Group releases analysis of Oak Mountain project

Keep Oak Mountain Wild presented its analysis of the Shelby County Commission's Oak Mountain Feasibility Study on Jan. 27 at North Shelby Fire Station No. 2.

In mid-January, the Shelby County Commission and the city of Pelham released the study recommending a hotel with about 175 rooms, 20,000 square feet of meeting space and a 10,000-square-foot ballroom. The buildings could be host to business conventions, weddings and other events, as well as park visitors.

Rita Jablonski-Jaudon, the chairperson for KOMW, presented its analysis of the study, explaining that there was no mention of the environmental or ecological impacts that the hotel and convention center would pose on the the park.

During the presentation, Jablonski-Jaudon touched on financial inaccuracies, exaggerated numbers and ecological omissions that KOMW found within the commission's report.

“We want to support recreational activities that are compatible with the park’s ecosystem,” Jablonski-Jaudon said.

Keep Oak Mountain Wild has a petition on its website and will be attending meetings and contacting elected officials. To read its complete analysis of the feasibility report, visit keepoakmountainwild.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Keep-Oak-Mountain-Wild-Feasibility-Study-Report.pdf.

For more information, visit komw.org or the Stop the Oak Mountain Project Facebook page.