jLXJq-9teVGI2ql5L8EYjIAj9mooZXz~kcbFqKM8JzOG5kb3ZrCU~sQbmfBj8fHVg-sQhGC5D7MgmFqGitf0bJZ9bz4Xy7fni3RBI~cTecM4UH0CVQ-5PwqmhnN-Yc46JJMflMJq4Xb9F3RizJLWICNnyqWeLcfBOB4~2OJ9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff read a slate of resolutions and the council approved them by roll call on June 30.

Resolution No. 1 approved travel expense reports submitted by Mayor Fuller and several city employees. Resolution No. 2 authorized the police department to purchase storage lockers from Kroger International Inc. for $50,405.29. Resolution No. 7 authorized the purchase of 428 stream credits from Martin Creek LLC for $29,960 to support a Sharp Street project that requires a piped stream crossing.

Other approved items included a professional-engineering services contract with Saint and Associates Inc. for a sidewalk project along Waverly Parkway, an electric power-line easement to Tallapoosa River Electric Cooperative to serve Springville Park, and the vacation of certain unnamed, unopened rights-of-way within the Fox Run Industrial Park subdivision. The council also approved several sewer-fee refunds and a $1,250 special appropriation to Gyms Empowered for a June 10 celebration.

On ordinances, the council adopted on second reading an amendment to section 3-15 of the City of Opelika Code of Ordinances to permit the service and on-site consumption of alcoholic beverages at the new lodge in Spring Villa Park. The council also introduced for first reading an ordinance, recommended by the Opelika Planning Commission, to rezone parcels at 401 and 409 Simmons Street from M-1 (industrial) to C-2 (office/retail). The Simmons rezoning was presented with a positive planning commission recommendation and will return for additional readings and any vote required by ordinance procedures.

The council also approved the reappointment of Bridal Golston to the Indian Pines Public Park Authority for a new term ending in February (year stated during the meeting).","At its June 30 meeting the council approved multiple routine resolutions — including travel expense reports, a $50,405.29 police locker purchase and a $29,960 purchase of stream credits — and adopted a second-reading ordinance to permit alcohol service at the new lodge at Spring Villa Park.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6216597,"Developer seeks annexation, rezoning of 7.6 acres at U.S. 280 near Veterans Parkway",87,30000,117000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a&start=30&end=117","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a/thumbnail_30000.jpg","/articles/6216597/Opelika/Lee-County/Alabama/Developer-seeks-annexation-rezoning-of-76-acres-at-US-280-near-Veterans-Parkway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216597-621883706467337cfedbd66a0f107c44/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184738&Signature=NmuX3in4WVT3gH9IMKAXFCF2zlcI26-DxVNopeFagP5q86t~~vlrjtxa5zQrEmQ~gjbc1wA5AcyRk-AYCEPUGFji0jnGMcxOYC5ltLai80OM25UbfO1-kgU7w5brmx2Pn2XgT9FhKWCSdM2N8km2y17pivBlvWluA-YW6FpmHLQYPYsLGxqBbviA3uWmhiJBu3Bj2VdVQoWZJbM6DUqm~l9uKnJxeBIA3OZUCwCJ4MFDLWxCrVoLkKl-ZvSJ8OyM94n0iGRu09waKQ2ebVBPJahg9~wLp1oFFsqDc-k8qBsLO-l7BSzyNpqllMemrKDqvVZGAXDTQO7IAj9Rw65O0Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning staff told the Opelika City Council during a June 30 work session that a developer is requesting annexation of roughly 7.6 acres on Birmingham Highway (U.S. 280) near Veterans Parkway, adjacent to the Pyramid Hill development.

“It's a request to annex 7.6 acres located adjacent to the Pyramid Hill development…they're asking that the property come in and once it's annexed be rezoned to that gateway corridor, C-2 zoning to match the rest of the development there,” the city staff member said.

Staff said the property is currently vacant and contains a small creek that cuts through part of the tract; bringing the parcel into the city and rezoning it to C-2 would “even out the edges” of the adjacent development, the staff member said.

