Jasper council sets Feb. 4 hearing for J&M Properties and considers vacating Old Parris Jasper Road; economic development threshold proposed to double

The Jasper City Council set a public hearing for Feb. 4, 2025, to consider an economic development assistance request from J&M Properties LLC for work at the former hospital/discount pharmacy site on 19th Street, and discussed two related land-use items: a proposed amendment to the city’s economic development ordinance and a request to vacate an unimproved portion of Old Parris Jasper Road.

City attorney Russ Robertson and staff described the J&M Properties request to demolish and reconstruct a building on the 19th Street parcel and to create space for a second new business. Robertson said Alabama’s constitution requires the council to hold a hearing and identify the beneficiary before any local economic development assistance is granted; the council voted to set the required public hearing for the Feb. 4 meeting and directed staff to publish the required seven-day notice.

Separately, the council discussed a staff-proposed amendment to the city’s economic development ordinance to raise the minimum construction-cost threshold for incentives from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 while retaining the existing 20 full-time-equivalent job requirement. The change was presented by the city attorney as an update to reflect current construction-cost conditions; the council voted to adopt the amendment without changing the jobs threshold.

The council also conducted a public hearing and considered a resolution to vacate an unimproved portion of the right-of-way shown on tax maps as Old Parris Jasper Road (also referred to at times as Second Place) near the Marjak plant. Attorney Robertson said the unimproved right-of-way currently lies across property owned by Marjak; the company has submitted subdivision drawings showing the existing roadway will be dedicated for public use as part of the subdivision and that the unimproved segment is not in use. Wade Burton, of Marjak, spoke during the hearing to explain confusion among property owners about which right-of-way provided access to a parcel they had acquired; Burton said earlier discussions had identified a different route as the intended access and described prior conversations with company and city representatives. City staff and the applicant clarified that the unimproved portion proposed for vacation is not the road local landowners had been using and that the county or city dedication will formalize the access they expect.

After brief public comment from Wade Burton and staff clarification, the council voted to proceed with the vacation process and to accept the subdivision filings as presented. No parties spoke in opposition during the hearing recorded in the transcript.

Context and next steps The Feb. 4 public hearing will include a formal presentation by J&M Properties and is required by the Alabama Constitution before the city can consider providing economic development assistance; staff will publish notice and return the matter for council action after the hearing. The economic development ordinance amendment raising the construction-cost threshold to $2,000,000 was adopted during the meeting; staff said the jobs requirement of 20 full-time-equivalent positions remains unchanged.

Council members also used the meeting to set additional administrative items and recognized upcoming personnel changes in the police and fire departments. The council noted two department leaders were retiring and extended public thanks for their service.