Tag Archive for: New Albany Planning and Zoning Board

New Albany aldermen approve zoning change over objection of neighboring property owners

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NEMiss.News Johnny Payton at City Board March 7, 2023

 

As often happens, dissension over a zoning change was on the March 7 agenda of the New Albany Board of Aldermen.

Stout and Stout, a commercial real estate developer, had asked the city Planning and Zoning Board to approve a zoning change for a parcel of land near the 1500 block of South Central Avenue. The change would allow the developer to construct eight houses on the land rather than six. The single-family homes would each be about 1,400 square feet.

The city Planning and Zoning board had approved Stout’s request. In a public hearing at the March 7th board meeting the aldermen heard from property owners who object to the change. The primary objection seemed to be the fear that the proposed new houses would be rentals rather than occupied by owners. After a brief discussion, the aldermen affirmed the decision of the zoning board, approving the change.

In another planning and zoning matter, the board granted a variance for a fuel dispenser setback for Wild Bill’s at 400 Highway 15 North.

The aldermen approved requests from several city departments to sell at auction surplus property, mainly old motor vehicles.

The board approved several requests from New Albany Lights, Gas and Water Manager Bill Mattox including:

  • Payment of $182,837 to Atwell and Gent Engineering Services for design services for the electrical department.
  • Approval of the low bid of $70,465 for the purchase of a Bobcat Compact Excavator.

The next meeting of the New Albany Board of Aldermen will be at 5:30 p.m. on April 4.

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Trail Life honor guard opens meeting of New Albany Board of Aldermen

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NEMiss.News Trail Life Honor Guard at City Board

An honor guard of the New Albany Trail Life youth group opened the Monday, March 1, meeting of the New Albany Board of Aldermen,

Clay Hardy, the Trail Life chapter leader, introduced the group, which marched to the front of the meeting chamber with the flags of the United States and the State of Mississippi. They then led the aldermen and others at the meeting in recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.  Trail Life is sponsored by New Albany First Baptist Church. The church had sponsored a Boy Scouts of America troop for many years, but switched to the Trail Life organization. Hardy said the change was made because church members disagreed with the “the way Boy Scouts of America was going.”

Many Boy Scouts of America (BSA) troops have switched to the Trail Life organization, which was “founded in 2013 in response to changes in the membership policy of the BSA to allow the participation of openly gay leadership.” (You may follow the link at the end of this article learn more about the history of Trail Life and the controversy that launched it.)

Ward 4 Alderman Will Tucker presided at the meeting in the absence of Mayor Tim Kent, who is recovering from knee surgery done about a month ago.

New Albany Lights, Gas, and Water (NALGW) Manager Bill Mattox asked the board to approve a resolution calling on the state legislature to pass a bill to let NALGW provide high speed Internet service to its customers. He asked the board to approve a payment of $38,000 to Roberts Construction for work it has done to convert the old Fred’s building to space for the New Albany Police Department and NALGW.

Maddox also asked the board for authority  to enter into negotiations with Night Hawk AMI of Dallas, Texas to provide AMI service for city utilities. AMI is an integrated system of smart meters, communications networks, and data management systems that enables two-way communication between utilities and customers. All of Mattox’s recommendations were unanimously approved by the board.

City Code Enforcement Officer Eric Thomas told the aldermen that the zoning board had approved a sign ordinance variance for Med Plus on Park Plaza Drive and a conditional permit to Ivan Giddings for occupancy of a house at 1310 South Central Avenue.

The work Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) is doing on its overpass over Snyder Street was on the board’s “update agenda.” However, the board had no sound information about when that project would be completed and Snyder Street again open to traffic. Some BNSF workmen have responded to inquiries by saying it would be “up to two months” before the work is finished.

The board went into an executive session closed to the public at the end of the public meeting.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the New Albany Board of Aldermen will be at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, April 4 at city hall.

Info on Trail Life:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_Life_USA

 

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Wages honored for work with city of New Albany

New Albany, MS– Bob Wages was honored by family, coworkers and friends at a dinner party Thursday night, October 20, at The Warehouse in New Albany.

Bob Wages received a plaque in recognition of his service to the City of New Albany. Herbert Kidd of the zoning board made the presentation.

Bob Wages received a plaque in recognition of his service to the City of New Albany. Herbert Kidd of the zoning board made the presentation.

Wages retired recently as chairman of the New Albany Planning and Zoning Board, concluding a career with New Albany city government that spanned 38 years. He first went to work for the city in 1978 as a patrolman with the New Albany Police Department.

He left New Albany and worked in the American Southwest for a number of years, then returned here during the 1990s, when he was employed as a building inspector for the city. He continued working in the New Albany zoning office until his retirement December 31, 2003.

Wages was appointed to the city’s planning and zoning board the first time there was a vacancy there following his retirement. He retired as chairman of that board, effective August 29, 2016.

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