A vacant piece of land just off Interstate 65’s busy Alabama Highway 157 interchange is cleared for a new housing development, thanks to the city’s approval of a requested rezoning that will allow the construction of small-lot single-family homes.

At its regular meeting this week, the Cullman City Council rezoned the property, which lies along Old Highway 157 just north of the commercial area anchored by the Cracker Barrel restaurant. The property, which covers approximately 50 acres, lies east of Interstate 65.

A public hearing during the meeting yielded no remarks from residents either supporting or opposing the rezoning. The council changed the property’s zoning from R-4 residential to the city’s new PR-2 Planned Unit Development District designation, which covers semi-urban single-family structures built to accommodate slight setbacks from their adjoining streets.

Because the council approved the rezoning during the same meeting as the public hearing that addressed its proposal, the council had to suspend its statutory rules of procedure — which typically would call for the matter to come up on the next meeting agenda — in order to expedite the measure this week. By law, that step requires a roll-call vote, which all present council members (Place 4 member Clint Hollingsworth was not present at the meeting) affirmed unanimously.

In other business at its regular meeting, the council:

• Approved a special event request from city clerk Wes Moore to hold the 2022 AHSAA State Track Meet at Cullman High School from May 6 through May 7. Council members noted the project’s significance to Andy Page, their late colleague, as well as his diligence and energy in securing the major annual event’s original commitment, several years ago, to be held at CHS. “He was instrumental in bringing it to Cullman, and took great pride in it,” said council president Jenny Folsom.
• Approved and accepted the results of the city’s fiscal year audit for 202, with council president Folsom noting that audit was “clean” and free from significant findings.
• Approved a special event request from Gary Cornelius to hold a Relay for Life ‘Party at the Park’ event at Depot Park and the adjacent Arnold Street, pending collaboration between organizers and city fire and police to coordinate for safety measures along Arnold Street. The event is scheduled from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 30.
• Approved the city policy for Police Field Training Officers’ compensation.
• Amended the city’s employment position control detail description to add an office manager position for the city garage.
• Adopted a resolution approving the securing of a $2 million loan, repayable over a 10-year period, from Peoples Bank of Alabama to fund planned improvements at Cullman Regional Airport.
• Awarded a bid for fencing at Wild Water water park to Parris Fence Company, LLC, the lowest responsible bidder, in the amount of $111,274.87.
• Authorized mayor Jacobs to act on the city’s behalf in purchasing property from the Cullman County Center for the Developmentally Disabled (CCCDD), for potential future use as the site of storm shelters and other community safety amenities on the city’s south side.
• Adopted a resolution approving an adjustment policy for utility billing by the City of Cullman, to address water leaks and annual swimming pool filling.
• Rejected previously submitted bids for landscaping at Wild Water water park, and separately issued a change order to project contractor Carcel & G Construction, Inc. to perform the same service in the parking lot and surrounding park grounds.
• Approved council member David Moss’ appointment of Rachel Dawsey to the city tree commission.
• Adopted a resolution proclaiming the month of April as Fair Housing month in Cullman.
• Approved the minutes of the council’s March 7 and March 11 meetings.