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Overton condos decision carried to future meeting

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Photos by Lexi Coon.

Photos by Lexi Coon.

Photos by Lexi Coon.

Photos by Lexi Coon.

Photos by Lexi Coon.

Photos by Lexi Coon.

Photos by Lexi Coon.

After attending many meetings in both Vestavia and Mountain Brook, residents will have to wait just a few more weeks to learn of Mountain Brook’s decision regarding the zoning for condos along Overton Road as the City Council voted to extend the public hearing that was discussed during the meeting on Nov. 13. 

Developer Ron Durham with Overton Condos, LLC took the opportunity to review the main talking points of the proposed development. If rezoned to allow residential housing, there would be 41 units built along Overton Road behind what is referred to as the “Magic Muffin shopping center.” Of those units, 31 would sit in Mountain Brook with the remaining 10 in Vestavia. Durham looked at four concerns specifically that were previously raised by the community, beginning with traffic and safety. 

“We will certainly acknowledge traffic on Overton Road has worsened over the past decade,” he said. 

Aubrey Long with Skipper Consulting stated that with a traffic study, they have found that through traffic has nearly doubled from their previous count which was completed in the late-2000s. Long attributed this to U.S. 280 and Interstate 459 connecting to surrounding areas. 

“As conditions have worsened on [U.S.] 280, people have looked at alternative routes,” he said, adding that traffic levels have plateaued in the past three years. 

Long estimated the development would add approximately 20 to 25 extra trips on Overton Road, however he said they would be divided by exiting from either Poe Drive or Fairhaven Drive and distributed within peak hours, not all at one time.

Long also said that Overton Road is nearing it’s capacity for traffic. He stated the capacity for a two-lane road is about 15,000 total cars per day traveling in both directions and currently Overton Road is at about 12,000-13,000. 

Becky White with Sain Associates, who the city of Mountain Brook requested review the area as well, came to the same conclusions. 

Durham also addressed concerns regarding nearby property values. He estimated the condos will sell for around $300 per square foot, with town homes costing slightly more. Some residents noted the value of their homes and surrounding properties may decrease due to the proximity of the development and increased traffic.

He continued discussing the height of the development, which sits at 46 feet above the grade. This height variance was approved at a previous Mountain Brook Board of Zoning Adjustments meeting and Durham does not believe the development will be “towering over” nearby homes.

Despite Durham stating the development will not have a great height difference compared to surrounding homes, residents did state the location and height of the condos will allow the people who live there to see inside their homes and backyards.

Finally, Durham addressed the concerns with the Mountain Brook school system. Councilman Billy Pritchard said currently Brookwood Forest Elementary school, which many nearby students attend, is at capacity. Residents are concerned that if additional housing is added to the area, the school will not be able to handle an influx of students. Pritchard said the council has reviewed the project with the school board as well.

Durham stated that the development was designed with the idea that potential buyers will likely be one- to two-person households or “empty nesters” with no “family-type” amenities such as a pool or playground. However, councilman Lloyd Shelton pointed out that access to the city’s school system could be considered an amenity for families.

Durham estimated that the impact of the development would be less than three children based on the fact that, “the impact of multi-family units across the city is 0.09 children, and for single family the impact is 2.2 children per unit.” If zoned for Residence C, which would permit six single-family homes to be built at the same location, he predicted the homes would have an impact of 13.2 children, however.

In response to the proposed project, nearby residents created a presentation that was given by Griffin Edwards, an economics professor who lives on Poe Drive.

Edwards began by stating the neighbors are not antidevelopment or antigrowth, but believe there will be many problems if the project moves forward. Specifically, with traffic. 

“2007 Poe [Drive] and Fairhaven [Drive] look nothing like 2017 Poe [Drive] and Fairhaven [Drive],” he said. He and other neighbors are concerned the effects development may have on surrounding streets, not just on Overton Road, and said engineers with the city of Vestavia Hills thought a more thorough study was in order to review the nearby streets and intersections. 

Edwards stated that because there will be more traffic in the area, there is a possibility that it will create “economic displacement” as well. He explained this means if the area is too difficult to get to, people simply won’t go there, which will affect surrounding businesses. He stated too that the price point Durham is hoping to sell his units “has never happened in this neighborhood.”

Nearby homeowner Christopher Brown stated too that the Cahaba Heights area is “an active area,” with many residents running or walking at different hours. He believes the development would have a public safety impact on the streets surrounding Overton Road, and many residents thought the traffic study should incorporate additional roads and intersections. 

“I don’t see how adding to that [the traffic] will be a non-factor,” Brown said. Jeff Parmer, representing St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, agreed and stated he would like to see how the development may impact surrounding roads and how traffic may be diverted to neighboring streets.

Neighborhood representatives, including Edwards, met with Durham last Friday to discuss the development but did not reach a compromise.

During a Planning Commission meeting on Oct. 2, the commission approved a recommendation to the council to rezone the parcel of land from mixed-use to residential. Decision on the project was postponed for Vestavia at their Planning and Zoning Commission meeting on Oct. 12 and residents protested the condos in Cahaba Heights on Nov. 10.

Durham stated that even if the Vestavia portion is not approved, the project does have the ability to proceed if approved in Mountain Brook, and alterations can be made to fit Vestavia’s current restrictions and zoning.

Because the council received new information shortly before the start of the meeting, members voted to carry the public hearing over to the council meeting that is scheduled for Dec. 11.

Also at the council meeting, members:

The next city council meeting will be on nov. 27 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.

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