By Nathan Prewett
BIRMINGHAM – At their regular meeting this morning, the Birmingham City Council discussed and eventually voted to delay an ordinance to change zone district boundaries for properties in what has been termed the “Northeast Framework Plan,” as part of the Birmingham Comprehensive Plan, which has been years in the making. Later in the meeting, recent incidents of crime in the city were discussed.
The council adopted the finalized draft of the Birmingham Comprehensive Plan in 2016 in an effort to grow the city and revitalize neighborhoods. Nine framework areas were added as extensions to the plan, with Titusville, north Birmingham and the western area completed. The Northeast Framework Plan includes east Pinson Valley, Huffman, Cahaba and Roebuck/South East Lake Communities.
A primary goal of the plan is to identify key areas of mixed-use districts and mixed-use zoning, as well as to concentrate commercial development in areas of poverty in the hopes of applying form-based code standards to them that may help in creating development patterns. This may also help in creating an environment that’s friendly to pedestrians.
A public hearing was held as the council considered adopting an ordinance that would change the zone boundaries from the northeast communities. Several from the audience spoke to the council about the Cahaba community being a part of the zoning plans.
Leeds resident Bobbie Rose expressed concern that the Cahaba watershed lands, maintained by the Birmingham Water Works, may be affected by commercial development as a result of the zoning and urged the council to consider placing it in a conservation easement, which would place limitations on its uses in order to preserve it.
Peggy Gargis, the Board President of the Cahaba Riverkeeper, addressed the council, saying that the watershed lands (which provides drinking water) were ordered permanently protected by the Attorney General in 2001 but the orders were never filed. She said that Birmingham doesn’t have the right to rezone in that area until Water Works files for conservation easement. Gargis suggested that the Cahaba portion of the framework be separated until the Water Works Board complies with the order.
“I know that development pressure in these areas,” she said. “But these lands are critical to keeping clean.”
After discussion, the council voted to delay adopting the ordinance for two weeks.
Later, discussion turned to crime in Birmingham during the public comments portion of the council meeting. Stephen Foster, who is vice president of the Five Points South Neighborhood Association brought up an incident of violence at Skky Nightclub in Birmingham in which the Birmingham Police Department responded. Despite attempts to calm things down more fights had broken out, Foster said.
Councilor Shelia Tyson mentioned shootings in the city and asked why people who are convicted of crimes are still allowed to rent property in Birmingham. Overcrowding at apartments and similar structures were theorized to cause some criminal behavior. Councilor Leshunda Scales said that this and facilities that allow criminal activities to continue are part of the problem.
“I asked, as a council member, back in 2007 and I’ll ask again, [William Bell] – because I have to have your authorization to work around the law department – we need to start holding property owners, business owners to the fullest extent,” she said. “If you have done all that you can do then that’s fine. But if you’re just allowing people of your facility that only inhabit 300 people and you have 500 people, that’s going to become an automatic issue. So they’re breeding grounds for what makes and stimulate certain types of attitudes.”
The next meeting of the Birmingham City Council will take place on Sept. 12 at 9:30 a.m. on the third floor of Birmingham City Hall.