Tuscaloosa council holds public hearing on Riverfront Development District plan; final vote set for next meeting

The Tuscaloosa City Council on June 3 held a public hearing and heard staff and council discussion of a proposed Riverfront Development District plan, and directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance that will either approve the development plan as submitted, approve it subject to conditions, or deny the application for consideration at the council's next regular meeting.

Staff member Kreitz explained the hearing process and told the council that the item is being heard under the city's legacy zoning code. "With tonight's public hearing, you'll hear from Mister Ponds. He'll introduce the item," Kreitz said. She and other staff outlined that the council's action tonight would be to provide direction to the city attorney's office so that an ordinance reflecting the council's decision can be placed on next week's agenda.

The matter will not receive a final vote tonight. "Tonight is not the final vote," a staff speaker said during the presentation. Council members will indicate whether they support the plan, support it with conditions, or oppose it; staff will then have the city attorney prepare the corresponding ordinance for the next regular meeting. Councilmembers and staff noted that after this hearing there will be no additional public hearings on the item and that the ordinance prepared for the next meeting will be considered under the ordinances section rather than as a public hearing matter.

City Attorney Holmes was asked to clarify procedural questions about suspending rules and voting thresholds. Holmes explained that the city code and the specific ordinance language govern the process. Council members discussed scheduling constraints — including a council trip that will affect the timing of the next meeting — and raised questions about whether a non‑unanimous vote could require the item to return under "unfinished business." One council member described the proposal as particularly contentious: "I think this is probably one of the most contentious Riverfront development district plans that you've seen ever," a staff speaker said, explaining why the process appears complicated.

Staff also distributed a hearing protocol: the applicant will receive an initial 15 minutes for presentation (with limited extensions at the council's discretion), public comment will be first‑come/first‑served with a five‑minute limit per speaker until 6 p.m., three minutes per speaker after 6 p.m., and two minutes per speaker after 6:30 p.m.; each person may speak only once. After public comment is closed, the council may ask follow‑up questions of the applicant and staff before indicating direction to the city attorney.

No final ordinance was adopted at the meeting. The council's direction to the city attorney to prepare an ordinance reflecting either approval, approval with conditions, or denial was the primary outcome; the prepared ordinance will be presented for a final vote at the next regular council meeting.