Council hears updates on Shades Creek Bridge

City council met for their first meeting of 2017 on the evening of Jan. 10 and in addition to holding a public hearing regarding building limitations in residential zoning districts, heard from a variety of community members and organizations. 

At the meeting, representatives from Schoel Engineering updated the council on the status of the pedestrian bridge that is to cross Shades Creek. The original placement of the bridge was on top of the concrete stepping stones along the creek bed, but because that is also the site of a sanitary sewer, Schoel Engineering opted to adjust the alignment of the bridge to be slightly further upstream. 

Andrew Phillips from Schoel Engineering also mentioned that the foundation needed to be altered because soil testing done by Bhate Geoscience Corporation found that the closest hard rock, which is needed to secure the bridge’s foundation, was located 10 feet below surface level. The original proposal brought to the council hoped for the rock to be closer to the surface of the soil to allow for only minor digging and dirt removal. 

Phillips, together with other representatives from Schoel Engineering, told the council there are two options for the bridge: to either dig to the level of hard rock and lay the foundation for the bridge in that manner or drill concrete shafts into the ground and embed them into the rock.

Schoel Engineering did not have an estimate to the cost of the altered foundation, but mentioned that it would be different from the originally proposed amount. Portions of the concrete stepping stones will be pulled out for the bridge as well. “The good news is that the bridge hasn’t gotten any longer or any wider, so that’s a big win,” Phillips said. 

Also during the meeting, council members:

• Approved the minutes from the city council meeting on Dec. 12. 
• Approved the resolution appointing William H. (Bill) Wyatt to the Parks and Recreation Board, to serve without compensation through Jan. 23, 2022. 
• Approved a resolution ratifying the previous administrative authorization to proceed with the installation of two additional 8-inch water main loops on Brookwood Road (residences 3553 and 3537) required for the Phase 9 sidewalk construction project at an estimated additional cost of $2,500. 
• Accepted a resolution authorizing the execution of a Pro Tanto Settlement Agreement between the city and NJK, LLC with respect to the vacation of Third Street. This amount of this settlement is expected to be $57,500, paid towards the city of Mountain Brook. 
• Accepted a resolution approving the conditional service use application submitted by Ryder Hollis for a fitness center operation at 2830 Culver Road in Mountain Brook Village, with the limitations of no group classes between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. 
• Approved the request from the Emmet O’Neal Library to combine two part-time positions into one full-time position. This position is planned to work closely with the schools of Mountain Brook. 
• Approved a contract for a part-time employee of the city. 
• Approved a resolution accepting the professional service proposal submitted by Rob Walker for the library moisture abatement, window replacement and related building repairs. Councilman Lloyd Shelton noted that any construction done should be done so as to not interfere with the library’s schedule. 
• Approved a resolution amending the city’s traffic island beautification policy. 
• Approved a resolution accepting the Finance Committee’s recommendations regarding excess pension contribution.
• Approved an ordinance to authorize merit pay increases for part-time employees. 

The next regular city council meeting will take place on Jan. 23 a 7 p.m.