Some Opelika residents will have to keep shopping around while the City Council deliberates whether it will allow a local grocery store to reopen.
Citizens voiced their opinions about the grocery store, located at the intersection of Monroe Avenue and Montgomery Street, during a public hearing set aside for that purpose.
"I complied with everything," said Joe Kindred, current owner of the grocery store. "I have a good relationship with the department head in the Opelika system."
Councilwoman Patricia Jones, who represents the area of Opelika in which the grocery store is located, said the store was allowed to continue to operate in the area even after it was rezoned as residential.
After the store closed, however, it became illegal for it to reopen as a commercial property.
"The people that I represent in that district have asked me not to vote for that rezoning because there were several problems when that store was open that was not good for that community," Jones said. "The police had to be in the area."
Several Opelika citizens spoke in favor of reopening the store.
"I feel like the store reopening would be a great asset to the area," said Peggy Barnett, who lives near the store. "We have quite a few elderly people who cannot drive, and that would be within walking distance for them."
Roxie Ramsey, who would lease and run the store, also spoke.
"When I asked about the store, I was so sure it wouldn't take all of this for us to reopen the store," Ramsey said. "Search your heart, and lay it upon your heart to vote for us to open the store."
Jerry Kelley, director of planning, said the planning commission has amended the zoning ordinance in the area in order to allow a business to operate there.
Jones said her main concern was whether this rezoning was legal.
"I took an oath that I would uphold the laws of this city, this state and the nation," Jones said. "I take a position that gives people the right to have something, and those residents over there have a right to not have this in their community if the law provides them that opportunity."
The issue has been back and forth between the Council and the planning commission for five or six months, Kelley said.
"This has been before the planning commission twice- it's been to the council in a work session and back to the planning commission, who made some changes in the comprehensive plan," Kelley said.
For now, the question will come back to the Council at the next meeting, Feb. 1, at which point the members can choose whether to vote on it, Jones said.
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