Opelika City Council approved Brookstone PUD | #citycouncil

The council voted 3-1 in favor of amending the master plan to feature a mixed residential development with 43 single-family homes and 90 twin homes. With a density of 5.53 units per acre, the development will create an extension of Fox Run Village.

Ward 5 Councilman Todd Rauch opposed it and Ward 3 Councilman Tim Aja was not in attendance.  

“I appreciate the time that was taken out. Holland Homes followed the instructions that were levied by this council and met with the constituents that live in that area,” Councilwoman and President Pro-Tem Erica Baker Norris said. 

The amendment approval comes after multiple residents raised concerns about parking, space and more. The motion was on the agenda in early March, but tabled pending a meeting among the developer, Holland Homes and the Homeowners Association. 

The master plan for Brookstone PUD calls for a residential development with up to 48 assisted living units on 6 acres; up to 24 garden homes on 6 acres; 44 single-family homes on up to 18 acres, apartments on 81 acres. In that project area, assisted living is the only spot that has been developed, according to the ordinance.

Holland Homes proposed an amended development plan for the remaining 24.05 acres within the PUD. That development will create an extension of Fox Run Village and the units in the development will mirror those within Fox Run Village.

According the the council’s agenda documents, the approved ordinance is “subject to and conditioned upon the applicant/developer providing an additional access through an extension of Brookstone Drive to the development.”

As with any ordinance, the item came with a public hearing at the March 5 council meeting that saw multiple residents speak out against the development. In their comments, the residents that opposed the development highlighted potential parking issues, the number of duets vs. single family homes and the density. Following the public hearing, the council tabled the issue, and Ward 4 Councilman and President Eddie Smith requested that Rauch and Ward 1 Councilman George Allen set up a meeting with interested parties to look into the issue. Rauch said the meeting was held on March 29. 

Norris was at that meeting and she said she appreciated the citizens that showed up and expressed concerns.

“I was able to follow back up with Holland Homes as well as some of the citizens that attended there, they were able to meet a significant number of items that they laid out specific to their complaints, ones that they actually mentioned here,” Norris said. “That’s how we want the process to work. If our citizens have an issue, I appreciate them coming to us and I also appreciate this council for seeing the importance of that, going out and listening to those concerns and then having our community partners make necessary adjustments in order to please our citizens.”

However, Rauch disagrees and was the only vote on Tuesday against amending the master plan. For Rauch, his biggest concern remains density and the parking issues that could face the development. He said that he is not satisfied with adjustments made by Holland Homes, that “nothing has changed.”

“The only thing that was different was rather than a pickleball court and a kids playground, they’re putting in a swimming pool, and they sold it as parking is an amenity. And it’s not,” Rauch said. “It should be one of those things where we have plenty of parking in our neighborhoods, and people aren’t parking on the street.”

Rauch said that the addition of the swimming pool brings more parking spaces and he believes that is why it was chosen for the development. Rauch said that after the HOA and Holland Homes meeting, he drove around the neighborhood and noticed the issues with parking. He also said he is concerned about emergency vehicles getting through with all of the street parking.

He also said that while the development is not in his ward, Holland Homes and other developers build all across Opelika. 

“We’re setting a precedent, right. So whenever we do this for this neighborhood, we’re inviting other contractors and builders to come in and do replicas, essentially,” Rauch said. “I just feel like that’s a dangerous course to set with this amount of density.”

Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller, in conjunction with the Opelika Character Council, proclaimed the week of April 1-5 as Character Week.

“We desire to build upon our heritage in making Opelika a place where families are strong, neighbors are caring, homes and streets are safe, education effective, businesses productive and citizens feel to make wise choices for their lives and for their families,” Fuller said in the proclamation.

The council approved a $3,000 special appropriation to Envision Opelika for the Opelika Character Council. According to the resolution, “Envision, as a part of its service to the citizens of Opelika, supports the Opelika Character Council, a task force whose goal is to create a city with racial harmony that enhances all aspects of life.”

The council approved purchasing a Substation 10 control building for Opelika Power Services at a cost not to exceed $171,429. 

The council approved amending the project development agreement with VAH Investments, LLC for their Marriot Element Hotel project. The developer requested a time extension of the project to July 1 2025.

The council approved a change order for the Veterans Pkwy and Academy Drive Roundabout Project that will increase the cost of the project. According to the resolution, during the construction it was found that an existing fire hydrant will conflict with the roundabout and will require additional water line items. This change will increase the total contract amount by an additional $44,290 resulting in a new contract amount of just over $1.19 million.

The council reappointed Jeffery Hilyer to The Water Works Board of the City of Opelika for a new term that expires May 5 2030.