Florence council votes to ask TVA to revisit policy

FLORENCE -- Council members Tuesday voted 5 to 1 to approve a resolution asking the Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors to revisit a policy that would restrict the use of TVA-controlled waterfront property.

More specifically, the policy could prevent the commercial development of Veterans Park, which is part of an agreement between Shoals governments and the Retirement Systems of Alabama.

RSA is working with Shoals governments in an economic development project that includes a Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail complex, a luxury hotel and other amenities.

One of those amenities is proposed for Veterans Park. A Bass Pro Shop and accompanying retail shops have been discussed, though Councilman Hermon Graham and Mayor Bobby Irons said there is no agreement to build a Bass Pro Shop in the park at this time.

The resolution approved by the council Tuesday asks the TVA board not to adopt a land-use policy that would prohibit retail, commercial or residential development on TVA reservoir property at Veterans Park and other areas under TVA's jurisdiction.

Councilman Scott Carrier has criticized the mayor and council President Leland Howard for signing a letter explaining their desire to develop the Veterans Park property and sending the letter to the TVA board. TVA leased the property to the city to be used as a park.

Carrier expressed concern that Howard and Irons did not discuss the letter with the council before it was sent.

"The process is as important as the outcome in any issue," Carrier said.

Irons, during the period reserved for the mayor's comments, said the letter concerns the development of TVA land in areas other than Florence.

Had the policy been in place a few years ago, Irons said, it would have prevented the construction of the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Convention Center and Outback Steakhouse in Sheffield. Both were built on property that had been controlled by TVA.

Several people who are opposed to the commercial development at Veterans Park attended Tuesday's meeting.

Florence resident Clark Mueller said an "attraction" at the park would be a silver lining in a project he did not completely support. "(But) Bass Pro Shop is not an attraction," Mueller said.

The majority of the speakers said they had no problem with a Bass Pro Shop in Florence. They simply don't want it built in Veterans Park.

"How many of you would have been elected if you ran on a platform of destroying Veterans Park?" asked Sheffield resident Edna Carter.

Carter was one of at least five Sheffield and Tuscumbia residents who attended the meeting.

Florence resident Louise Cramer said she did not appreciate people from Colbert County insulting Florence officials.

She also accused Carrier of going to Colbert County to find people to back him up.

In other business, the city council: