Next steps for Beech Street storm runoff issues under discussion

Improvement for storm runoff issues around Beech Street and Beech Circle could be coming soon.

Walter Schoel of Schoel Engineering presented findings from a study of drainage in the area at the Dec. 8 City Council meeting.

Residents had previously complained that storm runoff in a creek near their homes had increased significantly since Tapestry Park apartments had been built.

Schoel’s study found that the impacts from the Tapestry development are so small that they would be difficult to measure. However, they found that a detention pond created as a part of an expansion at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church’s capacity to hold water has been obstructed by beaver dam. The dam has since been removed, and future attempts to build another one will be monitored.

Schoel estimates that the system is about 50 percent oversized. To alleviate the drainage issues, Schoel’s report said that the best remedy would be an entirely new box culvert system but that it would be beyond the scope of the study, which was commissioned to address solutions that would not disturb adjacent residential properties, and that there might not be room for it anyway.

Instead Schoel recommended making the channel cross-section more uniform where it is narrow, in need or repair or has unusual bends. Schoel explained specifically where these changes could be made using a map.

Schoel said that as a result of the improvements the area will still flood but will hopefully flood less frequently and less severely than it currently does.

The city’s Public Works department said it could make the improvements in-house.

Residents at the meeting said that their primary concern is children’s safety in the area but that they don’t have specific ideas about solutions to improve the safety. Schoel said that he believes the creek cannot be closed and that these changes will not change the safety issue. Council members said they are concerned that anything put up to keep kids from falling in could create more flooding in the area but suggested the residents look at installing a fence on their property if Schoel determines that it will not affect the water flow too severly. Schoel did say that it shouldn’t increase the speed of the water.

At the meeting, the council also:

• Heard a request from All In Mountain Brook for $10,000 in funding following a presentation about its mission by Leigh Ann Sisson. The council agreed to grant the funding as soon as a formal contract has been created for it. The community-based service is targeting parents, students and the community to enhance and protect the lives of Mountain Brook youth, focusing on factors that put students at risk, including substance abuse, high-risk behavior, violence, preventable accidents and mental health issues. The requested funding would go toward programming to be planned by appointed PTO representatives at each of the six Mountain Brook schools. Mountain Brook High School would receive $5,000, and MBJH would get $3,000 and each elementary school $500. All In is also selling memberships to increase its revenue for programming.
• Approved a variance request for Perry Given, who owns a residence at 3829 Forest Run Road, from the 2012 International Building Code. Given is undertaking renovations to the 1968 home that would require the change in variance to reuse a terrace railing.
• Heard a presentation of proposed modifications to the city’s IRC Section 115 Retiree Medical Trust documents. City Clerk/CFO will make a few amendments and bring it back before the council.
• Appointed Ken Key to serve on the Tree Commission through Dec. 12, 2017.
• Appointed Stacey Turner to serve on The MRIDD 3 10 Authority, a board that addresses people with intellectual disabilities in the Birmingham area, through Dec. 8, 2020.
• Renamed "Cahaba River Park" as "Cahaba River Walk."
• Recommended beer and wine retail licenses to the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board for CVS’s future location in the former Piggly Wiggly in Crestline at 93 Euclid Ave. 
• Approved conditional (service) use for Mountain Brook Trading to establish a drop-off pick-up and showroom at 2 Dexter Ave. under Mafiaoza’s. The council, City Planner Dana Hazen and Police Chief Ted Cook all said they thought the location was appropriate for the showroom.
• Approved a resolution de-annex a parcel of the property at 2712 Old Trace in the Abington area subject to changes that were on the record during the meeting. The Bruno family had a home on the property, and it is now owned by the Bruno Trust. A buyer has been secured for the property who would use it to create estate-style lots on it and adjacent property that is located in Vestavia Hills. Lawyers have worked with neighbors on the street to develop covenants and a buffer as part of the agreement. The city typically does not de-annex property, but the council decided that this would be a worthy exception.

The next (special) meeting of the City Council will be Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber of City Hall, 56 Church Street.