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The Atmore City Council adopted resolutions Monday to sell two parcels of land to Coastal Growers LLC and purchase property to facilitate a rail spur to service the peanut shelling and processing plant and a future rail transfer yard.

Some two months ago, the city council approved a project agreement with to induce the project along with the state of Alabama, which has its separate agreement, to donate a parcel of land consisting of 56 acres, City Attorney Larry Wettermark said.

Wettermark, during a short presentation, said the city agreed to give Coastal an option, if they chose, to expand in the future.

“Today, what you just voted on (Resolution 2021-01) was the conveyence to Coastal Growers LLC of the donated property from these two properties,” Wettermark said. “We’re going to sell these at a price of $4,000 an acre and that’ll net the city $229,800.”

Wettermark said the next step, is a part of the inducement for the plant, the city is going to provide the land for a rail service from Highway 31 to the CSX main line up through parcels of land to service the plant.

“In order to do so, there are three parcels of property,” he said. “Two are owned by Swift Lumber. The other parcel is owned by Masland Carpet. Item No. 11 on the agenda, which you’ll vote on, are two parcels to acquire from Swift Timber and the sales price of those two parcels is $239,400. We’ll use the money from Coastal (the sale of two properties from Resolution 2021-01) to offset the purchase price of these lands, and the net will come out to $9,600.

Wettermark said the closing of the property is today (Wed., Jan. 13, 2021), and the prospects of having the railroad spur and transfer yard are promising for Atmore’s economy.

The first resolution – Resolution 2021-01 – authorizes Mayor Jim Staff to execute two statutory warranty deeds conveying certain real property to Coastal Growers LLC for the purpose of constructing a facility to stock, shell and market peanut products in accordance with a certain project agreement by and between the city of Atmore and Coastal Growers.

The other resolution – Resolution 2021-03 – was adopted and authorizes Staff to purchase property from Swift Timber for the purpose of facilitating a rail spur to service a peanut shelling and processing plant and to facilitate a future rail transfer yard.

In other business, the council:

• approved the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade permit request. Concerned Citizens of Atmore’s Russell Robinson said during the meeting that the parade will be held on Mon., Jan. 18, 2021. The parade lineup will be from 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. at Houston Avery Park, the parade’s starting point. The parade, which begins at 10 a.m., treks down Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., takes a right onto Carver Avenue, then a right onto Ashley Street, a right onto Main Street, a right onto Liberty Street, then back to MLK Avenue and then a right onto Ridgeley Street, where the parade will end at Emmanuel Faith Christian Center;

• adopted resolution 2021-02, authorizing Staff to execute an unimproved lots/land purchase agreement for the sale of approximately 2.7 acres of property located at Highway 21 and Innovation Parkway at a sales price of $29,403;

• approved the recommendation to appoint Charles Johnson to fill a vacancy left by Robert White on the Zoning Board; and,

• approved to allow The Event Zone to operate as intended without alcohol and exotic dancers. During a public hearing on Dec. 28, 2020, the local company’s business license was discussed for revocation because it violated the license and city ordinances by having alcohol on premises and law enforcement being called several times for loud music and large crowds. During a city council workshop Monday, city councilmembers talked about The Event Zone’s business license specifics, and noted that if they break from the license by allowing alcohol on premises without an ABC License, their business license will be revoked.