Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Coosa Harbor Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Gadsden council authorizes submission of permit application for Coosa Harbor waterfront project
Summary
The Gadsden City Council voted to authorize submission of a Phase 1 nonresidential permit to Alabama Power to begin permitting for the Coosa Harbor waterfront development, a project council members described as large-scale and dependent on Alabama Power approval.
Gadsden — The Gadsden City Council voted to authorize the city to submit the nonresidential Phase 1 permit application required by Alabama Power to begin permitting work for the proposed Coosa Harbor waterfront development.
Councilman Wilson presented the item and described the development as the project announced months earlier by developer Patrick Lawler. Wilson said the project will occupy roughly 600 feet of water frontage near the vacant downtown theater site and requires Alabama Power approval to install boat slips, floating docks and related in-water structures. "This process could take somewhere between 8 to 10 months," Councilman Wilson said during the meeting.
The council moved to suspend the rules and consider the engineering department resolution under new business; the motion was adopted by voice vote. The resolution authorizes city staff to submit the Phase 1 nonresidential permit application to Alabama Power so the developer can begin the utility permitting process.
Why it matters: Council members described the Coosa Harbor development as a major waterfront investment that will require several external approvals before construction can begin. Councilman Wilson cited a budget estimate he attributed to the developer of about $2,025,000,000 and said permitting by Alabama Power is a critical path item. Because the city must provide the permit application to Alabama Power before in-water work can proceed, the timing and pace of Alabama Power's review will directly affect when any site work or construction can start.
What the council authorized: The adopted resolution directs staff to submit the required nonresidential Phase 1 permit application to Alabama Power. No construction permits or approvals from other agencies were adopted at this meeting; the action taken was limited to filing the application and initiating Alabama Power's review.
Implementation and next steps: Councilman Wilson said the applicant is prepared to move forward once Alabama Power completes its review. The timeline Wilson gave — "somewhere between 8 to 10 months" — was presented as an estimate and attributed to the permitting process; the council made no commitment to a construction schedule and noted the city cannot control Alabama Power's review time.
Action taken: The council adopted the resolution by voice vote. The motion to consider the item under new business passed, and the resolution to submit the Phase 1 application was adopted; the meeting record shows a voice vote with the chair announcing the motion carries.
