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Public hearing opens on updated zoning code to implement Grow Gadsden plan
Summary
The council held a public hearing on repealing city zoning code chapter 130 and adopting new comprehensive zoning regulations to implement the Grow Gadsden Master Plan. Planning commission chair Mark Condra urged adoption; nearby homeowners raised notice and rebuilding concerns.
Gadsden City Council opened a public hearing on Dec. 16 to consider repealing city code chapter 130 and adopting new comprehensive zoning regulations aligned with the Grow Gadsden Master Plan. The ordinance was presented for first reading; the council will take a final vote at a subsequent meeting.
Mark Condra, chair of the Gadsden Planning Commission, told the council the commission unanimously supports the revisions after 18 months of work. He said the updated code is intended to drive the master plan, modernize definitions and illustrations, and make regulations more accessible to residents and developers.
"If you're going to invest in the master plan, you gotta change the code," Condra said, noting updated provisions for outdoor lighting, landscaping, signage and ADA-compliant parking diagrams.
Several residents spoke during the hearing. Lori Lanier said she and her husband were not adequately notified and raised a concern that, under new zoning, they might not be able to rebuild a single-family home if a disaster destroyed their house. "I just wanna be heard… I wanna stay in my house," Lanier said, asking that her property be zoned like a neighbor's so rebuilding as a single-home would be permitted.
Another resident, Donna, asked for clarification about a proposed "streetscape" on Hood Street and whether sidewalks or planters would reduce front-yard space. Council members directed residents to planning staff to schedule follow-up meetings for parcel-specific questions.
Council President Beck said the ordinance was presented for first reading and that the council will vote on the measure at the next meeting. Planning staff and council members repeatedly encouraged residents to consult the planning office for parcel-level impacts and said changes are available online for review.
Next steps: The zoning ordinance underwent a first reading on Dec. 16; council members indicated a final vote will occur at a future meeting after additional review and responses to public comments.
