SoHo owners spar with council over Valley Hotel development plan

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A vote on approving the final development plan for the Valley Hotel at the Feb. 28 Homewood City Council meeting turned into a tense, long debate between council members and SoHo owners Scott Bryant and Bubba Smith, who own the retail and condominiums on either side of City Hall.

Bryant and Smith previously filed a still-ongoing lawsuit against the city, claiming the city violated its parking arrangement with them due to the parking agreement with the hotel and its owner, Mike Mouron.

Bryant took issue with the remote lot used by the hotel, which brings the total number of parking spaces for the hotel to 211, as mandated by the city. The remote lot can be used by the businesses adjacent to the hotel: Edgar’s Bakery, Little Donkey and Rodney Scott’s BBQ, all of which are owned by Mouron. However, those businesses only have access to the spaces if they are not being used by the hotel.

“The reality is there’s 148 parking spaces dedicated to the hotel,” Bryant said.

Employees at those businesses and the hotel are told to park underneath City Hall in the public parking lot, where Bryant and Smith own about 76 parking spaces reserved for their residents. Councilor Jennifer Andress said every business in downtown Homewood is told to tell their employees to utilize that public parking lot so as to not create more parking problems downtown.

After Bryant sat down and Smith finished speaking, Bryant began yelling at the council from the back of the room, drawing the ire of Councilor Walter Jones.

“You’re not going to speak at all from the back; do you understand me?” Jones told Bryant. “The whole point of a public hearing is you have your time to speak. … We’re finished.”

Smith raised his voice at the council several times, arguing that the hotel does not have enough parking to accommodate parking for its full occupancy level, which is 1,695 people.

“Why in the world did this City Council approve a deal that, at 50% occupancy, you’re down 203 [parking spaces]?” Smith asked. “The only time it’s positive is at 26% occupancy. If it’s 25% occupied, the developer is losing money.”

Smith also raised concerns about an adjacent property owner whose property line is seven inches from the hotel rear, leaving him unable to do any work near the edge of his property due to his having to have a setback.

Smith raised his voice one last time at the council, saying he had “never had a building sign approved by this City Council before I showed you what the elevation looks like,” in response to the council approving the final development plan, which includes a new building sign.

The final development plan was unanimously approved by the council.

In another public hearing, the council voted to approve a six-unit townhome development at 3006 Cook Street by rezoning the property from neighborhood shopping district to attached dwelling unit. The property is owned by John Abernathy of Blackwater Real Estate. Neighboring business owners raised concerns about parking, as the development will have 12 parking spaces for residents. Abernathy said the townhomes will be small, around 600 square feet, so families will likely not be living there. The rezoning was unanimously approved with the exception of John Hardin, who abstained.

The council also authorized the use of the bay at the old Homewood Police Station on 29th Avenue South for public parking.

In another emotional public hearing, the council voted to condemn, with councilors Melanie Geer and Carlos Aleman voting no, the property at 1681 Ashwood Lane. Wyatt Pugh, head of inspections and permits for the city, said there were holes in the exterior wall, a deck that could collapse at any moment and possible water leaks in the home. Neighbors said the homeowner had let the home fall into disrepair over the past 20 years and until pressed to do so by the city, did no repair work. The homeowner did replace the roof around Christmas. 

The homeowner said he knew he had let it fall into disrepair, but did not have the money to fix everything right away. He said he had received a $32,000 estimate from a contractor to fix the deck and the rear of the property.

With the condemnation, the homeowner has 30 days to alleviate the problems before it must be taken down.

In other business, the council:

Rezoned 2916 Linden Avenue from office building district to central business district. The building will be leased to Pinehurst Golf Shop and used as a golf simulator, said owner Chase Stracener.

Rezoned 2821 Central Avenue from light manufacturing district to central business district, correcting a previously unintentional rezoning of the same property

Set public hearings for March 14 for a front yard fence variance, a secondary front yard variance, to adopt new building codes and to adjust building permits and fees

Set an April 4 bid date to replace the chiller at City Hall

Approved budget amendments

Carried over a vote on a traffic calming project in Forest Brook to await a presentation by City Engineer Cale Smith

Authorized Mayor Patrick McClusky to sign an easement for ingress and egress on the portion of 27th Terrace South that the city previously vacated

Approved vouchers