The Pell City Council decided Monday not to change the zoning designation for a property that has been the subject of some controversy in recent weeks.

Councilman Donnie Guinn asked that the council revoke the conditional use provision that has allowed the property at 202 Johnson Drive to be used as group rehabilitation home.  The house, owned by local businessman Curtis Capps, has accommodated group programs operated initially by Recovery Journey and currently by Grace Harbor.

Guinn said that Grace Harbor is not licensed by the state to provide rehabilitation services and is not registered as a 501c3 non-profit organization, which disqualifies it from operating under the conditional use provision granted by Pell City’s Planning and Zoning Board.

He and councilman Greg Gossett supported his motion, which was defeated by council members James McGowan and Dot Wood and Mayor Bill Hereford.  

A second motion from Guinn calling for all conditional zoning requests to be approved by the city council was defeated in the same manner.  

The council also agreed to seek bids for materials to install a 3,700-foot water line to the site of the new St. Vincent’s-St. Clair hospital and use city work crews to do the work.  Gossett opposed the city doing the work itself, citing concerns about cost.

Hereford said that no disruptions to usual city services are expected during the waterline project, which was offered as an incentive as part of the city’s agreement with St. Vincent’s.