Demopolis City Council postpones public hearing on redevelopment of old school

The Demopolis City Council has postponed the public hearing about the sale and redevelopment of the old school where Canebrake Theater performs to Sept. 19 because of a typo in the legal notice that is required to be published ahead of the meeting.

The hearing was originally scheduled for the Aug. 15 council meeting, but it listed the wrong zoning in the public notice that ran in newspapers. Mayor Woody Collins said the city attorney recommended postponing the hearing so the proper ad can be run for the amount of time required by law. The new hearing date is now Sept. 19.

“Even though in my opinion it doesn’t affect the message at all, the attorney said don’t fight it, put it off, run that ad again, make sure it’s right. Now because of the time period of 15 days, that meeting will be September the 19th,” Collins said. 

Crowds were expected to pack Rooster Hall Thursday for the hearing to oppose the project by Latham Development of Mobile that proposes purchasing the former school building from the city and turning it into 19 efficiency apartment and building a new complex behind it with condos. The firm presented the plan at a recent Demopolis Planning Commission meeting. 

Most homeowners in the neighborhood surrounding the school have been adamantly against the sale. The claims are that converting the building into apartments will cause their property values to drop. They also fear the apartments will be government-subsidized housing. However, Collins said there is a stipulation in the contract that the apartments and condominiums can never be government subsidized.

The citizens also worry the popular community theater group, The Canebrake Players, which uses the old school’s auditorium and the basement, will have nowhere to perform. Collins said the contract with the developer stipulates The Canebrake Players will have a rent free 99-year lease on the space they currently use in the old school. 

A detailed story on the plan for the school and the community’s concerns is coming on the Black Belt News Network.