The City of Prattville Planning Commission on Dec. 19 recommended that the City Council annex approximately 94 acres containing Prattville High School, its technology center, sports fields and an undeveloped 40-acre tract along Upper Kingston Road, and separately recommended rezoning the same parcel to institutional use.

Planning staff described the site, noting the property is contiguous to the current city limits and that the future land-use map designates the parcel for institutional use. Staff said the annexation and rezoning requests were submitted by the Autauga County Board of Education (petitioner). The commission conducted a public hearing and heard support from residents who said bringing the school into the city would streamline coordination on safety, utilities and future sidewalk projects.

Wade Newman, identifying himself as a member of the local 911 committee, told commissioners that annexation could simplify memoranda of understanding for ambulance and other emergency services and could make it easier to extend sidewalks using city matching funds. Another resident, Mike Jones, sought clarification on whether the future-land-use shading on maps affected his property; staff explained the future land-use map is a long-range guide and does not itself rezone property or change ownership.

The commission voted to recommend annexation of the described property to city council, and separately voted to recommend rezoning the property to institutional. Staff said the commission’s reports will be sent to council for further action (staff indicated items would likely appear on a January council agenda to set public hearings and that council may use state statutory authority for pre-zoning before annexation). The commission’s recommendations are advisory; final action on annexation and rezoning rests with the Prattville City Council.

No specific fiscal impacts or service-cost estimates were presented at the commission meeting; staff and commenters said any future sidewalk or infrastructure work would follow established city processes and funding matches.