NORTHPORT, AL — Northport resident Amy LeePard sat on the front row with her family at Monday night’s City Council meeting, each of them holding homemade signs to oppose the city’s push for the Northport Community Center property to become the city’s next major retail development project.
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The Northport City Council voted unanimously in favor of allowing Beeker Property Group to conduct due diligence to market the Park Street property over the next 180 days.
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The Council chamber was at capacity, mostly with those holding similar signs advocating on behalf of the park — one of the few remaining green spaces along Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard.
Other advocates have argued for the utility of the Community Center, which is regularly booked months in advance for events such as parties, line-dance classes and family reunions, among other uses.
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But as the Council neared the end of its regular agenda Monday night, LeePard attempted to speak in opposition to the measure before the vote was conducted.
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Those in the crowd then began to voice their frustrations and Council President Jeff Hogg pushed through the vote, but not before asking two Northport Police officers to restore order in the chamber. This was done without confrontation, but boos continued and many in opposition stayed behind in an attempt to speak with members of the Council.
LeePard, acting as the opposition group’s spokeswoman, was not allowed to speak on the record during Monday night’s meeting.
“Eight years ago, we defended the park and Community Center against a proposal to turn it into a Krispy Kreme, at that time the process was that if you were a member of the community and wanted to address the council and make a public comment, you could show up to the 5 p.m. pre-council meeting or just show up to speak.”
LeePard then said the city has since changed its system, with those put on the agenda for public comment required to submit a online form well in advance of the meeting
“It’s really suppressing the public’s voice,” she said. “But there is a clause [in the agenda] that allows for the council president at his discretion may call upon any person present.”
Indeed, LeePard asked Hogg as tempers began to boil over, if he would do so. Instead, Hogg chided those speaking out of turn in the crowd, saying “This is a public meeting, so why don’t we act like it?”
In these cases — where large groups show up to speak for or against issues — one person is typically appointed the spokesperson and given ample time to state their position on behalf of the larger group in attendance. This is done to save time and avoid redundancy.
“Unfortunately tonight some residents caused harm to other residents by not acting civil,” Hogg told Patch following the meeting. “Had they allowed Council to conduct the meeting, discuss the misconceptions, and the purpose of this agenda item, they would have seen that the council was amenable to discussing the issue further.”
Hogg then said he intended to ask members if the Council should go against the council resolution to allow them to have one spokesperson. Instead, as voices filled the chamber, he made a motion for a vote, which was seconded and passed unanimously.
“After numerous attempts to restore order and three times of having police involved to help calm some of the residents, the council went ahead with a vote,” he said. “Citizens will have plenty of time to discuss and sign up to speak within the next 180 days.”
“I hate it for the people that acted civil and wanted to listen and learn,” he added. “Maybe this will serve as notice that this is a formal meeting. Not a zoo.”
As Patch previously reported, city officials hoped the site could be used for a new retail development at Lurleen B. Wallace Boulevard and Park Street. Due to a measure passed in the 1990s, it requires a unanimous vote of the City Council to sell the property.
On Monday, the Council voted to give Beeker Property Group 180 days exclusivity to market the property based on the criteria in the Request for Proposal (RFP).
Hogg said the decision Monday was not to sell the property but to start the process of due diligence by not only Beeker, but Northport City Hall.
In effect, Hogg said this timetable will determine where, when, and how the city will want to move forward with establishing a new community center that will be overall better for the community.
Hogg also said City Administrator Glenda Webb has worked closely with Friends of Historic Northport regarding the idea and reportedly received their blessing before the RFP was issued.
Beeker Property Group came in as the highest-scoring bidder, with its estimated cost coming in somewhere in the middle of the four offered, which were as follows.
As part of the proposed deal, the Friends of Historic Northport have reportedly worked with city staff in regards to the relocation of the Old School House Building and the Green Museum Building on the property.
Hogg said the Old School House will be moved to the Shirley Place property and the Green Museum Building will be moved across the street to a parcel of land that the city owns. The Friends of Historic Northport aiming to use it as a Welcome Center for incoming people coming across the bridge from Tuscaloosa into Northport.
“Our aim for Park Street is to establish a harmonious space that fosters business, community engagement, and visitor interaction,” the Beeker Property Group said in a letter to the city. “To accomplish this, we intend to create a centralized outdoor green area, serving as a gathering place for the community, enhancing various community activities, and contributing to the overall sense of place for the residents.”
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