South Plaza site plans approved by Cullman City Planning Commission

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CULLMAN – On Monday evening the Cullman City Planning Commission met before a larger than normal crowd to consider eight subdivision measures and three site plans.  The largest item on the agenda was the site plan for the new South Plaza shopping center, to be located on the corner of First Avenue Southwest and King Edward Street Southwest. See the background on South Plaza at http://qrne.ws/southplaza.

Nathan Johnson of Johnson and Associates Engineering of Huntsville stood before the commission to answer questions about the two-building, 75,000-square-foot project.  Four issues arose, based on reports sent in by city departments:

  1. The Zoning Board complained that no specific building locations appeared on the survey submitted.
  2. The Cullman Power Board warned that existing electrical equipment on the site might have to be relocated.
  3. Cullman Fire Rescue stated that the roofs of the site’s underground water retention chambers would have to be able to support 37 tons of firefighting equipment in the event of a fire emergency.
  4. As with most new construction projects, the City requested sidewalks on both street sides of the site.

Johnson agreed to all the commission’s terms and promised an updated survey showing the exact building locations.  With that, the commission granted conditional approval, contingent upon the developer keeping those commitments.

In other business

The commission also approved the site plan for a parking lot extension at Bill Smith Buick GMC on Second Avenue Northwest, contingent on the addition of one handicap parking space at the office and installation of a sidewalk along the street.

The commission approved a third site plan for the proposed construction of a modular home on County Road 497.  Zoning Director Rick Fulmer pointed out that site requirements and preparation for modular homes are the same as those for site-built structures.

Subdivision requests

The commission approved the following subdivision requests:

  • 917 Convent Road NE – combine three lots into one lot
  • 1829 Fox Meadow Trail SE – combine Lot 54 & Lot 71
  • Short-form subdivision Pinedale Estates – Stadium Drive Northeast & 13th Street Northeast – divide one lot into three lots
  • 1701 2nd Ave. SW (Jet-Pep) – divide one lot into two lots
  • Alabama Highway 157 NW & Interstate-65 – Highland Cove (5 parcels)
  • McNabb Road SW & 4th St. SW (Hwy. 278) – combine two lots into one lot
  • Stone Creek (off of Convent Road Northeast) – Phase II – final plat

The commission denied only one subdivision request, because the division would produce lots that did not meet minimum size requirements: John H. Cooper Drive Southeast – divide Lot 1 into two lots (1A & 1B)

To close the meeting, the commission voted to recommend to the Cullman City Council the annexation of properties located at 48 County Road 497 and 451 County Road 1467. 

City Attorney Roy Williams then presented a request to place an item on the next meeting agenda concerning the extension of Cullman’s current Special Events District to include more of the downtown area.  This measure was to be considered at Monday evening’s council meeting, but had not yet been reviewed by the commission.  The item was placed on the agenda for the July meeting, and was later in the evening tabled by the city council.

In a change brought on by the July 4 holiday, the next planning commission meeting will take place on July 10 in the city hall auditorium.  The public is invited to attend.

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