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Hena Street
A natural buffer between Wildwood commercial buildings and residences on Hena Street is under discussion at a Dec. 17 public hearing.
A complicated request to build a five-home subdivision in part of a natural buffer on Hena Street will be put before a public hearing on Dec. 17.
The Homewood City Council will vote to set this public hearing at its next meeting, on Dec. 3.
The developer's request, as presented to the Planning Commission earlier in November, is to purchase about 50 feet of the 100-foot buffer neighboring 123 Hena Street, and the buffer would be rezoned and subdivided to make room for five homes planned there.
The buffer separates homes on Hena Street, Cobb Street and other nearby roads from commercial buildings on Wildwood Parkway. It was established in the 1990s as noise and light protection for homeowners, and Ward 2 Councilor Mike Higginbotham said the city entered into covenants with the owner of the Wildwood North property about the protection of that buffer.
To consider changes to those covenants, it requires the agreement of both the landowners and the city, as they are both party to the covenants. The Planning Commission declined to act until the city can decide whether it's willing to consider the proposed changes.
Higginbotham said the public hearing is not required before making this decision, but some council members wanted to hear public input before proceeding. He noted that he has not “read or received any positive feedback” from area residents about the proposed development.
After the Dec. 17 public hearing, the City Council will vote on whether it's willing to consider covenant changes. If they approve, the case will go back before the Planning Commission for discussion and a recommendation. The council will consider that recommendation before taking its final vote on whether to allow the sale and repurposing of the buffer land.
“There are a lot of moving parts here,” Higginbotham said.
According to a packet from the developers provided at the November Planning Commission, the plan is to build five energy-efficient homes, with three to four bedrooms each and priced in the $400,000s. A sixth lot would hold the community septic system and is designated on plans as a "green space."
The houses would be accessed by a private drive.
The property already purchased for the construction is one acre and undeveloped, and it would be combined with a half acre in the buffer zone. Each lot would be 94 feet wide, above the required minimum for R2 residential zoning. According to the developers' packet, there is a sale contract with the owner of the buffer zone property, contingent on city approval.
At its Dec. 3 meeting, the council will also:
- Consider funding a stormwater runoff study on Mecca Avenue, with Walter Schoel Engineering.
- Consider making Reese Street a one-way from Central Avenue to Linden Avenue.
- Vote on whether to fund an additional municipal court administrator position.
- Consider a $1.4 million loan from Bryant Bank, at 3.04 percent interest, for construction of an addition to Homewood Public Library.
A full agenda will be posted at the city website, cityofhomewood.com.
