SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS (Source: WAFF 48 News)
In a report by WAFF 48 News, the Huntsville City Council recently approved re-zoning land located off Rabbit Lane and Swancott Road in Southwest Huntsville. This pivotal decision enables the construction of single-family homes and townhome multi-family housing along a designated strip of land.
However, not all residents are supportive of the plan. According to WAFF 48 News, Byron McGlathery and others have expressed concerns regarding the proposal. McGlathery emphasized the community’s current composition primarily consisting of single-family dwellings and voiced apprehensions about the potential influx of apartments and duplexes, fearing it may lead to overcrowding and disrupt the quality of life for existing residents.
“We are concerned that we continue to have to look forward to our community being filled up with apartments and duplexes when we only have single-family dwellings out there currently,” McGlathery stated in the WAFF 48 News report.
District Five Councilman John Meredith defended the decision, underscoring its potential benefits for the community. He highlighted the importance of accommodating families near major work sites such as Polaris and Amazon, aiming to minimize worker commute times and expenses.
“We want families there that are close enough to work so that it’s not a burden on gas or time for workers to get to those industrial sites we have,” Meredith explained in the WAFF 48 News report.
Moreover, WAFF 48 News pointed out the possibility of enhanced retail options resulting from increased residential development in the area. The region needs more diverse retail establishments, with only a few gas stations and a single Subway along the stretch from Zierdt Road to Greenbrier Parkway by 565. WAFF 48 News emphasized that “Retail follows rooftops,” indicating that a growing residential community could attract more businesses. According to Meredith, a developer has already expressed interest in the site. Plans include exploring the potential addition of a greenway to accompany the development, promising further amenities for future residents.
