Historical displays could come to City Hall, Overhill and South Brookwood Road improvements move forward

Pieces of Irondale Furnace history could soon be on display at City Hall.

At its Feb. 9 meeting, the city council discussed Birmingham History Center’s proposed display of artifacts from the Irondale Furnace. The collection would rotate every four months for a year. The city is considering purchasing display cases that cost about $1,200 each.

“It’s a suggestion of how to get some of our history back on display for the public,” said Alice Williams, president of the Jefferson County Historical Association.

Also at the meeting, residents gave feedback on proposed Brookwood Forest carpool traffic and Overhill Road intersection improvements. Results of traffic studies and suggested improvements were presented at the Jan. 26 council meeting.

On South Brookwood Road, parents are concerned about the stopped queue created by afternoon carpool traffic and that cars are going around the traffic and creating potential harm to students who walk home from school.

Per Skipper Consulting’s recommendations, the city proposed an ordinance would prohibit turns at the upper access to the school from 2:45-3:15 p.m.: both turning right on South Brookwood Road northbound and turning left turn on South Brookwood Road southbound.

Skipper had also recommended Mountain Brook Police increase enforcement of the speed limit on the road, especially around the start and end of the school day; install four “do not pass” signs on South Brookwood in advance of the area where the queue forms; and replace the flashing warning signs in the school zone.

Brookwood Forest’s principal and vice principal have both expressed approved of the proposed plan in meetings with Skipper.

During the public hearing, resident Kimberly Fasking said she is concerned that people won’t pay attention to new signs and that she is concerned for the safety of her kids when people continue to violate the double yellow line. She asked that the council look more at a permanent fix for the situation.

“I think it’s a reasonable first approach to resolve the situation there,” Council President Virginia Smith said in response.

In response to comments, Smith asked Skipper Consulting and Mountain Brook Police look into the feasibility of adding a guard rail on South Brookwood.

Regarding Hastings Road and Laurel Lane, the city proposed an ordinance to install new stop signs, also per Skipper’s recommendations. Signs will be placed where the intersections’ two yield signs stood and in addition to two other new ones. These will help alleviate residents’ concerns about the lack of sight distance to exit Laurel Lane onto Overhill Road.

Skipper also recommended removing vegetation in the right of way and possibly also private property to clear the sight lines where vehicles make a right turn from Hastings Road onto Overhill Road or a right turn from Overhill Drive onto Balmoral Road.

Also at the meeting, the council:

• Discussed purchasing of a portion of Rami Achdut’s property to be added to Cahaba River Walk. Achdut’s residence is located on Overton Road along the park’s southern boundary. The city would pay $15,000 for two parcels that total .17 acres. Achdut requested that magnolias, American hollies and wax myrtles be planted on the property as a part of the agreement, which the council approved.
• Approved the city’s lease of athletic fields to the Board of Education. These properties include the junior high football field and the high school’s Field No. 1, Softball Field House, Field No. 1, Upper Soccer Field, Tennis Courts and Lower Soccer Fields, as well as each elementary school’s fields.
• Discussed additional work for the Cahaba River Walk project. Nimrod Long discussed sidewalk and drainage improvements on Oakdale Road that would be subcontracted by Dunn.
• Adopted a new plan for the city's medical insurance plan regarding Section 115.
• Approved a franchise agreement for SouthernLight, LLC to use city right-of-way to provide local exchange telecommunications services.
• Approved a MWCF Preferred Pay Plan Agreement Addendum for the workers' compensation plan.
• Adopted a new set of codes and repealed sections of the city code. The 2015 International Building Code, 2015 International Residential Code, 2015 International Fuel Gas Code, 2015 International Mechanical Code, 2015 International Plumbing Code and 2015 International Fire Code will become effective on April 1. Sections of the city code repealed were 109-31, 109-32, 109-195, 109-227 and 18-20.