City Council Meeting Recap 4.24.18
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Here’s the video from today’s meeting:
And here’s a recap of the items the City Council discussed today:
Item 1
An Ordinance “TO FURTHER AMEND THE ZONING DISTRICT MAP OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM” (Case No.ZAC2017–00010) to change zone district boundaries from R-4A, Medium Density Residential District to “Q”MU-L, Mixed Use Low District, filed by Scott Phillips, representing the owners, Coby Lake/ Birmingham Properties, LLC for the properties located at 101 42nd Street South, and situated in the SW¼ of Section 29, Township 17-S, Range 2-West, and the hearing of all interested parties.
After a public hearing, the City Council voted to not approve the proposed rezoning in the East Avondale Neighborhood. The case was deemed “spot zoning”, meaning the uses proposed for the property are not in alignment with the zoning classification of the area it’s in. Additionally, the rezoning request is non consistent with the City’s Long Range Land Use Plan.
The applicant will be able to re-apply in one year.
Here is the background for this item:
Application for a change in zone district boundaries from R-4A, Medium Density Residential District to MU-M, Mixed Use Low District, filed by Scott Phillips, representing the owners, Coby Lake/ Birmingham Properties, LLC for the properties located at 101 42nd Street South and situated in the SW¼ of Section 29, Township 17-S, Range 2-West. (35233, District 5).
Proposed Use: Adaptive re-use of residential structures for office, retail, and restaurant type uses.
The City’s Long Range Land Use Plan identifies the property as Residential Medium, a land use designation most comparable to the existing zoning district, therefore, the rezoning request is Not Consistent with the Plan.
The applicant met with The East Avondale Neighborhood Association at its regularly scheduled meeting on July 11, 2017 and the neighborhood voted to Not Support the proposed rezoning request. The vote was 0 approved and 8 opposed.
As a courtesy, the applicant presented the proposed redevelopment to the neighboring North Avondale Neighborhood Association at its regularly scheduled meeting on July 20, 2017 and there were no objections expressed regarding the applicant’s request. The Neighborhood Association stated that it would not hinder an adjoining community’s progress.
As a courtesy, the applicant also presented the proposed redevelopment to the neighboring Forest Park-South Avondale Neighborhood Association at its regularly scheduled meeting on August 1, 2017 and there were no objections expressed regarding the applicant’s request. The Neighborhood Associated stated that because the proposed project was it was out of their jurisdiction, their recommendation was not necessary.
In an attempt to work with The East Avondale Neighborhood Association to address their concerns the applicant met again with the Neighborhood Association at its regularly scheduled meeting on February 13, 2018. The Neighborhood voted to Support the proposed rezoning request with conditions.
Zoning Advisory Committee Action:
The Zoning Advisory Committee met at its regularly scheduled meeting on February 20, 2018 and voted to Recommend approval of the applicant’s request with the following “Q” Conditions:
1. The residential character of the existing structures shall be maintained;
2. No outside music; and
3. Review and approval of a detailed Site Development Plan by the Zoning Advisory Committee.
For more information about the discussion surrounding this item at today’s City Council meeting, please read:
For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294
Item 60
A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to submit a grant application to the Alabama Department of Transportation in the amount of $800,000.00 to construct a nature trail that connects Avondale School to Avondale Park and Avondale Library, and to improve crosswalks that enhance the safety of students using the proposed nature trail, said grant to require a 20% match, and should the grant be funded, authorizing the Mayor to execute documents necessary to accept the grant.
This item was withdrawn because the City’s Planning Department felt it best to only have one application sent to the Alabama Department of Transportation instead of 2 (a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to apply for the grant in Item 67 was approved). The grant money in both cases would come from the Federal Highway Administration.
About the Grant Program
The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act replaced the former Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) with a set-aside of funds under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG). For administrative purposes, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will refer to these funds as the TA Set-Aside. The TA Set-Aside authorizes funding for programs and projects defined as transportation alternatives, including on- and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities, infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility, community improvement activities such as historic preservation and vegetation management, and environmental mitigation related to stormwater and habitat connectivity; recreational trail projects; safe routes to school projects; and projects for planning, designing, or constructing boulevards and other roadways largely in the right-of-way of former divided highways.
The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) Section 1524 requires the U.S. Department of Transportation to encourage States and regional transportation planning agencies to use qualified youth service and conservation corps to perform appropriate transportation-related projects. This section of law remains in effect. See the Creating Access to Opportunity: Strengthening Transportation Career Pathways & Youth Workforce Development Partnerships Through Service Fact Sheet (HTML / PDF), the related Creating Access to Opportunity Webinar and the Webinar Slides (HTML / PDF), Youth Workforce Development Resources, and U.S. Department of Transportation AmeriCorps Partnership.
