Residents and preservation group urge council to halt development work near Hodge Cemetery; staff asked to investigate

Several residents and local preservation volunteers told the Opelika City Council they are concerned about proposed development encroaching on the Hodge Cemetery and asked the city to review survey and development plans.

Leticia Smith, identifying herself as president of the Lee County NAACP, told the council the cemetery is historically significant and summarized volunteer observations that the cemetery boundary appears closer than developers’ plans show. "We found that the west and south sides have a AHC recommended clearance from already paved roads... the east boundary is only about 20 feet from the proposed road," Smith said, and she added that volunteers documented a fallen tree and possible encroachment on burial areas. Smith said the NAACP and other organizations will pursue conversations with the city and seek the council’s support in preserving the site.

Matt Morris, who identified himself as a member of the Lee County Cemetery Preservation Committee, said the Hodge Cemetery dates to roughly the 1840s, includes burials of early area families and African Americans who served in those households, and that previous surveys likely predate later burials. "The last survey, according to what we can tell, took place probably about 1900 and there were interments after that date outside of that range," Morris said, and he urged the city to commission a new survey to account for graves outside the original perimeter.

Tiffany Hillier, a resident who said she has walked the site, told the council she believed the proposed street layout for the Blackberry Reserve subdivision would run "directly over at least 3 graves" and asked the council to consider halting development until the cemetery boundaries are verified.

In response, a council member asked staff member Motley to look into both the cemetery and the subdivision plans and to provide an update. The council record shows the mayoral designee asked, "Mister Motley, would you, get that looked into and and send us a email or or some sort of communication about, about what's going on there on both of these issues." That request was made on the record during the public comment segment; no formal council resolution was introduced at the meeting to pause development.

Speakers asked the council for preservation support and said they would pursue further action. Staff follow‑up and any formal administrative steps were not detailed during the meeting; the council asked staff to investigate and to communicate findings to council members and the public.