Planning commission approves 79.6-acre Country Club Road master plan after residents press flooding, cemetery and traffic concerns

The Decatur City Planning Commission on April 22 approved a 79.57-acre master plan for the Country Club Road site, a mixed‑use redevelopment proposed by Pew Wright McAnally with Cook's Property LLC as the landowner. The commission voted 8-0 to approve the master plan, which lists the parcel at 2401 Country Club Drive Southeast and describes the proposed future land use as regional mixed‑use.

The plan calls for phased, mixed‑use development on the property and identifies Country Club Road Southeast as a minor arterial. Tommy Williams of the planning department read the application and noted that any relocation of utilities will be at the owner’s expense and must occur before construction. The commission recorded no conditions on the master plan at the time of the vote.

The master plan review drew extended public comment focused on stormwater, an on‑site cemetery and traffic cut‑throughs. Michael Stovall and other neighbors asked whether the project will worsen longstanding flooding in the area; Terrence Atkins and other residents urged that the nearby Blackfoot Cemetery be treated with “reverence” and better visibility; several residents said they had not received mailed notice of the neighborhood meeting and asked for clearer outreach.

The applicant’s representatives responded that the parcel itself is not in the mapped floodplain and will be required to provide stormwater detention in accordance with city subdivision regulations during the preliminary plat and engineering phases. "There is no floodplain on this development property," said Blake McAnally; "This property will have required detention to meet the subdivision regulations of the city of Decatur to retain any increase in the rate of runoff." David Horath of Land Innovations said the team had hired a third‑party archaeology firm and used ground‑penetrating radar at both cemetery areas; he said the searches did not identify burial connections beyond the areas already maintained and that the team wants to partner with the community to preserve and maintain those sites.

Engineering consultants described planned stormwater controls and traffic projections. A project engineer said the development will use detention, bioswales and other stormwater measures to ensure “no net increase” in runoff compared with current conditions, citing the city subdivision regulations that require detention. Scott of Skipper Consulting, the traffic consultant, said the full build‑out would generate roughly 400 peak‑hour vehicle trips (approximately 4,000 daily trips) and estimated Country Club Road’s daily volume would rise from about 7,500 to roughly 11,500, still under a conventional two‑lane capacity used for planning purposes. He also said the project’s design proposes turn lanes and phased widening in specific locations, and that future improvements to the Country Club/67 intersection are under review with the city and the Alabama Department of Transportation.

Neighbors pressed for traffic mitigation measures such as restricting left turns from the development or adding measures to discourage cut‑throughs on Fairway Drive and Apache Lane. Commissioners and staff acknowledged traffic increases are likely with growth and said mitigation and roadway improvements would be developed during preliminary engineering and through partnership with the city. Staff noted some design features aim to discourage use of Country Club Lane as a primary entrance; developers said phased turn lanes and a center turn lane in locations of left turns are part of the long‑term concept.

The commission’s approval cleared the master concept plan to move forward; preliminary plats, engineering, and any required permits (including floodplain permits where applicable) will follow and be reviewed by city staff and the appropriate agencies. The planning commission record notes that relocations of utilities are the owner’s responsibility and that preliminary engineering must demonstrate compliance with city subdivision regulations.

The item will next be considered by the city council where certain rezoning or other approvals may be required to make specific elements final.