For more information, please contact the Office of the City Council at 205.254.2294
Item 67
A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to submit and execute documents necessary to accept a grant application to the Metropolitan Planning Organization in the amount of $800,000.00 to construct a pedestrian bridge across the railroad tracks that cross Center Street, where Center Street and 1ST Street merge, to enhance the safety of students using this route to walk to Washington School in the Titusville Neighborhood. This grant requires a 20% match.
The intersection has long been a point of concern for both residents and city officials because children, many of them in kindergarten, are required to cross the rail road intersection on foot. In some cases, there will be a train stopped on the track and they must cross anyway, according to Tim Gambrel, principal planner with the City of Birmingham.
The item was amended to state that the application would be made to the Alabama Department of Transportation, instead of the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Both organizations administer the same pool of Federal grant funds.
About the Metropolitan Planning Organization
The Birmingham Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the group of local, elected officials, transit operators, and state officials who are responsible for the coordination of a planning process that results in a Long Range Plan (25 year) and a short term (four year) Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The Birmingham MPO is comprised of a Policy Committee, Advisory Committee, a Transportation Technical Committee (TTC), and a Transportation Citizens Committee (TCC)j. The committee process is managed by MPO Staff. The Birmingham MPO operates under federal authority as provided for in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) the federal law governing surface transportation.
The Birmingham MPO decides, in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Transportation (DOT), what transportation projects are funded with the available local, state and federal dollars. The Birmingham MPO publishes priorities for all transportation related projects for all types of modes such as highways, transit, intermodal freight, and bicycle/pedestrian and greenways. Tools ranging from sophisticated computer models to old-fashioned town meetings are used to help determine which projects are funded. It is the responsibility of the State, operators of publicly owned mass transit, and the MPO to ensure that the transportation planning and programming process are cooperatively carried out. To that end, the Alabama Department of Transportation, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Birmingham MPO, the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority, and the Jefferson County Department of Health have entered into an agreement to provide a comprehensive, cooperative, and continuing planning process that describes each of these entities respective roles and responsibilities within the metropolitan planning process.
Meetings of the Birmingham MPO and its advisory committees are open to the public and anyone is welcome to attend. All MPO meeting agendas will be placed on the MPO’s Web Site seven days in advance of each meeting.
Full Agenda
Board Vacancies
The Design Review Committee is an eleven-member body appointed by the City Council to review and approve the physical development of Commercial Revitalization Areas according to the provisions of City Ordinance 84–141. All proposed facilities located in a Design Review District are subject to the historic preservation standards.
For instance, schematic drawings of buildings and other improvements that illustrate the character of development shall be submitted for review and and a recommendation by the DRC.
The eleven-member DRC must consist of three architects, one registered landscape architect, two practitioners from building trades, one commercial rehabilitation professional, and four resident members at large. In total, six members must be residents of Birmingham. The committee meets the first and third wednesday of each month.
Members of the DRC are not limited to two consecutive terms and all current members whose terms have expired are encouraged to reapply.
There are currently eight vacancies for this committee. There is a need for three registered architects, one building trade practitioner, one landscape architect and three resident members at large.
Upcoming Meetings
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
3:00 p.m. — Committee of the Whole Meeting — Conference Rooms “D & E”
Thursday, April 26, 2018
6:00 p.m. — 7:30 p.m. — Birmingham City Schools Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council Presents #NeverAgainBHM — A BCS Student-Led Movement Against Gun Violence — Parker High School Auditorium, 400 Rev. Abraham L. Woods Jr., Blvd. — Council President Pro-Tem Jay Roberson, Panel Speaker
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
9:00 a.m. — Pre-Council Meeting — City Council Chambers; 9:30 a.m. — Council Meeting — City Council Chambers
3:30 p.m. — Joint Public Safety Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — City Council Chambers
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
9:00 a.m. — Park Board Meeting — Maxine Herring Parker Board Room @ Legion Field, 400 Graymont Avenue West
Thursday, May 3, 2018
3:00 p.m. — Joint Planning and Zoning Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — 5th Floor Conference Room-City Hall
Friday, May 4, 2018
3:00 p.m. — Joint Governmental Affairs and Public Information Committee and Special Called Committee of the Whole Meeting — Conference Rooms “D & E”
