City Council Meeting 7.2.19 Recap
Here’s the video from the meeting:
And here’s a recap of some of the items the City Council discussed by the Council:
Item 1
An Ordinance instituting a temporary moratorium on all activities relating to the acceptance, review and action upon applications for issuance of zoning approvals, permits site plan approvals and any other official City action or approval that would authorize or permit new or expanded selfstorage mini-warehousing facilities or uses to be constructed or create any vested rights that would authorize self-storage mini-warehousing facilities to be constructed in the future in any region other that M2 and I2 districts of the City and the hearing of all interested parties.
The item, which was submitted by Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, also leaves room for an additional 90-day moratorium if more time is needed to evaluate current zoning. During the public hearing portion, the majority of business owners and residents who spoke were in favor of the moratorium.
“We have a responsibility to make sure properties achieve their highest and best use,” O’Quinn said. “If you look at our budget and revenue, it’s impossible to miss the fact that a lot of it comes from businesses, sales tax and occupational tax. It’s hard for me to believe self-storage for this area is the highest and best use.”
For more information on this item, please read:
Item 7
An Ordinance to amend “The Lodgings Tax Code of the City of Birmingham, Alabama,” as adopted by Ordinance №02–113, as amended, by adding a $3.00 per night, per room surcharge and to authorize the use of the revenue generated from the lodgings surcharge to allow the exclusive use for sports and entertainment recruitment and development, tourism, and infrastructure improvements.
Birmingham is positioning itself as a sports tourism destination, Council President Pro Tem William Parker said following the City Council’s approval of a $3 surcharge for hotels in Birmingham, which will go into effect immediately. Parker submitted the item and spearheaded the effort to have it pass. The estimated $4 million in annual revenue will be used to recruit sports and entertainment events to the Magic City, he said. In 2017, the National Association of Sports Commission identified over 6,800 events hosted by sports commissions with an average of $1.66 million in economic impact for each event. Through increased recruitment efforts, Birmingham could see as much as $100 million in increased economic impact by hosting more major sporting events each year, Parker said.
For more information on this item, please read:
Items 8–13
An Ordinance to amend Title 4, “Municipal Services”, Chapter 5, “streets and sidewalks”: Article F, “Construction Of Driveways and Sidewalks”, Sec. 4–5–94, “Same; Fees”, of the General Code of The City of Birmingham, to modify permit fees.
An Ordinance to amend Title 4, “Municipal Services”, Chapter 5, “streets and sidewalks”: Article G, “Construction of sewers and other improvements in streets”, 4–5–113, “same; fees”, of The General Code of the city of Birmingham, to modify fees for required permits.
An Ordinance to amend Title 4, “Municipal Services”, Chapter 5, “streets and sidewalks”, Article H, “Excavations”, Section 4–5–136, “Same; issuance; fee”, of the General Code of the City of Birmingham, to modify permit fees.
An Ordinance to amend the General Code of the City Of Birmingham, Title 7, “Building And Land Use Controls”, Chapter 1, “Building And Housing Code Enforcement”, Article C., “Design Standards for properties. In Commercial Revitalization Project Areas,” Sec. 7–1–390, “review procedure” and Article D., “Historic Preservation”, Sec. 7–1–415, “Certificates of Appropriateness and Economic Hardship”, to create an application fee for review of plans.
An Ordinance to amend Title 4, “Municipal Services”, Chapter 7, “Soil Erosion And Sediment Control”, Article B, “permits and plans”, Section 4–7- 14, “permit application fee”, of the General Code of the City of Birmingham, to modify permit application fees for residential and non-residential projects.
An Ordinance to amend the technical Code of the City Of Birmingham, 2015, Article I, “Technical Codes”, Part 2, “Administration”, Section 104.5, “Building Permit Valuations” and Section 110.4.5, “Notice Of Appeal”, As Codified At Title 7, “Building and Land Use Controls”, Chapter 1, “Building And Housing Code Enforcement”, Article A, “Building Regulations”, Section 7–1–3, “Administration” of the General Code of the City of Birmingham; Article V, “Permit And Inspection Fees”, As Codified at Title 7, “Building And Land Use Controls”, Chapter 1, “Building And Housing Code Enforcement”, Article A, “Building Regulations”, Section 7–1–7, “Permit And Inspection Fees” of the General Code of the City of Birmingham; And Article Vii, “Fire Permit Fees”, As Codified at Title 7, “Building And Land Use Controls”, Chapter 1, “Building And Housing Code Enforcement”, Article A, “Building Regulations”, Section 7–1–9, “Fire Permit Fees” of the General Code of the City of Birmingham, to revise fees charged for certain permits and services, Effective July 1, 2019.
The City Council approved six Ordinances instating fees associated with obtaining permits for various construction activities in the City. The fees are expected to add an estimated $3 Million of revenue for the City per year.
The City stopped charging these fees during the national economic recession a little over a decade ago, in order to bolster development downtown. Now that the economy is healthier, Birmingham is in a position to reinstate these fees. The City met with representatives from the construction industry to make sure that the amounts that would be charged would not be a burden to development, and would be comparable to what other municipalities charge. The fees only apply to commercial development, not residential developments.
Full Agenda
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
8:30 a.m. — Joint Planning and Zoning Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — 5th Floor Conference Room
3:30 p.m. — Committee of the Whole Meeting — Conference Rooms “D & E”
Thursday, June 27, 2019
2:30 p.m. — Agenda Meeting — Conference Room “A”
Monday, July 1, 2019
12:30 p.m. — Joint Parks and Recreation Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — City Council Chambers
4:00 p.m. — Joint Transportation Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — City Council Chambers
Wednesday, July 3, 2019
9:00 a.m. — Park Board Meeting — Maxine Herring Board Room, Legion Field, 400 Graymont Avenue West
Thursday, July 4, 2019
INDEPENDENCE DAY — CITY HALL CLOSED
Friday, July 5, 2019
CITY HALL CLOSED
Monday, July 8, 2019
3:30 p.m. — Joint Budget and Finance Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — Conference Rooms “D & E”
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
9:00 a.m. — Pre-Council Meeting — City Council Chambers; 9:30 a.m. — Council Meeting — City Council Chambers
3:00 p.m. — Joint Economic Development Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — Conference Rooms “D & E”
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
8:30 a.m. — Joint Planning and Zoning Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — 5th Floor Conference Room
1:30 p.m. — 3:00 p.m. — Police & Fire Supplemental Pension Plan Board Meeting — Conference Room “A”
Thursday, July 11, 2019
2:30 p.m. — Agenda Meeting — Conference Room “A”
