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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The Clanton City Council approved multiple rezoning requests during a meeting on June 28.

Rezoning County Road 633, Pin. No. 9588 from M-R Municipal Reserve to R-G Residential Garden District at the request of F&P Land Development was approved unanimously.

Mayor Jeff Mims abstained on the vote “because of the friendship I have with the two land owners.”

Rezoning two properties the city owns including the Chilton County Arts Council building, 500 Fifth Ave. N, from R-2 Single Family/ Two Family Residential to Office Building District and 502 Fifth Ave. N from R-2 Single Family/ Two Family Residential District to O-1 Office Building District both received final approval.

Purchasing GPS tracking devices for all of the public works vehicles was also approved.

Jeff Zissette, director of public works, said in a previous meeting that the devices would cost $17.45 a month, and there were about 47 vehicles that needed them. This would bring the cost to almost $10,000 per year.

By approving the purchase now, the City Council ensures that installation will be free.

The City Council approved repealing the distance restrictions from churches, schools and playgrounds on businesses that sell alcoholic beverages to come in line with changes in state law. Councilman Billy Singleton read the ordinance to repeal the ordinance stating that the state legislature has found the distance restrictions were “unconstitutional, obsolete and no longer had a purpose.”

A second reading will be required in order for the repeal to become permanent.

“This will bring us in line with state law, where we are not currently,” Singleton said.

The ordinance to repeal the restriction is available to the public to read at Clanton City Hall during normal business hours.

The City Council removed a vote on changing the height restrictions for buildings in the B1 and B2 business district zones because the ordinance needed additional details.

The City Council also approved:

• Final approval of the draft beer ordinance.
• Purchasing a street sweeper.
• Hiring a grant writer that will work on commission, receiving the equivalent of 10% of grant funding they secure for the city.
• An agreement with the Middle Alabama Area Agency on Aging.
• A land use agreement in order to secure a location to take the limbs and brush that the city crews pick up.

Clanton City Hall will be closed July 5 in observance of Independence Day.