Council passes increase to parking fines

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The city council voted to increase parking violation fines at its May 9 meeting.

The fines, formerly $5 per offense, have been increased to $20 plus court costs. Parking in a fire lane will result in a $100 fine. Council President Bruce Limbaugh said it costs more money for police officers to process the ticket than the former cost of the fine.

"$5 — most people consider that valet," Mayor Scott McBrayer said.

Ward 3 Representative Walter Jones said that while he agrees it was time for a parking increase, he hopes in the future the council will make small increases regularly to match cost of living, rather than making a "five-fold" increase after years without change.

The council also:

  • Changed the date of its next meeting from May 23 to May 16, so it won't overlap with Homewood High's graduation.
  • Approved a crosswalk at the intersection of Clermont Drive and Sutherland Place.
  • Approved a second sign for Stock & Trade Design Co., 3048 Independence Drive.
  • Approved up to $8,500 to modify playground equipment at Overton Park, removing a rock wall feature to make it a standalone structure and closing the gap where the rock wall meets the rest of the play structure.
  • Approved up to $5,600 for Skipper Consulting to study Reese Street and the possibility of making it a one-way to address parking and traffic issues.
  • Approved up to $2,500 for an additional trashcan in downtown Edgewood.
  • Approved funding of about $2,600 for a Homewood business spotlight in Business Alabama magazine.
  • Approved an agreement for Crown Castle to use city right-of-way to install small cell technology.
  • Approved the opening of alleys behind 1627 Sunset Drive for work to clear them out.
  • Approved the levying of municipal taxes, with an exemption for homesteads from the ad valorem property tax. This is something the city must approve once per year.
  • Set public hearings on June 13 to rezone several properties recently annexed into the city: Circle K at 1250 Columbiana Road, from Jefferson County Commercial to Neighborhood Shopping District; Southeast Medical Homewood at 35 West Lakeshore Drive, from Jefferson County Preferred Commercial to Office Building District; and One West Associates at #1 West Lakeshore Drive, from Jefferson County Commercial to Neighborhood Shopping District.
  • Set a public hearing on June 13 to consider changes to zoning ordinances regarding first and second story property setbacks and measuring building height.
  • Set public hearings on June 27 to rezone several properties recently annexed into the city from Jefferson County Light Industrial to Light Manufacturing District: 129 Citation Court, 137 Citation Court, 159 Citation Court, 167 Citation Court and 209 Citation Court.
  • Dropped consideration of removing cypress trees between the SoHo Square parking lot and 18th Street businesses.