City considers zoning changes, sets hearing for design review committee

At its March 23 meeting, the Homewood city council had its first hearing of a comprehensive set of changes to the zoning regulations book.

City engineer Vanessa McGrath said she keeps a book of problems that arise with zoning, and repeated variances to certain ordinances had prompted these changes. If multiple variances were required, she said, that meant there was a problem with the wording of the ordinance itself.

“It’s cleaning up some messiness,” Council Chairman Bruce Limbaugh agreed.

The list of changes includes:

• Changing property line definitions for corner lots, so the address side will now be considered the front of the property.
• In Neighborhood Preservation Districts, lots over 75 feet by 75 feet will now have a standard setback of 10 feet from the property line instead of the former 15 percent of the lot size.
• In Planned Mixed Use Districts, retailers can now display merchandise outside.
• Mechanical and electrical apparatus, such as air conditioning units, are now allowed within five feet of homes. Before this change, McGrath said homeowners had to get zoning approval to replace broken AC units.
• Rear yard accessory structures cannot be closer to the property line than five feet unless they have two or more stories.
• The trash disposal regulations previously applied to Neighborhood Shopping Districts are now applicable to all commercial zoning. These regulations govern the placement, appearance and emptying of garbage receptacles.

A decision on these changes was carried over until after the city council’s retreat on April 24.

The council also set a public hearing on April 13 for a community design review committee in the West Homewood District. At the public hearing, the council and residents can discuss proposed operating procedures and warrants for variation from the design review committee’s standards.

Other council business included:

• Millicent Moore of H&R Block informed attendees of the Around the Block party on March 26. The event, which lasts from 2 to 6 p.m. in the Wildwood Centre parking lot, is described as a “multicultural party celebrating children and law enforcement.” It will include free food, music, games and giveaways.
• Approval of an overhaul of the city’s sign ordinances and lifting the previous moratorium on pole signs. Limbaugh said the purpose of the new ordinances is to move the city toward monument signs to advertise retailers instead of billboards.
• Vacating an unopened section of 2501, 2513 and 2517 18th St. S. in return for a $5,000 payment to the city. These properties were also rezoned from commercial office to institutional districts, allowing the Islamic Academy of Alabama to create additional school parking.
• Approving a restaurant retail liquor license for Hickory Tavern at 595 Brookwood Village.
• Dropping a requested retail beer and table wine license for a new restaurant at 1712 28th Ave. S. The location is currently not zoned for liquor sales.
• Authorizing the mayor to enter an agreement with Pless Appraisals to appraise a potential location for the west end access to the greenway trail. McGrath said this property is located next to the Jefferson County water treatment plant.
• Declaring two 2014 International 7400 cabs and chassis from the public services department as surplus, to be traded in for two 2016 models. $77,000 was also allocated for the purchase of the new models.
• Approving the mayor to contact ALDOT about placing “No Jake Braking” signs on the Homewood portion of I-65. This is in response to citizen complaint about noisy 18-wheelers braking on the interstate.
• A public hearing was set for April 13 to consider a sign ordinance variance at 808 Green Springs Highway, the site of the old Mazer’s building.
• Consideration of leasing a vacant lot at 309 Oxmoor Road was carried over.
• The finance committee was asked to consider authorizing an agreement between the mayor and Alabama Power to place 21 decorative acorn lamps in West Homewood.
• The finance committee was also asked to consider accepting a grant of $8,972.15 from the Department of Homeland Security for the fire department.
• A request to open a restaurant in the West Homewood Revitalization District was also referred to the finance committee.
• Consideration of a personnel study review was also sent to the finance committee.
• The public safety committee was asked to consider traffic calming measures on Lancaster Road.
• The planning and development committee was asked to analyze a “bike share” proposal.

The next city council meeting is Monday, April 13.