Prattville Council Requires Approval for Municipal Property Names

The Prattville City Council voted unanimously to adopt an ordinance governing the naming of municipally owned properties during its Dec. 2 meeting. The move followed debate over informal signage and an unofficial name used at 124 West Main Street and its adjacent outdoor music venue.

Councilors initially considered language that could have required every municipal property name, past and present, to come before the council. After members recessed to draft an amendment, the council returned with language that would grandfather current municipal names while expressly excluding 124 West Main Street from that exemption. With the amendment in place the ordinance passed unanimously, leaving the name used at 124 West Main Street subject to formal council approval and establishing that all future municipal property names will require council sign off.

Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie said the intent in revising the ordinance was to avoid unintended consequences from the original wording. Some residents raised concerns during the meeting about existing signs and promotional materials that reference the unofficial name at the 124 West Main Street site. The council’s action means those materials may need to be reviewed once a formal name is proposed and approved.

The ordinance creates a clearer administrative pathway for naming decisions, centralizing approval with elected council members and providing a formal record of official names. That has policy implications for event organizers, promoters, and municipal staff who manage signage and branding for public spaces. Requiring council approval can prevent inconsistent naming in city communications, but it also introduces an approval step that could affect scheduling and marketing timelines for events held at municipal venues.

Residents and stakeholders who wish to follow the debate or review the council’s discussion can view a live recording of the Dec. 2 meeting at elmoreautauganews.com/2025/12/04/prattville-council-sets-naming-procedures-for-municipal-properties-addresses-signage-concerns-for-venue-at-124-west-main-street. The ordinance will take effect according to the council’s implementation schedule, and any proposal to name or rename municipal property will now be addressed in public session.