Decatur annexes land for new apartments

DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) - On Monday, the Decatur City Council voted, 3-1, in favor of annexing almost 15 acres of land that a property owner wants to use to build luxury apartments.

The property developer Andy Villarreal said he was told this is the perfect space for apartments.

“I think it will bring back some people to Decatur, to live in Decatur,” Villarreal said. “Who have moved to Madison or Huntsville that actually work around Decatur but, cannot find a good apartment that they want to live in, in Decatur. Look we have a lot of apartments but they’re 25 to 30 years old and some people want a nicer up-to-date apartment with up-to-date amenities and everything else in it.”

Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling supported the decision the council made.

“The need for apartments in our city, we haven’t seen apartments in the city in quite some time,” said Bowling. With all the growth we’re seeing in the area right now from a residential standpoint we are seeing a lot of single family dwelling, but we need multi family units. It was nice to see the council vote on that today. Everyone wants growth just not in there backyard.”

Not everyone is happy with this decision. Gregg Blythe is the owner of a cattle pasture right behind where the apartments would be built.

“We would like to continue the cattle operation and its not compatible with apartments 30 feet from a cow that poops and cries for its baby,” Blythe said. “It is going to really cause problems for the people that live in those apartments.”

He’s not the only one with concerns. Andrea Hoffmeier says she is concerned with flooding.

“The problem with this property when all the flood water runs off is that its going to run off into the neighbors, which is a problems in and of it self but, it also is going to run out into the wetland so there is a huge ecological concern,” Hoffmeier said.

Hoffmeier said she is concerned about the development affecting the area’s drinking water, but Villarreal said there will be absolutely no change to the drinking water because of the apartments.

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