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Residents of Collegeville urge council to address pollution, rezoning and seek buyouts; speakers call for community-led revitalization
Summary
Several speakers during public comment described long-term pollution and rezoning they say harms Collegeville, called for community-driven revitalization and asked for transparency and buyout options for heavily impacted residents.
Residents and community leaders used the public-comment period at the July 22 Birmingham City Council meeting to press elected officials for action on pollution, rezoning to light industrial uses and lack of investment in Collegeville and nearby neighborhoods.
Jerica Miles Mabry said she represents Collegeville residents and described her neighborhood as a "superfund area scarred by pollution from coke and steel companies." She said residents have suffered health impacts and alleged the city rezoned parts of Collegeville, Herriman Park and Fairmont to light industrial "without transparency, without notice, and against our will." "We are not invisible. We are not expendable," Mabry said, urging the council to "restore Collegeville, remove polluting businesses, invest in our recovery" and to include residents in a community-driven revitalization plan.
Tyler Powell, who identified himself as a Fairmont resident, said contamination and a closed plant have left large swaths of land polluted and urged the council to pursue buyouts or relocation for affected residents. Powell said he has repeatedly asked the city for meetings and documentation and said residents received insufficient compensation from prior programs.
Reverend Dr. Wayne T. Harris Jr., who identified himself as pastor of Tabernacle Fellowship of Birmingham and communications lead for Black Lives Matter, said residents perceive the pattern as "intentional neglect" and described the situation as environmental racism and redlining. "Collegeville deserves better," Harris said, and added that resident-led groups and community organizations will continue to press elected officials.
Speakers cited several specific concerns: alleged reclassification and rezoning to light industrial; family health impacts from pollution; a perceived lack of ARPA investment for the nearly 3,000 residents referenced by a speaker; and requests for transparent, resident-led planning. Council members did not take formal action during the public-comment period; the speakers asked for meetings, follow-up and visible commitments from the mayor's office and the council.
No council response in the transcript recorded a specific new committee assignment or funding action during the meeting; several council members acknowledged the comments and the meeting record shows community leaders committed to continuing their advocacy.
