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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

The Clanton City Council approved increasing its business license fee for the first time since 1976 at its Nov. 28 meeting.

The council unanimously approved an increase of one-third each year for 2023-2025. While the license processing fee has been increased in recent years, the fee for the business license itself had remained the same.

“All municipalities were required to implement a streamlined license schedule and use a uniform numerical coding system to identify business licenses. This change was mandated to occur no later than Jan. 1, 2008,” according to the ordinance. “The city of Clanton complied with the state mandate … however, business license rates were not impacted by the new ordinance, and the city’s business license rates have not been adjusted since 1976.”

Other updates to language of the ordinance to make it more consistent were also included in the ordinance.

The council suspended its normal meeting rules to be able to vote on the ordinance at the same meeting as the first reading of the ordinance.

A public hearing for a rezoning request to change 3503 Seventh Street from B2 General Business District to M1 Light Industrial District was held. No one spoke in opposition. The property owner spoke in favor of the rezoning. The rezoning would put the property in the correct zoning for a mini-warehouse business and allow some expansion of the business. A decision on the rezoning request will be made at the next voting session of the council.

Also during the meeting, the council approved:

• Josh Inman as the municipal court public defender.

• Declaring some cell phones surplus property to be able to sell.
• Updates to the city’s financial policy to bring it in line with new requirements.
• A different liquor license for The Bearded Peach since the business plans on adding pizza to its menu.
• Closing the Sixth Street alleyway to vehicle traffic. Decorative lighting will be added to the area.
• Accepting a bid for demolition services.
• An agreement with the Chilton County Commission for improvements to the house located on its jointly-owned property near Interstate 65, Exit 212. Repairs would be funded through revenue from selling timber that was cut at the site.

At the close of the meeting, Mayor Jeff Mims thanked all of those that were helping with the city’s Christmas decorations. The Clanton Christmas parade will be Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. with the annual tree lighting celebration to follow in Corner Park downtown.