City approves phone-free school zone ordinance

Drivers in Homewood are now prohibited from using their phones and other electronic devices while driving through school zones in morning drop-off and afternoon pickup times.

The Homewood City Council met Wednesday evening after severe weather threats caused them to cancel the Monday, March 19 meeting. Representatives Andrew Wolverton (Ward 2), Patrick McClusky and Walter Jones (Ward 3), and Peter Wright (Ward 5) were absent, but the remaining members of the Council approved an ordinance restricting phone use while driving in school zones.

The ordinance had been endorsed by the Board of Education earlier this week. Cell phone use will not be allowed, except in parked vehicles, from 7:15 to 8:30 a.m. and 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. in the following locations:

• Hall-Kent Elementary: 124 to 252 Hall Avenue; Cobb Street from Raleigh Avenue to Hena Street; and Kent Drive from Cobb Street to Grove Street.
• Edgewood Elementary: College Avenue from Oxmoor Road to Broadway Street; Virginia Drive from College Avenue to Palmetto Street; Westover Drive from College Avenue to Shades Road; and Broadway Street from Roseland Drive to 210 Broadway Street.
• Shades Cahaba Elementary: Hollywood Boulevard from U.S. 31 to LaPrado Place; Oxmoor Road from U.S. 31 to Drake Street; Courtney Drive from U.S. 31 to Drake Street; Poinciana Drive from U.S. 31 to Gran Avenue; and Gran Avenue from Poinciana Drive to LaPrado Place.
• Homewood Middle: Valley Avenue from Red Mountain Drive to Homewood-Birmingham city limits; Mecca Avenue from Valley Avenue to Irving Road; Frisco Street from Mecca Avenue to 312 Frisco Street; Evergreen Avenue from Irving Road to 395 Mecca Avenue.
• Homewood High: South Lakeshore Drive from Shades Creek Parkway to 300 feet east of the high school.

The council also voted to pay Gonzalez-Strength $18,650 to design a crosswalk across Lakeshore Drive at the Marriott. The council's finance committee will also consider funding the first set of sidewalk projects for 2018: Rumson Road, from Yorkshire Drive to Shades Creek Parkway; Saulter Road, from Sylvia Drive to Rockaway Road; and the Covenant Way connector to Columbiana Road.

The council also:

• Approved $6,500 to install a camera at the soccer park's restroom facilities so the building can be open to the public after hours without concerns for security or vandalism. Ward 4 Representative Barry Smith said this is the first of several cameras planned for the soccer fields.
• Approved two stop signs at the intersection of St. Charles Street and Irving Road, changing the intersection from a two-way to a four-way stop.
• Approved the creation of a subcommittee to oversee the 18th Street beautification project, at the request of Goodwyn Mills Cawood, which has been chosen to complete the project. The subcommittee includes Ward 1 Representatives Britt Thames and Andy Gwaltney, Chief of Staff JJ Bischoff and Building, Engineering and Zoning official Greg Cobb.
• Voted 6-1 to approve the construction of a netted fence at the Islamic Academy, 1810 25th Court South, with Ward 1 Representative Britt Thames opposing the decision. The school will have to pay a $100 fine and their permit fees will be doubled because they began construction of the fence before receiving a fence variance from the city. The fence is grounded in cement with poles eight feet in the ground, so Cobb said it will be structurally sound.
• Approved up to $500 for an ethics and Open Meetings Act training video for city employees and board members.
• Approved work in the city right-of-way at 123 Edgewood Boulevard for the owner to work with AT&T to relocate a line as part of the construction of a pool.
• Approved the owner of 431 Cliff Place to remove a tree in the city right-of-way that is causing damage to the driveway, under the condition that the owners plant a hardwood tree elsewhere to replace it.
• Approved a WAN contract to provide phones and other technology for the city. This will include a $5,000 one-time training and configuration fee, $19,404 for phone installation and a monthly fee of $10,500. The total cost of the contract is $402,404.
• Approved up to $2,000 to place an ad in the Homewood Chamber's annual magazine.
• Set a bid opening date of April 9 for video equipment for Rosewood Hall, which council members said they want to have in place before Homewood High School's prom later in April.
• Carried over discussion of sending a voting delegate to the Alabama League of Municipalities Annual Convention, which will be held May 19-22 in Montgomery. The council will have to select one of its members to act as a delegate.

The council will take a break for the school system's spring break, and their next committee meetings will be on April 2.