University Beach Resort Clears Hurdle in Northport!

Hold on to your beach towels, ChumCity! The Northport City Council just gave the thumbs-up to the University Beach resort development, but not without a splash of controversy! Despite some serious pushback from locals, the council narrowly approved the rezoning and special district plan in a 3-2 vote after a lively two-hour public pow-wow. ABC 33/40 was all over it!

What's the Deal with University Beach?

Sprawling across 76.2 acres near the Tuscaloosa National Airport, this resort is aiming for major fun! Think water park, hotel, housing, tasty eats, and shopping galore. Supporters are saying it could draw a whopping 660,000 visitors annually and pump a cool $61 million in tax revenue into Northport over the next decade (a projected $254 million over 30 years!). Cha-ching!

Not Everyone's Happy...

But hold up! Some residents aren't exactly thrilled, arguing that a resort this big doesn't quite jive with Northport's vibe and current infrastructure. Concerns about population density, traffic nightmares, and the long-term vision for the city were voiced loudly at the meeting.

Council Members Weigh In

Even some council members had their doubts! Councilwoman Jamie Dykes questioned the project's financial transparency, and Councilman Anwar Akin worried about potential flooding after all the rain we've been having.

Moving Forward (With Amendments!)

Despite a prior thumbs-down from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the project is moving on. The council tweaked the special district plan to better align with zoning rules, nixing some storage allowances that weren't originally part of the deal. Buckle up, Northport – University Beach is coming!