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Alexander City Council adopts two-acre land disturbance ordinance and approves several resolutions
Summary
At its Jan. 20 meeting the Alexander City Council approved an ordinance requiring city review of land disturbances larger than two acres and approved resolutions to buy a court printer, acquire 0.06 acres for future sewer infrastructure and amend a Verizon water-tower lease; residents raised runoff and sewage concerns during public comment.
Alexander City’s council moved forward on several routine items and a new land-disturbance ordinance during its Jan. 20 regular meeting.
The council voted to adopt an ordinance setting a two-acre threshold for local review of land disturbances that are not agricultural or timber work, Mayor said. The ordinance requires developers carrying out mass grading above two acres to submit plans for city review, confirm environmental permitting (transcript referenced “ADM” regulations) and address impacts to sewer, water and power infrastructure. City staff said the local threshold is set at two acres while an agency threshold referenced in the discussion is one acre.
Council also approved a series of resolutions. Members authorized the mayor to purchase a dedicated printer for the new municipal court at a cost not to exceed $4,985 to keep court materials secure; staff told the council purchasing (with warranty coverage) would cost less than leasing. The body approved a contract to acquire a 0.06-acre parcel along State Route 63 to preserve a site for a future pump station should east‑side development occur. Council approved Amendment No. 5 to the city’s water-tower communications lease with Verizon to permit a generator and maintain uninterrupted service.
Residents raised concerns about development runoff and wastewater management during public comment. A resident identified as Docisworth said runoff and muddy water from recent heavy rain had flowed into a nearby lake and questioned how 10–20 lots on a small parcel would handle sewage, asking the city to enforce subdivision and development rules to protect property values. Another resident, Cynthia Edwards, praised the city’s participation in recent Black History Month events and thanked council members for their public presence.
Drew, identified in the meeting as the presenting staff member, described the 0.06-acre parcel purchase as preparatory: "this is for a parcel of land that will allow us to build a pump station in the future should the east side of 63 develop," he said. The mayor read aloud a letter from Roger Quinton Bishop recognizing Fire & Rescue and police for assistance after a December injury and thanking city employees and volunteers.
What happens next: the ordinance was approved for immediate consideration and adopted at the meeting. The parcel purchase and Verizon amendment were approved as presented; the transcript records the approvals but one vote tally (the parcel purchase) was not clearly transcribed as a numeric roll-call in the record.
