There have been many updates to the 1490 Telegraph Road Rezoning Application in the City of Mobile’s Africatown Planning Area that MEJAC wrote about in October.

October 19, 2021 – The Mobile City Council Rezoning Application Public Hearing. The Application was held over to allow for the swearing-in for the District 2 Councilor-elect William Carroll who had been elected to replace former Councilor Levon Manzie, who tragically passed away unexpectedly on September 19, 2021.

November 12, 2021 – Councilor Carroll hosted a Neighborhood Meeting Meeting at the Robert Hope Community Center in the hear of Plateau Africatown. Applicant Marty Norden of Norden Realty offered to place dozens of volunteer use restrictions on both his Rezoning Application and the deed for the property.

November 30, 2021 – Councilor Carroll hosted a follow-up public meeting in the Mobile City Council Conference Room at Government Plaza. Mr. Norden presented his proposed list of voluntary use restrictions to all gathered. The group of observers present came to unity about how to proceed, allowing MEJAC and Africatown~CHESS to dive deeper into the proposed use restrictions to offer further feedback and to confer with the remaining zoning-engaged Africatown residents who were unable to be present for the meeting.

The Industrial-2 Heavy Industry zoning designation comes with 376 potential land uses, some permitted “by right” and others requiring “planning approval”.

USE RESTRICTIONS: The proposed zoning restrictions would prevent 93 specific land uses from occurring on the property. The majority of the 93 restricted uses have to do with hazardous materials, air pollution, and noise.

PERMITTED USES: The remaining 283 permitted uses are almost entirely uses related to warehousing and warehouse based businesses, though a small number of exceptions requiring “planning approval” for other uses like Post Office and Fire Station are also included.

December 7, 2021 – The amended and restricting Rezoning Application for 1490 Telegraph Road appeared on the Mobile City Council agenda for a reading, a procedural requirement. No vote was taken.

December 9, 2021 – The MEJAC board agreed to support the amended and restricting Rezoning Application.

December 14, 2021 – The Mobile City Council Public Hearing for the amended and restricting Rezoning Application for 1490 Telegraph Road was announced to be held at the Mobile City Council meeting scheduled fro Tuesday, January 11, 2022.

FUTURE MEETINGS:

January 6, 2022 – MEJAC, Africatown~CHESS and other community partners will hold a Community Meeting at the Robert Hope Community Center on to explain and discuss the amended and restricting Rezoning Application for 1490 Telegraph Road.

January 11, 2022 – The Mobile City Council Public Hearing for the amended and restricting Rezoning Application for 1490 Telegraph Road will be conducted in-person at 10:30am at Mobile Government Plaza, 205 Government Blvd, Mobile, Alabama 36602 during regular Mobile City Council proceedings. Anyone interested in submitting Public Comment must be present in-person at the meeting.