City to take up Riverside plans

Rome commissioners will consider tonight a fifth revision to the agreement with Ledbetter Properties.

The fifth — and potentially final — change to an agreement between Ledbetter Properties and the city of Rome regarding development of an 80acre tract on Riverside Parkway is up for debate tonight.

The Rome City Commission is slated to decide on Ledbetter’s scaled-down shopping center proposal at its meeting set for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 601 Broad St.

Members of the Coosa River Basin Initiative have tracked Ledbetter’s plans for the city-owned property near Burwell Creek since 2007. CRBI spokesman Joe Cook has praised the company’s willingness to compromise, but board member Terrell Shaw said this month that any

development in the wetlands is unacceptable to the organization.

The city’s Redevelopment Committee, which includes three of the nine sitting commissioners, has unanimously backed the proposal. If approved tonight, Robert H. Ledbetter Jr. said his company wants to close on the purchase before the end of the year.

Under the new proposal, just under 8 acres would be reserved for a shopping center similar to Ledbetter’s Riverwalk across the street. Nearly 72 acres would be put into a conservation easement, with plans for a trail that would connect Ridge Ferry Park through the Burwell Creek area to Jackson Hill.

The purchase price for the acreage remains unchanged at $600,000 in the proposed agreement.

Also on the City Commission’s agenda tonight is a public hearing on a request to annex a home at 4 Kirkwood St. in the Riverside subdivision. The parcel would remain zoned as High Density Traditional Residential.

Commissioners also are slated to hear during caucus about the upcoming Hospitality House fundraiser

Walk A Mile In Her Shoes and the North Rome community’s push to move the recycling center from Watters Street.

The caucus, which starts at 5 p.m., and the regular meeting are both open to the public.

Between the two sessions the commissioners have a closed session scheduled. The agenda does not state the nature of the item up for discussion, but topics are limited by state law to certain personnel items, property purchases and potential or pending litigation.