Tommi O. Peters
For The Tribune
SPRINGVILLE – Improved aesthetics and public safety were the primary themes for the Oct. 1 City Council Meeting Agenda. Resolutions were passed requiring weed abatement at 285 McGinnis Street, 309 McGinnis Sttreet, and 1095 Camp Road.
City involvement in weed abatement begins when a complaint is made about a specific property. The city’s Zoning Administrator then goes to the property in question to verify the validity of the complaint and provide the property owner with 14 days’ notice to remedy the situation. If no significant effort is made within the two weeks, a resolution is presented to the city council to declare the property a public nuisance.
If that resolution passes, the Zoning Administrator returns to the property owner to provide them with an additional 30 days’ notice to address the issue. If after that month there is still no evidence of effort, a second appearance before the city council is made by the Zoning Administrator to request that the city abate the nuisance. If passed, the city will select the lowest of bids provided from landscapers, ultimately passing the costs incurred along to the homeowner via a property lien.
Similarly, the council passed Ordinance 2018-15 Demolition/Repair of Unsafe Structures, which will also provide property owners with multiple notices throughout the process. As with the management of weed overgrowth, the ordinance aims to motivate property owners to increase the level of attention to buildings and structures that could become a danger or hazard to others.
The City of Springville is part of the Alabama League of Municipalities that consistently come together to share best practices and collaborate on municipal processes. Mayor William Isley, Jr. explained that passing Ordinance 2018-15 allows Springville to follow suit of several other cities that have similar ordinances.
“Buildings that are abandoned, unused or generally not maintained properly can become a public concern. A wall could collapse, a roof could cave in, the building could become infested with pests, any number of problems could be within these different buildings,” said Mayor Isley.
“The other factor is that downtown Springville looks better right now than it has in a long time. Several business owners have made huge efforts to improve the overall look of our historic area. It’s not really fair to these intentional business owners that are near dilapidated-looking buildings. It impacts the overall appearance of the area.”
Additional items approved:
Minutes of Sept. 17 work session and regular meeting.
Expenditure approvals for Parks & Rec office furniture/supplies in the amount of $616. 66. Funding for installation of permanent pickleball courts in the amount of $6K.
The motion presented by Councilor Vinson of District 2 who explained, “This is a sport that has grown a lot in popularity over recent years, especially with citizens that may not be as agile as they once were.”
Mayor Isley noted, “We’ve made improvements to the sports complex and other things geared toward our kids, which is great. But it’s nice to see something being added that will interest citizens of all ages.”
The next Springville City Council meeting is scheduled for October 15th at 6:00 p.m., preceded by a 30-minute work session.