Council tables zoning issue for Islamic Academy of Alabama

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During its Dec. 1 meeting, the City Council held a public hearing on rezoning the property at 2501, 2513 and 2517 18th St. S. to Institutional District. The Islamic Academy of Alabama owns the property and wants to build additional parking and a playground, with a buffer area between the property and the road.

Joseph Miller III represented the school during the hearing and said the rezoning is needed because the school plans to resurvey its property and make it one large lot. Ward 5 Place 2 Representative Peter Wright asked about remediation plans for the school’s previous attempt to build a parking lot, which was done without permits and resulted in damage to the cliff edge of 18th Street South. Miller replied that there had not yet been remediation, but the rezoning issue under discussion was an attempt to “basically start over and build the parking lots correctly.”

Some confusion also arose over the ownership of the property’s right-of-way, as Miller believed that the city of Homewood owned it and the council believed it belonged to ALDOT. Director of Engineering, Planning and Zoning Greg Cobb spoke up, saying that ALDOT had claimed to give the right-of-way to the city, but Homewood had no record of this.

“Unfortunately, we’ve got two problems that are not resolved, and I don’t see how we can move forward until those are resolved,” Wright said.

Council chairman Bruce Limbaugh closed the public hearing and decided to continue the issue until the problems of right-of-way ownership and the school’s cliff edge remediation could be resolved. The item was also sent back to the planning and development committee.

Other council business included:

  • Approving the installation of speed humps in the alley between Oxmoor Road and Reese Street.
  • Approving a variation to the front yard fence ordinance to place an eight-foot-high wooden fence within the right-of-way at 403 Oxmoor Road.
  • Consideration of a sign ordinance variation for Big #1 Motorsports, located at 505 Cobb St. Big #1 was requesting two new signs because it will now be selling BMW motorcycles. The sign on the building was approved, but the proposed freestanding sign was rejected.
  • A public hearing was set for Dec. 15 to consider rezoning the property at 2821 Central Ave. to Light Manufacturing District. This conditional use rezoning would allow the establishment of Red Hills Brewing Company, a proposed craft brewery and tavern.
  • A second public hearing was set for Dec. 15 to consider a variation to the fence ordinance for the property at 1810 25th Court S., which is owned by the Islamic Academy of Alabama.
  • The finance committee was asked to consider declaring several pieces of computer equipment from the IT department surplus.
  • The finance committee was also asked to consider funding a one-time advertisement in Business Alabama Magazine to accompany an upcoming article on Jefferson County and surrounding municipalities.
  • The finance committee was also asked to consider adding a streetlight on Highland Road.
  • The Exceptional Foundation’s revised right-of-way agreement with Alabama Power was approved.
  • The mayor was authorized to renew the city’s three-year contract with Republic Services for recycling and disposal services.
  • Approval of $870 for removing yellow hash lines and restriping turn lanes at the Oxmoor Road-Edgeview Avenue intersection.
  • Approval of $950 to create center and edge lines for Parkridge Drive.
  • Amendment of the 2013-2014 budget to transfer $64,000 for the Park Community Center project.
  • Six police department vehicles were declared surplus.

The next city council meeting is Monday, Dec. 15.