Council approves awning signs for Shrimp Basket
At the Jan. 11 meeting, city council members approved a sign variance allowing Shrimp Basket, located at 801 Green Springs Highway, to place its name and menu items on awnings around the restaurant.
The awning facing Green Springs will read "Shrimp Basket," while other awnings will include po' boys, chicken strips, oysters, shrimp and other restaurant offerings. This is a reduction from the original designs presented to the council, which council members disliked, but a sign variance was required because each printed menu item or name counts as an individual sign.
The city council also voted to fund up to $3,000 for installation of decorative fencing and seating on sidewalks at the corner of Oak Grove Road and Raleigh Avenue, similar to those in Edgewood. However, Ward 4 Representative Barry Smith said that this amount will only cover fencing and the seating will require roughly $4,000 more. This issue has been referred back to the finance committee to find more funding for the remainder of the project. Ward 1 Representative Michael Hallman was the lone dissenting vote against the resolution.
The council also:
- Approved a new offer of $280,000 for the Fox property, which will be used in the construction of the Greenway trail through Homewood. This increase matches the property's appraised value, which must be done to comply with federal guidelines on the project.
- Approved the filing of an amended certificate of incorporation, allowing the city to increase its Downtown Redevelopment Authority board of directors to 13 members.
- Approved a restaurant liquor license to Real and Rosemary, which is opening soon at 1922 29th Ave. S.
- Approved Mayor Scott McBrayer to enter a contract for a new software product for the police department. The software uses police records to create crime predictions and guide where officers should patrol.
- Set public hearings for Jan. 25 to consider a sign variance at 2801 18th St. S. and a fence variance at 1527 Roseland Drive.
- Amended the current budget to incorporate a $1,998 cost of living adjustment for judicial salaries.
- Carried over discussion of a sign variance to build a monument sign for businesses at 800, 804 and 808 Green Springs Highway. The developers requested a monument sign that is both taller and larger in area than the city ordinance allows, but no representatives were at the meeting and Greg Cobb of the department of engineering and zoning said he had not had communication with them.
- Carried over discussion of landfill service bids again. Santek was the lowest bidder in a recent bid offering. Mayor Scott McBrayer asked the council to carry it over as they are considering other options.
- Referred traffic and speeding issues at the West Oxmoor Road and Huntington Glen intersection to the finance committee.
- Referred a request to purchase an advertisement in the 2016 Homewood Magazine to the finance committee.
- Dropped a variance request to the cell tower ordinance at 1019 Oxmoor Road.
- Dropped a request to approve final payment for work on the new city website, as this was included in the invoice payments approved at the meeting.
The next city council meeting is Jan. 25.