Overton Park to become city’s first AGZA Green Zone

The Mountain Brook City Council on Feb. 24 approved a memorandum of understanding with the American Green Zone Alliance that outlines the roles of both parties in making Overton Park the city’s first AGZA Green Zone. 

Mountain Brook will eliminate the use of two-stroke internal combustion lawn equipment such as blowers, weed eaters, edgers and hedge trimmers during routine maintenance. 

Instead of relying on the gas-powered tools, the city will use battery-powered equipment that produces less noise and fewer emissions. 

Mountain Brook Mayor Stewart Welch said the change will enhance the quality of life for both city employees and residents. 

“I’m most excited about the possibility of it creating a better work environment for those people that actually use that equipment,” Welch said, “so it is my hope that they will embrace it and they will find that it does the job and does it in a much more environmentally friendly environment for them as well as for our community.” 

Mountain Brook began evaluating its use of gas-powered equipment in 2019. At the request of Welch, the city commissioned the AGZA and Quiet Communities to conduct an in-depth study of how the parks and recreation and public works departments use such equipment. 

Mountain Brook was one of the first cities in the Southeast to complete an assessment. According to Welch, it will now become the first city in the state and among the first in the region to create an AGZA Green Zone.

Mountain Brook Parks and Recreation Superintendent Shanda Williams said she thinks it’s a good move. 

“I’m hoping it works out really well,” she said. 

The City Council on Feb. 24 approved the purchase of $8,689.69 in battery-powered lawn equipment from Advanced Mower in Bessemer. Williams said the city will begin to use it in Overton Park in the next few weeks. 

But even with the arrival of new equipment, the city will continue to use gas-powered lawn mowers in Overton Park. The memorandum of understanding with the AGZA also allows the city to use other gas-powered equipment in the park when necessary. 

Welch said he would like for the city to create more AGZA Green Zones in the future, including in the villages. 

“I want the villages to be peaceful and quiet, and the traditional gasoline equipment that they use is not peaceful or quiet, and it’s not very environmentally friendly, so I would love the concept of that,” Welch said.