City approves additional stop signs, new Overton Park playground equipment
In keeping up with safety standards, the Mountain Brook Police Department recently reviewed city streets to look for what Police Chief Ted Cook called “uncontrolled intersections,” or those without any stop signs or stop lights. Throughout the city, the department found 16 such intersections and since has begun notifying residents of the possibility of adding corresponding signage nearby.
The first signs that will be added were discussed during council on June 26: two stop signs at the intersections of Wimbleton Drive and Dunbarton Drive; one stop sign at Shambley Drive and Warrington Road; and one stop sign on Westmoreland Drive and Ryecroft Road.
While the signage for Shambley Drive and Warrington Road was approved without comment, Wimbleton Drive resident Karen Lloyd spoke against the addition of a stop sign on her side of the U-shaped street. Currently, there are no signs instructing drivers to stop before turning on to Dunbarton Drive.
“We don’t need a stop sign, we know we have to stop,” Lloyd said. After asking about accident history at the intersection, Cook responded that there was one crash on Wimbleton in 2013 and there have been 24 accidents on the entirety of the expanse of Dunbarton since 2009, which he did not see as a big problem.
“We’re concerned with every roadway that’s not controlled, and that’s what … those two intersections are,” he said.
Ryecroft Road resident Joann Stewart also spoke against the stop sign that is to be placed at the corner of Westmoreland Drive and Ryecroft Road.
Cook said there had been no accidents since 2009 on either roads but it is still an uncontrolled intersection.
“I mean, the accident record is just not there, so why would you go ahead and put up a stop sign?” Stewart asked.
Council members passed all ordinances to install stop signs at the previously listed intersections unanimously, in addition to altering the speed limit on Montevallo Terrace.
Originally suggested at 25 miles per hour, Cook stated he and other city officials had received numerous requests from residents to lower the speed limit to 15 miles per hour, which he thought would not be feasible. To compromise, council members agreed to lower the speed limit to 20 miles per hour, which will be posted and enforced.
Council members also approved the addition of playground equipment to Overton Park to accommodate physically challenged individuals.
The equipment, which totals about $17,000 and is paid for via donations from community members, will be in memory of Mallory Carper. Carper, who used a wheelchair throughout her life, recently died at the age of 32 and frequented Overton Park when younger.
Equipment will include a spinning seat and harness, melody chimes and a sensory wave as well as a sign with the inscription, “I aspire to inspire before I expire.” Mallory Carper’s father, Charlie Carper, said it will be placed on the opposite side of the park from Cam’s Corner out of respect of Cam’s memory.
Also during council on June 26, members:
- Recognized Billy Angell for his service on the Tree Commission.
- Approved the minutes of the June 12 meeting.
- Reviewed the possibility of adding a split rail fence along Mountain Brook Parkway to divert pedestrians to the new crossing at Mountain Brook Parkway and Cahaba Road. This issue will be revisited later in the year.
- Reviewed an update regarding the pedestrian bridge in Jemison Park. As of the meeting, the total for the bridge was about $280,000 and council agreed to send the project out to bid contingent on additional information from councilman Billy Pritchard regarding his anonymous donor.
- Approved a motion authorizing the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham to draft an APPLE grant application to further study the intersections of Mountain Brook. If awarded this grant, the city would be obligated to pay no more than $12,000.
- Reviewed a proposal by Dick Shea to complete renovations on the Mountain Brook Athletics Complex fields for the city and school system. Under the proposal, Shea would perform construction on the field to create level surfaces and plant new grass, but he asked that the city consider investing more to maintain the fields themselves. The council agreed with his proposal and is working to set a meeting with the Board of Education to move the process forward.
- Approved an ordinance modifying chapter 2 of the city code to rename the Tree Commission to the Mountain Brook Board of Landscape Design and alter the structure of the commission. Under the new structure, there will be seven members plus two supernumerary members who are able to sit in on and ask questions during meetings, but will not vote unless there is not a quorum.
- Agreed to budget $5,000 in the 2017-2018 fiscal year towards the construction and purchase of a new conference room table while the additional $4,600 is fundraised within the community, per the suggestion of Sim Johnson.
- Approved a resolution declaring a police SUV surplus and authorizing its conveyance to the West Blount Fire Department.
- Approved an ordinance amending the permitted office uses within the local business district to include medical/dental clinics as conditional use after opening and closing a public hearing.
- Approved a resolution approving the medical clinic conditional use application submitted by Bayer Properties for the operation of a medical clinic in Cahaba Village, with councilman Billy Pritchard as the sole vote against the resolution.
- Approved an ordinance rezoning property at 30 Dexter Ave. from Vine Street Transitional (office use) to Vine Street Transitional (mixed use) to allow for the construction of an office space and three luxury town homes. Councilman Lloyd Shelton abstained from this vote.
- Approved a resolution recommending to the State of Alabama, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, the issuance of a 020 – Restaurant Retail Liquor license to Sharecropper, LLC (trade name Ollie Irene) located at 75 Church Street, Mountain Brook, AL 35213.
The next city council meeting will be on July 10 at 7 p.m.