Algood Apartment Expansion Raises Concerns On Council

The Algood City Council tabled a rezoning request Tuesday night so it can review the city’s long-term plan for growth.

The rezoning request was from Putnam Properties who want to add a third building to Quarry Run. Councilman Luke Hill said he thinks Algood should consider how adding more high density residential areas could affect infrastructure.

“Once we start adding 24 units, 50 units, a million units whatever, what is that going to do to police?” Hill said. “Yes, it’s going to increase business and sales tax but what is it going to do to our overall infrastructure. Can our schools handle the additional children?”

The Algood Planning Commission approved the rezoning request for 299 East Main Street from General Commercial to High Density Residential. Mayor Lisa Chapman-Fowler said the council has met in prior work sessions to discuss the city’s long-range plan.

“I will certainly be happy to reach out to (Planning Director) Mr. (Tommy) Lee,” Fowler said. “And we will try to arrange something so that we can all have a session and bring us up to speed on exactly where we are.”

City Attorney Danny Rader said that based on trends, High-Density Residential requests will continue to come before the city.

“You get to decide where the dominoes stop,” Rader said. “Because you’ve got to look at the bigger picture, the bigger zoning map and determine this area is right for high-density, this area’s right for low-density and there’s going to be a border.”

Rader said deciding how to control that growth is in the council’s hands.

“At some point somebody may go, ‘give me the next one, the next one, the next one,” Rader said. “And you say, ‘stop, we’re not gonna go any farther we’re gonna keep this area low-density,’ and that’s exactly your role as the council to decide that.”

Hill said it would be a good idea to let the public take part in a work session for long-range planning. A date for that session was not set.