Council discusses property standards code, approves stop signs at July 23 meeting

While property owners maintain control over their yards and facades, there comes a point in time when a city may need to step in to make sure properties are being well cared for. In Mountain Brook, the city is working on updating a property standards code, which would address what attorney Steve Stine of Bishop Colvin called “nuisance conditions” or “failure to maintain private property.”

Nothing was adopted when this was discussed during the July 23 meeting, but a plan was introduced. Stine proposed putting together a committee including himself, Building Official Glen Merchant, City Manager Sam Gaston, council member Phil Black and an officer from the police department. By doing so, he hopes to be prepared.

“We’re going to have some questions along the way about what we want to do in Mountain Brook to handle different situations,” Stine said. 

The code would not pertain to specifics in property maintenance or building codes. Instead, it would look at nuisances on private property, such as a fully overgrown yard.

Council President Virginia Smith said the city is fortunate to have people that “are generally receptive to just a nudge,” but Stine mentioned they have had trouble getting in touch with property owners in the past. The code would put something in place in case there is a “troublesome area.”

Council members also approved the placement of two stop signs on Brookwood Road at and in the vicinity of Crosshill Road. Three residents spoke to this — one questioning why there was a need for two stop signs when six were already in the area, and a couple requesting the northernmost sign be put closer to the intersection so drivers are able to see the other parts of the intersection without getting hit.

Richard Caudle, with Sain Associates, said the stop signs have two main goals: to give cars on either side of Crosshill Road a gap to enter the roadway along Brookwood Road, and to make each part of the intersection more standard.

“There’s not a member up here who wants to put the stop signs up, but we have decided it is in the interest of safety to do so,” Smith said. Public Works Director Ronnie Vaughn said the plan is to have the stop signs in and the white stop bar painted before the start of school.

Also during the meeting on July 23, council members:

• Approved the minutes of the July 9, 2018, joint meeting of the Mountain Brook City Council and Mountain Brook Emergency Communications District.
• Appointed Chris Mitchell as a full member to the Board of Zoning Adjustment, to serve without compensation through Sept. 25, 2018 (filling the unexpired term of Henry Lapidus).
• Presented a certificate of election (without opposition) deeming Alice Womack a city council member of Place 1; Billy Pritchard a city council member of Place 3; and Phil Black a city council member of Place 5.
• Appointed Stutts Everette to the Village Design Review Committee to serve without compensation through Feb. 1, 2020, to fill the seat vacated by W. F. Tynes Quarles.
• Approved an on-call consulting engineering contract with Sain Associates.
• Discussed an update regarding forming a cooperative with the cities of Homewood and Birmingham for the Hollywood Boulevard pedestrian bridge over U.S. 280. Smith said city attorney Whit Colvin is set to talk with Homewood’s attorney to further the project.
• Heard from Phillip Blankenship, a resident of Lane Parke Apartments, regarding concerns with pedestrian access surrounding Lane Parke. Because the area is under construction, construction fences have limited sidewalk access along Montevallo Road and Cahaba Road, as well as pedestrian access crossing Montevallo Road. The council and Blankenship discussed placing a temporary crosswalk just east of Montevallo Drive and the council requested Richard Caudle of Sain Associates to study the area to see if a crosswalk would be warranted and feasible.
• Heard an update from Building Official Glen Merchant regarding amendments of the energy code, erosion and sediment control and illicit storm water discharge. For the energy code, Merchant said the city previously used an international code, but these updates would follow the Alabama state guidelines that better match the climate and temperatures of the South. It would also update older language that is currently used, which is the same for the amendments being made in the erosion and sediment control. Amendments to the illicit storm water discharge ordinance updates the ordinance from one sentence to define what is illicit discharge and how the city would deal with possible offenses, while cleaning up language. 
• Approved a request from Vestavia Hills to pay for one-half of the cost of repaving Oakdale Drive south of the high school to Overton Road for a total of $44,000.
• Held a public hearing and approved an ordinance to amend Section 129-192 of the city code with respect to local businesses to include catering. 
• Approved an ordinance amending the Lane Parke PUD master development plan with respect to sidewalk materials, design and sidewalk lighting around the perimeter of the Grand Bohemian Hotel. Because the hotel and the first phase of Lane Parke used two different architects and plans, there are inconsistencies, and this amendment will address those while including lower mushroom lighting.

The next council meeting will be on Aug. 13.