The staff presentation noted that typical annexations come in with R-1 rural low-density zoning, but because the adjacent land is zoned C-2 in the gateway corridor, the applicant requests C-2 on annexation. The council was asked to authorize advertising a public hearing on the rezoning; no final annexation or rezoning vote occurred at the work session.

Speakers did not raise formal objections during the work session; council members invited questions and reserved final action for the advertised public hearing and any subsequent council vote.","A developer requested annexation of 7.6 vacant acres adjacent to the Pyramid Hill development and asked the city to advertise a public hearing to rezone the parcel to C-2 gateway corridor zoning to match neighboring parcels.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6216601,"Residents ask city to convene parties after uncovering graves near Blackberry Reserve development",433,1959000,2392000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a&start=1959&end=2392","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3650900-db2c0dd5c03a410f4e95445fc173122a/thumbnail_1959000.jpg","/articles/6216601/Opelika/Lee-County/Alabama/Residents-ask-city-to-convene-parties-after-uncovering-graves-near-Blackberry-Reserve-development","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6216601-c6ff3f804af29a4b88b6a86654ebd574/orig.mp4?Expires=1771184738&Signature=RK22GjF-U14IsQE8E5PuhGl1BEBydydXcaQtK~eF8UeujWpLmvJ7M9yNsPLToHe3cf1WiIAaRxVewyzSAJRuiGHQgIhNj3kGqpRx1SvAbWuBOeLZZqzeRV4z49QYAWbkVHqGFbqoZh3d8xO7~1PnEmSfV2DNHjySxhfP7CdGQfBkRpJb10S1QtEbTNm4wAJPFKNM1i3bLWuQCaRg7LH64uxUyCnUbbNBds0ghb-x5Kbmu0F~-HGvFNorreNnqTzF0WSOpq40WEVVDcCXLs6ZQk5jzfulpD6g-7X-0Vz9EuIEw-p4TvXQSSuKe4HNdtYgu-Cuo9bCMYQII3SeU8n2cQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tiffany Hillier, a resident of 1305 Morris Avenue, told the Opelika City Council on June 30 that cleanup work at what she called Hodge Cemetery uncovered graves beyond the one-acre area shown on century-old plats and raised concerns the developer’s planned lots could encroach on burials.

“Since those cleanup efforts, we did unearth what appears to be many, many more graves,” Hillier said, urging a joint site visit by the Lee County Cemetery Preservation Commission, the developer and residents.

The issue, Hillier said, stems from differences between century-old survey descriptions and later burials. She told council members she had documentation indicating the Alabama Historical Commission requires a 100-foot buffer around cemeteries more than 75 years old.

Matt Morris, a resident at 2709 Rocky Brook Lane and a member of the local preservation effort, told the council the cemetery contains graves dating to the 1850s and that the most recent recorded burial was in 1986. “The concern is that…graves are outside the one-acre set aside by the survey,” Morris said.

Council members and staff said the city does not currently have unilateral authority to clear disputes on private property and proposed bringing the interested parties together to determine the locations of graves and next steps. A council representative said the next step is to arrange a meeting with the developer’s representative, residents, and the county preservation commission to discuss possible ways to determine whether burials exist outside the platted area and how to protect them.

Residents asked whether ground-penetrating radar or other respectful methods would be used to determine burial locations; the council said that would be discussed at the meeting of stakeholders.

Speakers at the meeting emphasized they were not seeking to stop the Blackberry Reserve development but to avoid unintentional disturbance of burials if lots are sold and built adjacent to the cemetery.

The council did not take formal action on the cemetery at the June 30 meeting; staff said they would help convene the parties for further discussion.","Residents urged the Opelika City Council to help arrange a meeting with developers and county preservation officials after cleanup work uncovered graves beyond the one-acre cemetery plat at the Blackberry Reserve subdivision.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council tables church request pending input from fire and police chiefs over traffic concerns

Opelika council approves travel reports, equipment purchases and an ordinance allowing alcohol at Spring Villa Park lodge

Developer seeks annexation, rezoning of 7.6 acres at U.S. 280 near Veterans Parkway

Residents ask city to convene parties after uncovering graves near Blackberry Reserve development