By Nathan Prewett
MOODY – At a meeting on Monday, Jan. 25, the Moody City Council approved requests to rezone a number of acres that will be used to develop Kelly Creek Commerce, otherwise known as Kelly Creek Business Park, on Kelly Creek Road.
The requests were made by Michael A. Mouron of Capstone Real Estate Investments along with Paul Eaves to rezone 119 acres located off Kelly Creek road, as well as another 14 acres in the same area from AG-1 (Agriculture) to B-5, which is business commercial park district.
Mouron made an additional request with the estate of Lottie Hyche to rezone 40 acres located off of Kelly Creek to B-5.
According to a brochure on the St. Clair County Economic Development Council’s website, the classification of these areas as B-5 will allow for light manufacturing, which it said will be “in line with the communities desire to have technology-based jobs.”
The finished project could provide an estimated 600-800 jobs for citizens commuting to Birmingham, the brochure says.
City attorney James Hill spoke before the council, giving a background on the proposed project and to address concerns about traffic issues near households that were brought up in past hearings before last night’s vote.
Hill said that the project will have “the most restrictive” regulations to address the traffic concerns and other related issues. The site will be reviewed by an architectural committee to handle parking spaces, lighting, aesthetic, and buffering.
He said that a conceptual plan shows that there will be five separate lots that cannot be increased or reduced by more than two according to the regulations.
He added that a traffic study has been made “to ensure that the infrastructure that will be made provided to Kelly Creek Road at this park entrance is adequate to support the prospective traffic in addition to the extent that new businesses come in we have the ability to attain new traffic studies and the developer will be required to increase any necessary infrastructure on that part of Kelly Creek Road as well.”
He also said that St. Claire County authorities can widen the road as well.
The requests were passed as Ordinance M2021-01-05.
Though most on the council voted in favor of rezoning, council member Linda Crowe was the sole “no” vote on the resolution. She commented that though she did not oppose the project itself she had concerns about the roads near property owners on Kelly Creek Road.
“The only reason is the road,” she said. “That’s the only reason. There are some houses that’s very close and it’s going to affect those people. As far as that project – I’m not against it, it’s the road. And I just couldn’t do that to those people.”
Afterwards the council approved adding Moody resident Carol Hornsby to the park’s Architectural Review Committee or ARC board, which includes Lee, the city engineer, CDA chairman and Mouron.
At the beginning of the meeting the council heard the monthly reports from department heads, including the police and fire departments.
Moody Police Chief Thomas Hunt reported that there were 1,210 calls made to the department in December, as well as 36 arrests, 187 warning tickets, 215 citations, 49 misdemeanors, 27 felonies, cars drove 15,265 miles and $607.65 was used for expenses.
Fire and Rescue Chief Larry Horton reported 198 responses in December (with 2,029 made in the year), four fires with one being a vehicle and three woods/grass, 120 medical calls, 10 wrecks, 31 public service calls, 21 false alarms and one mutual service.
In other business the council:
Approved several requests from Hunt, including purchasing new tires on unit #355 for $662,
Approved new windshields on units 343 and 344 for $1,100,
Approved the purchase of a radiator shutter system for $630,
Approved the purchase of two new radios for $2,390,
Approved spending up to $2,000 in uniform budget,
Approved Sgt. Ron Richardson to go to the TASRO conference in Gulf Shores in June, and
Approved Hunt’s request to repair a 2017 Chev Tahoe that was struck by a deer for $1,278. 35.
The council approved several requests from Horton, including the purchase of medical supplies for $450,
Approved the yearly service on the breathing air compressor for $850, and
Approved the purchase of batteries for handheld radios for $372.
Meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at Moody City Hall on 670 Park Ave.