City Council Meeting Recap 10.22.19
Here’s the video from the meeting:
Here are a few of the main items the Birmingham City Council approved at the October 22nd 2019 Meeting:
ITEM 2
The Birmingham City Council has elected new leadership — District 4 Councilor William Parker was elected as President and District 7 Councilor Wardine Alexander was elected as President Pro Tem.
According to the Mayor Council Act, the President and President Pro Tem will serve two-year terms.
“The Council shall elect an officer of the city who shall have the title of President of the Council and shall preside at meetings of the Council,” Section 3.06 of the Mayor Council Act reads. “The Council shall also elect a President Pro Tem, who shall act as President of the Council during the absence or disability of the President. The terms of office of the President and the President Pro Tem shall be until the councilmen shall qualify following the next succeeding biennial election. If a vacancy shall occur in the office of President of the Council, the Council shall elect a successor for the completion of the unexpired term.”
ITEMS 16 AND 17
The Birmingham City Council today approved Ensley District Developers, LLC, to spearhead revitalization of downtown Ensley’s Ramsay-McCormack Building.
Under the agreement, the city will pay up to $200,000 to Ensley District Developers to develop a preliminary plan for redevelopment of the historic Ramsay-McCormack Building. Once reviewed and approved, the city will convey the property to Ensley District Developers and provide an additional $1,300,000 to be applied to pre-development work expenses, related to securing funding for the project, retention of a Birmingham based project manager, development of detailed plans and specifications, and retention of an architect and contractor. Another $2,500,000 would be provided by the city for construction related costs on the property or infrastructure costs related to the project. The agreement outlines a multi-phase development timeline and dedicates city resources to restoration of the property.
The team of developers includes Irvin Henderson, principal of Henderson & Company; Carlton Brown, who specializes in concept, design and marketing; Mike Abebe, focusing on land acquisition, zoning and rental operation; and Gizman Abbas, who handles capital formation, finance and structuring. Together, they’ve completed restoration projects in Washington, D.C.; Chicago; Harlem, N.Y.; and in the country of Rwanda.
Item 29
The Birmingham City Council appointed Five Points South Neighborhood Association Vice President Victoria Caroline Hollis to serve on the Birmingham Planning Commission for an unexpired term ending October 6, 2022.
The Birmingham Planning Commission is the official planning agency for the City of Birmingham. Under Title 11, Chapter 52 of the Alabama Code as amended in 1975, its broad responsibility is to plan for the orderly physical development and/or redevelopment of the City, including its transportation network, community facilities, and the arrangement of land uses. Specifically, the Planning Commission is responsible for preparing and maintaining, on a current basis, a Comprehensive Plan which serves as an overall guide to coordinate private and public development within the City.
In the course of its work, the Planning Commission acts on a variety of different planning-related issues including:
-Reviews and approves all construction projects by federal, state or local governments or agencies within Birmingham including: police and fire stations, libraries, public schools or colleges, parks, public utilities, airport facilities, etc.
-Considers appeals of Subdivision Committee decisions.
-Recommends initial zoning for properties annexed into the City.
-Approves and adopts neighborhood improvement plans identifying specific revitalization strategies and programs
-Approves master plans for the overall layout and development of public institutions within the City including: colleges, hospitals, airport, zoo, civic center, public housing projects, etc.
-Adopts and amends various elements of the City’s Comprehensive Plan including: land use, transportation, housing, community facilities, economic development, etc.
-Reviews and recommends the adoption of urban renewal and urban redevelopment plans, commercial revitalization plans and comprehensive rezoning plans.
Coordinating Committees
To assist it in its planning responsibilities, the Planning Commission has delegated certain functions to several subcommittees. Among these are the Subdivision Committee which controls the subdivision of land and makes recommendations to the Birmingham City Council regarding the vacation and dedication of public rights-of-way, and the Zoning Advisory Committee which makes recommendations to the City Council on the merits of applications for changes in the zoning of property. A third subcommittee, the Comprehensive Planning Committee, is an advisory body which reviews and makes recommendations to the Planning Commission relative to comprehensive, long-range planning issues. Lastly, the Project Review Committee is responsible for the review and approval of minor public facility improvements or projects that do not require action by the full Planning Committee.
