Passionate crowd attends last night's Public Hearing re: Lane Parke

City Hall was packed to capacity last night and many residents were turned away who had come to listen to the presentation and/or speak regarding the Lane Parke proposal for Mountain Brook Village. A two-hour, well-designed presentation by the 20 plus-member development team addressed PUD standards, traffic issues, aesthetics, the proposed hotel, density and scale, and process. (View their website by clicking here.) This was followed by passionate residents who were concerned about the long-term and irrevocable changes to community, additional crime, loss of convenience, diminished value of existing merchants, the current economy, loss of unique character, and burdens on the school system. A video prepared by several residents illustrated the proposed change in scale (view it by clicking here).

Everyone in attendance expressed a desire for the 27-acres to be developed in a thoughtful way that would ultimately contribute seamlessly to the community, and support the existing merchants and businesses. One merchant spoke in support of the project believing that the additional retail would benefit all the merchants in the area, but stated that it would require the support of the entire community in order for it to be successful.