The Greenville City Council has re-zoned 28 parcels of land alongside N. Conecuh St. from light industrial (M1) to highway commercial (C3) property.

The re-zoning request was made in order to avoid ‘spot-zoning,’ according to City Attorney Richard Hartley and City Inspector Eddie Anderson, after a business owner approached the city about establishing a commercial business on N. Conecuh.

The re-zoning also makes more sense, said Anderson.

“Everything in that area is actually commercial property,” said Anderson.

According to city code, properties designated light industrial are “suitable area(s) for firms engaged in light manufacturing and the storage and distribution of goods.” The code designates several different types of businesses as light industries, including baking establishments, bottling plants, heavy equipment sales and service, printing plants, among others. The C3 designation allows any commercial business (ex: banks, barbershops, book stores, etc.) to locate on N. Conecuh St.

The Greenville Planning Commission approved the re-zoning request in January.

The re-zoned property runs the length of N. Conecuh St.

In other business:

– City sales tax collection exceeded the budgeted $5.8 million last fiscal year, according the city’s annual financial audit prepared by Branum & Co. The city actually collected $6.3 million in sales tax, said Glenn Branum, PC. Other items highlighted by Branum included the city’s listed $31 million in total assets and $1.7 million in reserve funds.

The city was also able to reduce its long-term debt service from $14.6 million to $13.6 million last year.

Mayor Dexter McLendon said called the financial audit “remarkable.”

“Considering the economic times we’ve just gone through – and are still going through – I want to give credit to all the department heads,” said McLendon. “When we work through preparing the budget, they’re working and trying to get all they can, but they take pride in being under budget at the end of the year.”

– The council approved the installation of a street lamp at 210 Oliver St. at the cost of $50.16 annually.

– The council agreed to enter into a contract with the CWA Group, Inc. for engineering work to develop a Best Management Practices Plan and Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plan for the inactive landfill as required by ADEM. The services will cost $2,250.

– The council agreed to serve as administrative sponsor for the city’s Summer Child Nutrition Program.

– The council authorized a total of $4,694 be paid from the Capital Outlay Fund for the purchase of sixteen sections of fire hose for the fire department and the renovations to the Dunbar Recreation Center bathrooms.

– Granted a cable television franchise to Bright House Networks, LLC to operate a cable system inside the city.

Approved the following expenditures: $125,250 to the Municipal Workers Compensation Fund (amended expenditure); $1,861.62 to Southland International Trucks for labor and parts to replace a fuel tank on Street Department Truck No. 55; $6,361.80 to Greenville Cash & Carry for 92 two-inch blinds for the police station (grant will cover costs); $1,575 to EMS Consultants for software support for the fire department; $1,120.50 to Consolidated Fleet Services for annual inspection of the fire department’s ground and aerial ladders; $2,042 to Golf Ventures West for an infield leveler for the recreation department’s infield machine; $26,160 to Branum and Co., P.C., for professional audit fees; $5,107.50 to Otto Environmental Services for 135 35-gallon wheeled garbage carts for the sanitation department.