Planning commission approves annexation and rezoning for New Watermelon site after extensive public comment

The Tuscaloosa Planning and Zoning Commission on April 21 approved annexation of about 4.99 acres at 605 New Watermelon Road and rezoned the parcel from SFR-1 to GC (General Commercial) following staff presentations and extended public comment.

The vote follows a staff briefing that said the site is currently identified in the city’s framework plan as "Traditional Neighborhood Edge (TN2)" and that the requested commercial zoning does not conform to the plan. Staff reported 46 public comments received the previous month and 32 additional comments since then. City engineering and the petitioner discussed updates to a traffic study intended to address neighbors’ concerns.

Michael Garner, the city engineer, told the commission the revised traffic plan envisions "1 full access intersection of the southernmost access and then the northern will be a directional access only," clarifying the northern access would be right-in/right-out. Chris Sentell of Sentell Engineering, representing the applicant North River Crossings LLC, said the developer agreed to install a center turn lane and to limit the northern access to right-in/right-out, and that an earlier architectural redesign added about $150,000 in aesthetic improvements to the proposed convenience store and related buildings.

The petition submitted revised site plans and elevations showing a C-store and small restaurant uses; the materials presented included brick walls, metal roofing and gooseneck lighting. Staff and the petitioner said the traffic study also included a potential future phase for boat storage behind the primary buildings; Sentell said that boat-storage counts were included in the study and that the impact was “minimal.”

Neighbors pressed several concerns in public comment. Joanne Cook of Lexington Downs said residents had accepted one previously approved service station but opposed a second, saying, "We need space for residential homes, not more convenience stores and service stations." Brian Fuller of Saddle Ridge said the development risked changing the character of the area, calling the plan “the second step in the domino falls of that whole area turning into what we've got on Rice Mine now.” Gloria Oglesby, also of Lexington Downs, raised safety concerns for students who travel along New Watermelon Road and warned that motorists frequently exceed the posted 45 mph limit.

Developer Mark Hearing, who identified himself as a local developer, told the commission he preferred the project be annexed into the city to ensure it meets city design and building standards, and argued the project would be built in the county if necessary. "I don't think you're gonna see a better rendering come through here on a service station than what we just provided," Hearing said, describing the revisions made after earlier feedback.

Commissioners questioned the rezoning’s divergence from the framework plan. Commissioner Dina Prince, who introduced several procedural points earlier in the meeting, participated in the council discussion; other commissioners expressed divided views about applying framework recommendations versus the benefits of bringing the property under city land-use and building controls. City staff reminded the commission that annexation would subject the site to city zoning, building codes, and design review, which they said would allow the city to regulate buffers, lighting and building materials.

Before voting, staff and the petitioner confirmed additional conditions would be resolved through the Land Disturbance Permit (LDP) and development plan review processes. The petitioner was told to coordinate with the fire marshal about a fire-apparatus turnaround and to finalize the updated traffic study. The commission approved the annexation motion and the companion rezoning motion (rezoning passed with one dissenting vote recorded).

The decisions mean the site can proceed under city permitting processes; traffic and safety mitigations identified during the meeting — including a center turn lane, a northern right-in/right-out access, and a required fire turnaround — will be addressed in later permitting steps. The developer said a second, rear parcel now in the county remains a possible future phase and that any additional annexation would be presented to the commission separately.

Votes on the companion items were recorded at the meeting. Staff noted the property touches existing GC and multifamily zoning to the south and that the proposal would allow Sunday beer sales that are barred in the county. The commission emphasized that the LDP and construction permitting must demonstrate compliance with fire, drainage and access requirements before building permits are issued.

The item was continued from last month for further refinement of plans; the April 21 meeting concluded with formal approval of the annexation and rezoning motions subject to the technical LDP and permit conditions discussed at the meeting.