Montevallo working on plans for 167-acre donation along Highway 119

MONTEVALLO, Alabama -- The Montevallo City Council is considering enlisting the services of a Birmingham landscape architect firm to create a master plan that would outline development of the 167-acre property donated to the municipality last November.

The City Council during its meeting on Monday night briefly discussed using Kelly Landscape Architect to develop the Shoal Creek Park master plan. The document would cover the land donated by Elizabeth A. Mahler and Shoals Creek Farm Inc. located near the Alabama National Cemetery and American Village on both sides of Highway 119.

The donation of land that includes an antebellum home comes with a request to the city to preserve the property as a park and other municipal purposes, possibly the site of a new City Hall.

Kelly Landscape Architect's Chuck Kelly told the council he has submitted a proposal that would create a process for developing the master plan. The process would include public hearings and opportunities for comment.

"A final master plan would be subject to review and comments," Kelly said.

The donation of land appraised at $670,000 includes the white home prominently located off Highway 119 that city leaders are planning on using as a possible museum or visitors center for Montevallo. Plans call for naming the area Shoal Creek Park under Mahler's request.

The council will consider Kelly's request at an upcoming meeting.

Also on Monday night, the council approved an agreement with Lonnie Bearden and John Nix to allow them to use the Mahler property to run up to 60 cattle for grazing on the land.

In exchange for paying rent to the municipality, the two men will maintain fences on the property and keep the hayfields and open areas cut. The lease approved by the council carries a one-year term and can be terminated by either party with a 90-day written notice.

Councilman Don Hughes raised concern about the cattle on the land polluting the creek that runs across the property. The council agreed to approve the contract with a stipulation to abide by any state regulations concerning runoff into the creek caused by the cattle.

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Montevallo working on plans for 167-acre donation along Highway 119