By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Southern Gas and Supply Company soon will be moving into the former AABCO Rents building on U.S. 31 in Pelham after the Pelham City Council voted to rezone the property during its Feb. 4 meeting.

During the meeting, the City Council voted to rezone the property, which is at 3507 U.S. 31, from a general business district to a light industrial district.

The rezoning was required because Southern Gas and Supply plans to store oxygen and acetylene tanks and propane canisters outside and sell them inside the business, said City Council President Rick Hayes.

“I believe they said they are going to open within a month,” Hayes said.

The rezoning request was approved by the Pelham Planning Commission during its Jan. 10 meeting before it was presented to the council. During the Planning Commission meeting, the property owners said they plan to “improve the aesthetics of the building and the landscaping of the lot,” according to the Planning Commission meeting minutes.

In other business, the council:

-Voted to approve a special events retail ABC license to Premium Hospitality at 323 Cahaba Valley Parkway North for a one-time benefit event.

-Voted to appoint Kimberly Speorl to serve a six-year term on the Pelham Planning Commission.

-Voted to appoint Ashley Miller-Anderson and Joel Price to serve on the Pelham Beautification Board through Sept. 30, 2015, and voted to appoint David Russell to serve on the Beautification Board through Sept. 30, 2014.

-Voted to table appointments to the Pelham Park and Recreation Board as the City Council determines when each appointees’ term will end, Hayes said.

-Heard budget requests during its work session from three city department heads to gain input before working to construct the city’s budget. The city can not construct its fiscal year 2013 budget until a new city employee pay plan is approved by the council, Pelham Mayor Gary Waters previously said.