New ordinance removes 2 blocks from Montgomery historic district

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The city of Montgomery passed a new ordinance that changes the boundaries of a historic district.

The 400 and 600 blocks of Clay Street and the 600 block of Herron Street will no longer be considered part of the Cottage Hill Historic District.

District Three Councilwoman Marche Johnson said rezoning that small part of town can make a big difference in development, calling the area the gateway to the Capital City from I-65.

“We have waited over 30 years to see development happening downtown,” Johnson said, “Now, we see it happening.”

The new ordinance is uniform with the National Register of Historic Places approval of the district in 1977.

Members of the Cottage Hill Historic District oppose the ordinance, saying that property owners in the district were not notified.

Johnson, however, argues that only the property owners that were affected needed to be notified.

“They feel the control to say yes or no when it’s not their say,” Johnson said, “That’s not their property to do that.”

WSFA 12 News reached out to the president of the Cottage Hill Historic District and has not heard back.

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