Council sets public hearings for newly-annexed properties
The city council will soon discuss and decide how to zone several properties that have recently been annexed from the county into the city of Homewood.
At its March 14 meeting, the council decided to set April 11 public hearings for properties at 1250 Columbiana Road and #1 West Lakeshore Drive, which are seeking Neighborhood Shopping District zoning, and 35 West Lakeshore Drive, which is seeking Office Building District zoning.
Additionally, a zoning application for 201 Green Springs Highway to Green Springs Urban Renewal District was sent to the planning and development committee for consideration. This property has also just been annexed into the city. The council dropped a petition for annexation from 1601 Shades Glen Circle.
The council also heard a request to build a front yard fence at 1732 Wellington Road. The owner, Rachel Craig, had not been at previous sessions when the public hearing initially began. She said the fence would be about three feet high and built behind existing hedges in her front yard. Craig said the fence was needed to keep her children from wandering into the street while in the yard, and their backyard was too steep for the kids to play in.
At the original hearing, a neighbor had spoken in opposition to the fence. Also, Ward 4 Representative Barry Smith said she had received several calls from neighbors who also opposed it. One neighbor accompanied Craig to the meeting to support her fence request. They also mentioned that a blind curve in that area of Wellington Road might need new signs to warn drivers.
The council also:
- Changed its next meeting from March 28 to March 21, to accommodate Homewood City Schools' spring break.
- Approved up to $20,778 for replacing plants and irrigation lost during the sidewalk project at Patriot Park.
- Approved the mayor to sign a new HVAC maintenance contract with Trane Building Services.
- Approved the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) to place a bus shelter in the city's right-of-way at 36 Barber Court. Barber Company and the BJCTA will be paying for the shelter's installation.
- Approved alcohol licenses for Holler & Dash, 2801 18th Street South; Hometown Supermarket, 808 Green Springs Highway; and the Circle K Stores at 821 and 400 Green Springs Highway.
- Declared an air compressor, an air dryer and air reservoir as surplus.
- Carried over discussion of alcohol licenses for Homewood Fuel, 317A West Valley Avenue, and Homewood Package, 317B West Valley Avenue.
- Referred discussion of paving and street repairs to the finance committee.
- Gave final payment and closed out the West Homewood Oak Grove Project.