By Erica Thomas, managing editor
LEEDS — The Leeds City Council held its first public meeting inside the new municipal building at 1412 9th St., on Monday, May 18, 2020.
The newly renovated building is the former Alabama Power building in the downtown area. The council has held online meetings from the new Municipal Annex, but Monday was the first time the public was allowed inside. Because of COVID-19, temperature checks were done on each person that entered the building. Chairs were placed 6 feet apart and council members distance themselves on the bench.
NUISANCE PROPERTIES
Ahead of the regular meeting, a public hearing was held on 30 properties on a list to be declared an annoyance and public nuisance in violation of Chapter 32 of the Code of Ordinances. Property owners were given notices of the public hearing and were given 10 days to abate the nuisances on their properties.
No one was in attendance for the public hearing. Those who have not responded to the city’s order will have their property abated by the city. The cost of the abatement can then be levied against the property.
Prior to the public hearing, extensions were given to three of the property owners. No others showed up for the public hearing.
Zoning Administrator Brad Watson said the abatement process will begin after the Memorial Day holiday. Property owners still have the opportunity to clean up their land before crews begin. Watson said there are no homes on the properties included on the list.
During the regular city council meeting, the council approved the resolution to declare the properties a nuisance.
The council unanimously approved a resolution determining Half Shell Leeds, LLC, which owns Wintzell’s Oyster House, is in breach of a development agreement with the city. According to city documents, Half Shell did not remit sales tax collections to the city, did not pay for its 2020 business license prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and failed to operate after a May 8 statewide order allowed restaurants to offer full service of customers.
However, Donald Jones, who operated the business, said a change in management was the reason for the business license issue. Furthermore, he said the restaurant was forced to close because of the impact of COVID-19.
“The virus situation made and has continued to make operations unsustainable for the foreseeable future,” said Jones. “Our investors were unwilling to fund continued operations with it being unsustainable.”
Half Shell Leeds, LLC has until June 30 to bring these matters to full compliance. Half Shell Leeds, LLC is not related to the Half Shell Oyster House opening soon in the city of Trussville.
OTHER BUSINESS
The council passed an ordinance changing the municipal election location from the location in the Leeds Civic Center, on Park Drive, to the new Municipal Annex at 1412 9th St.
The council also approved an ordinance updating the city’s fee schedules. Fees including business licenses and building permits were updated. Mayor David Miller said some of the fees haven’t been updated in decades. The new fees can be viewed in the council packet below.
AgendaPacket-Regular Council Meeting-May 18, 2020 6.00 PM