City of Anniston, Alabama: A Bright Future For “The Model City”

Anniston, Alabama, located almost exactly between Atlanta and Birmingham, was nicknamed “The Model City” over a century ago due to its deliberate planning. Once a thriving industrial and military community, Anniston has faced more than its fair share of hard times. The closing of a former Monsanto Chemical facility in 1993 revealed major contamination due to improper disposal of hazardous toxins leading to a class action lawsuit and a $700 million cleanup settlement. In 1996, the Army closed Fort McClellan resulting in the loss of more than 4,000 military and civilian jobs. Anniston’s environmental situation was further compromised in 2003 when it was discovered that the Army was disposing of its chemical weapon stockpile across town at the Anniston Army Depot. But In 2012, a frustrated citizenry looking for the leadership necessary to move the City forward, rejected all of the elected incumbents and voted in a new Mayor and City Council. This new leadership team initiated an effort to move the City toward a new, brighter future by creating a community-driven vision and strategic plan. The plan was adopted in June 2014, subsequently won a 2015 American Planning Association Award, and is now being aggressively implemented.

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