Sydney Cromwell
Jared Lewis Development
Jared Lewis explains his plans for a mixed-use, commercial and residential development on 18th Street and 26th Avenue South on May 7, 2019.
Unanswered questions and resident opposition led the Planning Commission to carry over two controversial items from its May 7 meeting to June. Commission Vice-Chair Jeff Foster asked the developers to use that time to provide more information to neighbors and to the commission.
Most of the evening of May 7 was spent on a rezoning request for six parcels — 1728 and 1736 26th Ave. S. and 2552, 2558, 2562 and 2564 18th St. S. The owner, Jared Lewis, wants to rezone the properties from Neighborhood Shopping District to Mixed Use District to build two office and residential buildings.
The request originally included two adjacent residential parcels, but Lewis withdrew that part of the request and said he doesn’t have plans for those parcels at this time.
The commercial lots, located next to the AVX and Alabama Pool buildings that Lewis is also redeveloping, would be the site of three-story, modern-style buildings that Lewis said would be offices on the first floor and built for office or apartment use on the upper floors. He did not say the intended rent for the apartments, but he did say lawyers, doctor’s offices and similar companies would be good tenants for the commercial portion.
The buildings shown on May 7 have flat roofs with a maximum height of 42 feet, 9 inches. Under the current Neighborhood Shopping District, buildings have a maximum height of 35 feet. Lewis said due to the slope of the hill, the new buildings would be close in overall height to the Alabama Pool building.
Between the two new buildings, Lewis said they would keep an existing two-story brick building on the property, though the owner of it would consider adding a third story to his building in the future. Lots behind the buildings would be used for parking.
Lewis said his plans would be “much more attractive to look at” than the current buildings on the property and would fit with the planned redesign of 18th Street to add parking, sidewalks and landscaping.
1 of 2
Courtesy of City of Homewood.
18th Street commercial project
Jared Lewis' plans include two three-story, modern buildings facing 18th Street South, keeping an existing two-story brick building between them. The new buildings would include commercial office or retail space and apartments.
2 of 2
Courtesy of City of Homewood.
18th Street commercial project
The outlined blue area shows the borders of the project. The different colors represent different zonings, with the red being Neighborhood Shopping District.
Rosedale residents came out in force to oppose the plan, which they said didn’t fit the character of the historic residential neighborhood. The height and modern design, as well as the additional traffic it could bring, were all sources of concern for neighbors.
Several homeowners also said they felt this building would effectively “hide” Rosedale behind its height and would continue hemming in a community that has already felt pressed by commercial developments along Central Avenue and the ServisFirst Bank headquarters.
“It just seems like we’re getting gobbled up,” one 19th Street resident said.
Edgewood resident Mary Ellen Snell said this and similar developments are “sandwiching in the community” of Rosedale and a more attractive, two-story shopping development would serve as a better “gateway” to the neighborhood and city as a whole, which garnered applause from the audience.
St. Charles Street resident Melanie Geer, who has been active in historic preservation, said Rosedale should have money invested into keeping it “special” rather than in new development, or else it would be “nothing but a little dying community behind a wall.” She also received applause from the audience.
While the property is already commercial and Lewis’ plans don’t directly affect any residences, several Rosedale homeowners see it as part of ongoing development interest that could drive homeowners out of the neighborhood with no other affordable place in Homewood to live.
The same sentiment was echoed several times through the night: “Leave us alone.”
“We’re just trying to keep what we have now,” a Central Avenue resident said.
“Think about people before you think about buildings,” a woman who lives on BM Montgomery Street added.
Some neighbors also said Lewis didn’t do enough to talk to residents and find out their needs and opinions before designing the development.
After the public comment portion of the meeting closed, Lewis agreed that he could have communicated his plans better to the neighborhood, though he took issue with comments saying he doesn’t care about the neighborhood. Lewis said he’s there about 50 hours a week for his work and is considering moving his family into one of the proposed apartments in the future.
“I’m here to help the area as a whole,” he said, citing the dilapidated and overgrown conditions on the property as it currently stands. He also noted that he lets Union Baptist Church use his parking lot every Sunday.
Foster asked why the development couldn’t stay within the 35-foot height restriction of its current zoning, and Lewis said they increased the height because it will make each floor more attractive to potential tenants, both residential and commercial.
If the zoning request is denied, Lewis said he is not sure what his plans for the property will be, as he believes a mixed-use development is its best use.
At the Planning Commission’s request, Lewis asked to delay the vote until the June meeting and use that time to meet with Rosedale residents to talk about their questions and concerns more fully.
Ward 1 City Councilor Britt Thames, who is the Planning Commission liaison and also represents Rosedale, said he would help facilitate this meeting. The Homewood Star has reached out for information on a date and time for the meeting.
1 of 2
Courtesy of City of Homewood.
Raleigh Avenue Townhomes
Plans for six townhomes at 100 Raleigh Avenue.
2 of 2
Courtesy of City of Homewood.
Raleigh Avenue Townhomes
Plans for six townhomes at 100 Raleigh Avenue.
The other controversy of the May 7 meeting was a plan by Jay Moss to replace a single-family home at 100 Raleigh Ave. with six townhomes. This is an allowed use under the West Homewood District zoning, but the zoning rules require approval of a preliminary development plan, and later a final development plan.
Moss said the property was zoned multi-family before its current residence was constructed. His plans include 2-bedroom, 2.5-bath townhomes and a total of 12 parking spaces, with an 8-foot fence and plant buffer.
Eleven Homewood residents spoke during the public hearing, all but one of them against it. Their major concerns were the additional traffic congestion and that the development “in no way matches the other houses” on the street, in the words of one Oak Grove Road homeowner.
Residents were also concerned about whether the development would degrade over time, and one said she’d prefer to see a small commercial development over townhomes.
One of Moss’ Raleigh Avenue neighbors said she supported the plan, in part because Moss would be removing trees that currently drop branches on her power lines. Homewood Environmental Commission member Amy Milam pointed out that Moss will still need to comply with the tree ordinance, which may include replanting or getting council approval if he cuts more than five mature trees.
Ward 2 City Councilor Andrew Wolverton noted that in addition to traffic, the new structure could cause stormwater runoff issues due to more of the lot being covered by hard surfaces. However, Greg Cobb from the Building, Engineering and Zoning Department said the plans show site engineering that would direct all runoff to a nearby storm sewer inlet, so it would not affect neighboring properties.
Planning Commission members asked for more information about the total lot coverage by the building and parking lot, as well as a traffic study, which Moss did not have. At their request, Moss also asked to carry the issue over to June so he can bring back that information, as well as tree planting plans.
The Planning Commission also:
- Approved a resurvey of 259 and 265 Lakeshore Parkway, the former Office Max building that has been leased by BioLife Plasma Donation Center, into a single parcel to be redeveloped. The parcels are split between Homewood and Birmingham, so property tax will be split but sales tax will still go to Homewood.
- Approved a new tree ordinance.
- Approved the addition of a definition for “transient” residents, being residents less than 180 days, in the zoning book for allowed hotel uses. The city wants to reduce the number of long-term hotel tenants in the city.
These items will go to the Homewood City Council for approval.
