A study shows the Pilgrim’s Pride property the city of Athens hopes to buy has no substantial environmental problems on the ground, an official said Monday.

City Attorney Shane Black shared the news with City Council members during the council’s special meeting Monday.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management performed the study of the now-defunct chicken plant off Pryor Street, which the city hopes to use for mixed-use development and other city purposes.

“No substantial findings means there is no remediation cost,” Black said.

The news came up as the council was about to pass a resolution amending the contract to purchase the property from Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. The council was waiting on the ADEM study, bids on the cost to demolish the plant and a land survey. There are currently 17 deeds covering the property. Black said that is because the property was acquired in pieces over the years. The survey will make sure the city would have clear title to all of the land in question.

Black said the ADEM study should be available to council members by the end of the week.

“I’m told it is a very good report,” Black said. “It is a technical report about conditions on the ground levels of different particles. It is a technical, scientific report that shows no substantial findings.”

He said he would have Bert Bradford, building inspector,  review the report and summarize it in plain language for council members.

District 1 Councilman Chris Seibert, who was elected council president later in the meeting, asked whether a person from ADEM will come to the Nov. 27 meeting to explain the findings and field questions from the council.

Black said he extended that invitation and believes someone will attend. During the meeting, the council also agreed to pay no more than $7,500 to hire a land surveyor.

Public Works Director James Rich may have saved the city some grief by reminding the council it needs to hire someone now to determined the cost of any asbestos removal before the city buys the property.

At his request, the council agreed to pay Terrell Technical Services Inc. $8,500 to put together a bid package, get the project bid and get it back to the council.