Photo taken from Heart of Homewood Master Plan.
Currently, downtown Homewood has 13 different zoning districts, and the downtown rezoning plan brings that number down to three: high-intensity, medium-intensity and low-intensity districts.
The Heart of Homewood Downtown Rezoning plan is going back to Homewood City Council.
Discussion about this controversial plan has been delayed for more than a year, when the Planning Commission voted at its Feb. 4, 2020, meeting to table the discussion. The item reappeared on the Planning Commission agenda at its May 4 meeting, and the commission voted 5-3 to send it back to council.
The council will refer the item to the Planning and Development Committee, said Committee Chair Jennifer Andress. While the item is in committees, the city will schedule multiple public forums, she said. There will also be a public hearing once the item is on the council agenda.
Currently, downtown Homewood has 13 different zoning districts, and the downtown rezoning plan brings that number down to three: high-intensity, medium-intensity and low-intensity districts. Homewood residents in opposition of the new zoning have expressed concerns about changes to building heights, lack of parking and the need for a traffic study.
More information about the plan is available at heartofhomewoodplan.com.
Also at the May 4 Planning Commission meeting, the lot lines were resurveyed at 185 and 195 Oxmoor Road, which will allow the owner to tear down the former Waffle House building and construct a new retail development on the other side of the property. There will be space for approximately 40 parking spaces, he said. When asked what building would be constructed there, the owner said it would be something that fits the district.
