Photo by Lexi Coon.
Spring Street residents David Allen and WIlson Holifield speak to the council on Nov. 26 about the proposed right-of-way encroachment for a driveway for a home being developed on Spring Street.
Members of the Mountain Brook City Council met on Nov. 26 with only one item up for discussion during the premeeting: a bus stop shelter at Cahaba Village.
The proposed shelter was brought before the council by resident David Silverstein. As he was driving along U.S. 280 on a day with particularly bad weather, he noticed a woman standing in the rain, waiting for the bus at the stop near Whole Foods.
To keep others who use public transit from standing out in the rain or heat, he wanted to look at adding a shelter at that stop. This is something the city has previously studied, but City Manager Sam Gaston said at that time, “the leadership of ALDOT was not in favor of it.”
The council agreed it was not unreasonable to ask again, and Gaston and Silverstein agreed to reach out to BJCTA/MAX and ALDOT to discuss adding a shelter again.
Silverstein also asked the city about the yield sign on Pumphouse Road traveling from Cahaba Heights and turning right onto U.S. 280. He said there is a similar sign along Hollywood Boulevard, but it is placed in a better position that allows drivers who are turning onto the highway to react more quickly to the sign.
“What we find on the Pumphouse Road sign is, by the time people see the Pumphouse Road sign, they’re already committed [to turning on to U.S. 280],” Silverstein said. Public Works Director Ronnie Vaughn said he believes that sign is also under ALDOT’s jurisdiction, and Silverstein said he would ask them about moving the sign, too.
During the regular meeting, the council heard from Casey Wheeler of TJB LLC, which is currently working on building two homes along Spring Street. Wheeler was before the council to request the execution of a right-of-way encroachment for a driveway, which is currently part of unimproved right-of-way.
The driveway would provide additional parking alongside the home being constructed at 142 Spring Street, which, residents said, is already narrow and can present parking and traffic problems. The driveway would sit on land that is technically owned by the city.
“We just think, the number of cars you can get off the street up there, if these people had a gathering, [the more beneficial it is],” Wheeler said.
Neighbors David Allen and Wilson Holifield spoke against the right-of-way encroachment, but added they are in favor of the project overall. Allen said he thinks “there just needs to be a lot of options explored” as alternatives to provide more parking, such as widening the right-of-way or extending Mountain Avenue.
Building Official Glen Merchant said a home just a few doors down on Spring Street has a similar situation, with the driveway set off on right-of-way encroachment, and noted the two lots under development are conforming with current zoning requirements.
“I think we’ve gotten four of these over the last few years,” he said, regarding right-of-way encroachment. Merchant said too that if the encroachment is approved, any repairs or improvements done to the driveway will have to be done by the owner, not by the city, and that right-of-way encroachment allows homeowners to utilize “old unimproved alleys” in the city.
Holifield also questioned the surface of the driveway, which is listed as gravel, and the council said due to restrictions on the amount of impervious surfaces permitted on lots, gravel may be the preferred material for the driveway. Both Allen and Holifield called for better communication between the developer and neighbors in the area who might be affected by construction and different crews, too.
Spring Street resident John Barnhart said he doesn’t disagree with previous points, “but … if any of you are familiar with that area up there, it’s not a street – it’s an alley … I think what Mr. Wheeler’s asking is feasible.”
He said the additional driveway, which would help take cars and additional traffic off the street, could help with current and future congestion. “If we can somehow work with Mr. Wheeler to make this aesthetically pleasing, I think the entire neighborhood can benefit from this,” he said.
Because council members had not yet seen the property in question in person, council member Billy Pritchard proposed they take no action on the request to allow them to visit the property and make a more informed decision. The rest of the council agreed and the request will come before the city again at a later date.
Also during the meeting, council members:
- Approved the minutes of the Nov. 13 regular meeting.
- Read a resolution reaffirming the city’s commitment to promote safe workplace guidelines with respect to the city’s workers’ compensation program.
- Approved a resolution authorizing the installation of and ongoing operation of a street light in the vicinity of 3869 Glencoe Drive.
- Approved a resolution declaring certain library equipment surplus and authorizing its sale at public Internet auction.
- Passed an ordinance annexing an undeveloped, 18-acre parcel in the Cherokee Bend South area. Pritchard said the Board of Education has no objection to the annexation based on the requirements set forth, which would limit development on the parcel to three estate lots.
The next regular meeting of the Mountain Brook City Council will take place on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m., with the premeeting to occur beforehand.
