City council approves funding for school facilities projects
The Homewood City Council approved use of bond funds for Homewood City Schools to begin expansion of all five school buildings at its Nov. 13 meeting.
The school system will receive half of the city's $110 million bond issue to pay for additions and renovations at the elementary, middle and high schools to accommodate current and projected growth. HCS and project manager Hoar Program Management presented their plans to the public in late October and to the council's finance committee on Nov. 6.
The budget estimated by HPM, including contingencies, equals $55 million. Design, planning and engineering will begin immediately upon the council's approval, HPM has previously said, and all projects are scheduled to be finished before the start of the 2019-2020 school year.
Another project that will be funded through the bond issue, a new headquarters for the Homewood Police Department, will take the next step in December when there will be a public hearing on the rezoning of 68, 70 and 90 Bagby Drive and 245 and 255 Goodwin Crest Drive from Office Building District to Institutional District. These properties will be the home of the 54,000-square-foot building, which will house offices, training rooms, a firing range, courtroom and jail.
The public hearing will be held at the Dec. 11 council meeting.
Additionally, the council surprised Fire Department Chief John Bresnan with a plaque and proclamation at tonight's meeting in recognition of his 25 years as the city's fire chief.
Bresnan was joined by several firefighters in the council chambers as Mayor Scott McBrayer read the proclamation. Bresnan joined the fire department in 1987 and ascended to fire chief in 1992, making him Homewood's longest serving chief.
"I have probably the very best job in the fire service in the state, probably in the Southeast and the country," Bresnan said after receiving a standing ovation from the council.
The council also:
- Set its holiday meeting dates for Dec. 11 and 18 and Jan. 16 and 29, 2018. Jan. 16 is a Tuesday, but the other dates are Mondays.
- Approved annexing 1400 Shades Crest Road into the city with a 7-4 vote. Andy Gwaltney (Ward 1), Patrick McClusky (Ward 3), Barry Smith (Ward 4) and Alex Wyatt (Ward 4) voted against the annexation.
- Approved addition of $85,000 into the budget for an economic development agreement with the Daniels Communities. The Homewood Chamber of Commerce has offered to offset some of that cost.
- Approved a funding agreement with ALDOT for the addition of landscaping, redrawn lanes, parking and sidewalks on 18th Street South.
- Approved an ADA Transition Plan prioritizing sidewalks in high use areas and close to schools, as well as those that are more severely inaccessible. The ADA Transition Plan is federally required but does not have a required timetable as long as the city shows ongoing efforts to improve accessibility.
- Approved funds for lighting on Valley Avenue and State Farm Parkway.
- Approved a stop sign at Mayfair Drive and Wellington Road, as well as a crosswalk on Bonita Drive near Poinciana Drive.
- Approved a retail beer and wine license for Hero Doughnuts, 3027 and 3029 Central Avenue.
- Approved work in the city right-of-way at 600 Oak Grove Road.
- Set a bid opening date for city recycling services on Dec. 18.
- Asked the finance committee to consider an $8,200 landscaping plan for the Servis First headquarters as well as incentives for BrickTop's, a restaurant that is planned for the former Mountain Brook Inn site at 2800 U.S. 280. This would be the chain's first Alabama location, with other restaurants located in Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia and Florida.
- Asked the public safety committee to consider traffic concerns at Homewood Middle School.
- Opened the application period for a Ward 5 Environmental Commission seat and Ward 4 Board of Zoning Adjustments seat, where current member Brian Jarmon is reapplying for his position. Applications are due to the city clerk by Dec. 11.
- Denied a front yard wall variance at 3107 Whitehall Road, where the homeowners intended to build a parking pad with a two-foot-high, landscaped retaining wall. The resident was not able to prove a hardship that created a need for the wall. The council voted unanimously against the request, except Ward 5 Representative Jennifer Andress who abstained.
- Authorized funding for ClasTran and the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority for the 2018 fiscal year, with the requirement of quarterly financial and ridership reports from the BJCTA.
- Proclaimed Hospice Awareness Month in the city with staff from Affinity Hospice and accepted a painting of City Hall from the Exceptional Foundation in recognition of the city's support for the foundation's work.