APPLICATION AND REVIEW PROCESS
The Birmingham Planning Commission meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 8:30 a.m. in the City Council Chambers on the third floor of Birmingham City Hall. Applicants should contact the staff of the City’s Planning Division located on the fifth floor (Room 500) to arrange a hearing by the Planning Commission. Staff will assist in determining what materials need to be submitted for review. While these materials will vary depending upon the type of proposal, in general, the type of information requested for a specific project includes: a site development plan illustrating the location of the proposed project in relation to surrounding properties, elevation drawings, parking layout plan, landscape plan, floor plans, and a color rendering of the project, if available.
In order to ensure an adequate amount of time for review by staff and proper notification, applicants should submit a complete package of information at least two weeks prior to the date of a hearing by the Planning Commission. It should be noted that the Planning Commission has adopted a policy that all projects be presented to the appropriate neighborhood association in which a project is located for review and input prior to consideration by the Planning Commission. Since most neighborhood associations only meet once a month, it is important that this requirement be taken into consideration in scheduling a project.
Projects determined to be minor in scope may be reviewed by the Project Review Committee rather than by the full Planning Commission. This Committee meets as needed on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month at 4:30pm.
Membership
The Birmingham Planning Commission is comprised of sixteen (16) members. Four are ex-officio members consisting of: the Mayor, an administrative officer selected by the Mayor, and two members of the City Council. The remaining members consist of residents of the City of Birmingham who are appointed by the Birmingham City Council.
Planning Commission members have overlapping six (6) year terms which enable the Commission to benefit from the experience of its members while providing a degree of stability and continuity of perspectives on long range planning issues. It is a general policy of the City Council that the term of each member shall be limited to two consecutive terms.
Item 30
The Birmingham City Council reappointed Judge Nyya Parson-Hudson for a term expiring January 21st, 2023 to the Birmingham Municipal Court.
Birmingham Municipal Court is the judicial branch of the City and adjudicates all ordinance violations and misdemeanors within the City’s limit and police jurisdiction.
The Municipal Court is comprised of four courts and eight specialized courts: Misdemeanor Court, Presiding Court, Traffic Court and David Barnes’ South Court. Specialized courts are Adult Drug Treatment Court, Environmental Court, Court Referral Program, Gun Court, Domestic Violence Court, Driving While Intoxicated Court (DWI), Veterans Treatment Court, Bilingual Court and Turning Point Court. See Specialty Courts for more information about each program.
The Municipal Court has eight divisions: Judges, Administrative, Magistrates, Office of Parole and Probation, Collections, Records, Enforcement and Court Operations.
The Court is authorized to hear misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases which involve offenses committed within its police jurisdiction. The Court operates in accordance with the Alabama State Code Title 12 Chapter 14 and the Birmingham General City Code Chapter 8.
The Municipal Court is required by law to perform the following:
- Issue arrest and search warrants
- Set bail and approve bonds
- Conduct trials and hearings
- Operate the Citations Bureau to process less serious traffic and some non-traffic cases without a formal court appearance
Birmingham Municipal Court is the vehicle through which most citizens come into contact with the judicial system, either as a defendant, complaining party, witness or victim
Full Agenda
Upcoming Meetings
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
12:00 p.m. — Joint Special Called 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”
Saturday, October 26, 2019
2:30 p.m. — 78th Annual Magic City Classic featuring Alabama A & M University vs Alabama State University — Legion Field, 400 Graymont Avenue West
Monday, October 28, 2019
3:30 p.m. — Joint Budget and Finance Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — Conference Rooms “D & E”
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
5:00 p.m. — Pre-Council Meeting — City Council Chambers; 5:30 p.m. — Council Meeting — City Council Chambers
