Planning commission approves Mecca lot subdivision

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the Mecca Avenue case decision is final and will not go before the City Council for approval.

The Homewood Planning Commission approved the subdivision of an eight-lot parcel at 212 Mecca Avenue into seven larger lots at its March 6 meeting, and it also denied a request to rezone 1016 Stuart Street for commercial use.

The Mecca subdivision was requested by Bob Easley of EE Edgewood Land Holding LLC, for the construction of homes on the lots. As originally drawn, the eight lots did not meet the 53-foot minimum width for lots in the Neighborhood Preservation District (NPD) zoning. The newly drawn seven lots vary in width, with the smallest at 55 feet.

Homeowners on Mecca Avenue, St. Charles Street and Irving Road spoke against the subdivision tonight because they do not want to see seven houses put on a parcel that was originally occupied by one. They raised concerns about parking and the development of eight other new homes along the same street, as well as the removal of trees and potential runoff problems on hilly lots.

"All the green is coming down, concrete is coming up," resident Melanie Geer said.

"I feel to put seven houses will really increase the traffic," another resident said. "We just want to keep Homewood a city that is attractive to people."

There have been concerns from homeowners across Edgewood's Neighborhood Preservation District about the construction of new, two-story homes that are significantly larger than older one-story homes in the area, as well.

City planner Vanessa McGrath said the new homes must meet all NPD ordinances, including that the designs can take up no more than 50 percent of the lots – which Easley said range from 7700 to 8400 square feet – and the buildings must be at least 25 feet from the front property line, 20 feet from the rear property line and 10 feet from each of the sides. The homes must also be no more than 35 feet tall from threshold to roof peak.

Greg Cobb from the Building, Engineering and Zoning Department said he has been aware of the drainage and runoff issues on Mecca before Edgewood Holdings requested this subdivision, and he has been working with Easley on solutions.

McGrath said the submitted plans require no variances on the lots themselves, and she said the developers have stated no need for variances to accommodate the home designs. The Planning Commission voted unanimously in favor of the lot subdivision.

However, the commission unanimously voted against a request by Michael Naylor to rezone 1016 Stuart Street from its NPD zoning to Edgewood Urban Renewal District to accommodate a small business such as a real estate office or accounting firm. Naylor asked for the rezoning because of the lot's small size and immediate adjacency to businesses on Oxmoor Road, which make it unattractive to potential families moving in.

Eight residents from Stuart Street and the surrounding area spoke against the rezoning, citing the need to preserve a division between homes and businesses, as well as a fear that the rezoning could set a precedent that would "erode" the neighborhood over time. One St. Charles Street resident brought a petition signed by many of her neighbors opposing the rezoning.

Residents said the rezoning would increase traffic and parking problems on the street and affect property values. They noted existing issues with delivery trucks and customers to Edgewood businesses, and Fire Battalion Chief Nickolas Hill said Stuart Street can be impossible for fire engines to access depending on what vehicles are parked along the street.

One resident spoke in favor of the rezoning, noting that it's unlikely for a family to live on the property at its current size, and that the right business could have low impact. McGrath said the 40-foot-deep lot means property setback rules make it almost impossible to rebuild or renovate the house without variances from the city.

Commission member John Krontiras said he didn't feel comfortable with the request, and was joined by the rest of the commission in opposing it.

Lastly, the commission approved a three-lot residential subdivision at 123 Hena Street. The developers have proffered a number of traffic calming and safety measures based on a traffic study of the area, after it was carried over from last month's meeting due to these concerns.

The Stuart Street and Hena Street cases will go before the City Council, but the subdivision of the lots on Mecca is final.