City Council Meeting Recap 7.28.20
Here’s the video from today’s meeting:
Affordable Housing Development
The Birmingham City Council voted to add funding, coming from a federal HUD HOME Investment Partnerships grant, to the City’s agreement with the Central Alabama Housing Alliance. Now with $1.2 Million in funding, the organization will be able to build 11 affordable single family houses in Birmingham.
Federal Funding for Homeless Shelters
The Birmingham City Council voted to authorize the Mayor to enter into an Agreement with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to utilize $200,000 of federal HUD funding to support the operations of homeless shelters in Birmingham.
Palisades Rezoning
The Birmingham City Council voted to set a public hearing for August 25th, during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting, for a rezoning case in the Glen Iris neighborhood in District 3, in order for the property that included former Virginia College campus on Palisades Boulevard be turned into a car dealership. The property would potentially be rezoned from B-5 (Mixed Business District) to “Q” C-2 (Qualified General Commercial District).
Background on this item:
The City’s Long Range Land Use Plan identifies the property as General Commercial. This land use category is characterized by commercial and service uses, general and large retail uses, restaurants and food stores. Additional uses include hotels, motels, movie theatres, offices, schools and multi-family residential. This property is in the Northside/Southside Framework Plan. The Plan identifies this property as General Commercial and recommends that the zoning be changed to C-2 (B-5 does not exist in the new zoning classifications). The proposed rezoning request is CONSISTENT with the Long Range Land Use Plan.
Neighborhood Recommendation:
The Glen Iris Neighborhood Association met at its regularly scheduled meeting on February 3rd, 2020, to review the proposed project and did not take a vote on the rezoning request. The Glen Iris Neighborhood Association met at its regularly scheduled meeting on March 2nd, 2020, and voted to RECOMMEND approval subject to the following “Q” Condition:
Submission to and approval by the local Neighborhood Association and the Zoning Advisory Committee (ZAC) of a site development plan to include but not be limited to, the location and heights of all structures; parking; ingress and egress (including a traffic circulation plan); landscaping; location, size and number of all signs; storm water drainage; buffering and screening; exterior lighting plan; the location and screening of solid waste disposal container by a fence constructed of wood, masonry brick, or concrete which is architecturally compatible with the primary building sufficient in height on all 4 sides with a double wooded gate at the entrance; and screening of all HVAC units and satellite dishes. In addition, the site development plan should include details regarding the proposed hours of operation, delivery schedule (if applicable), noise mitigation plan and any other information required by the PEP Staff. All on and off site improvements shall be developed and maintained in strict conformance with the approved site development plan. All landscaping as per approved landscaping plan, shall be installed prior to the occupancy of the development and shall be maintained in a living condition no less than as installed. Any amendments, additions, deletions, alteration or changes to any of the above listed standards of the approved site development plan, shall require approval of an amendment to the approved site development plan by the local Neighborhood Association and the Zoning Advisory Committee (ZAC).
Zoning Advisory Committee Action:
The Zoning Advisory Committee met at its regularly scheduled meeting on February 4th, 2020, to review the applicant’s rezoning request and voted to RECOMMEND approval.
Planning & Zoning Committee Action:
The Council’s Planning and Zoning Committee met on July 15th, 2020, and voted to recommend this item to the full Council.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Funding Agreement
The Birmingham City Council approved a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an Emergency Funding and Management Agreement with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) under which the City will provide emergency funding to BCRI in the amount of $250,000, that will be paid in four monthly installments of $62,500. Under this Agreement, the BCRI will:
- Implement a reopening plan and a sustainable fundraising strategy
- Develop a plan for expense reduction
- Explore alternative means of engaging the community to revive interest and awareness of the unique offerings of the BCRI
