Photo courtesy of city of Homewood
The city of Homewood plans to build about 60 paved parking spaces at this former site of a Waffle House at 185 Oxmoor Road in Homewood, Alabama.
The Homewood City Council on Monday approved a $580,000 contract to build a new city parking lot at 185 Oxmoor Road at the former site of a Waffle House restaurant.
The city plans to put 60 asphalt-paved parking spaces there, along with landscaping, underground stormwater detention and a new sidewalk along Oxmoor, records show.
Initially, A.C. Jackson Construction appeared to be the low bidder for the job, but subsequent evaluation determined that A.C. Jackson failed to meet the bid specifications and therefore was not a qualified bidder, records show. The lowest responsible bidder was determined to be Southeastern Sealcoating.
City Manager Cale Smith said the project will begin before the end of this month and hopefully will be done within 90 days but could take four to six months.
The City Council also on Monday continued to clear away legislation that tied the city to its former mayor-council form of government.
The council repealed an ordinance that required financial or money matters to come out of a committee that was a portion of the council. Because the council now functions as a committee of the whole, the ordinance has no purpose under the current form of government, City Attorney Keith Jackson said.
The council also passed an ordinance requiring that changes to the city budget be approved by adopting ordinances instead of resolutions. Such a process provides more accountability and transparency, Jackson said.
In other action, the council:
- Granted permission for the Homewood Forest Preserve to work in the city right of way in connection with a plan to build recreational vernal pools to provide salamanders an alternative to crossing Lakeshore Drive
- Authorized the city manager to sign a “good neighbor pledge” concerning Daxko, a company that had long operated in Homewood and is now seeking to move to Birmingham. The letter acknowledges that the company made a good-faith effort to find a new location in Homewood.
- Authorized the mayor to execute a resolution in support of the Friends of Shade Creek’s grant application for a section of the creek from U.S. 280 to U.S. 31, about 4,000 linear feet
- Authorized the city manager to execute a $5,000 grant award for the Homewood Fire Department from Jefferson County Commissioner Mike Bolin for firefighter equipment.
- Vacated a portion of the unnamed alley adjacent to 200 Virginia Drive
- Vacated a portion of right of way consisting of a 20-foot alley between 115 and 117 Morris Blvd.
- Made revisions to the Historic Preservation Commission Ordinance, taking into account that the city now has four wards instead of five
- Declared miscellaneous vehicles and furniture as surplus
