Cahaba Heights Community Foundation holds fundraising lemonade stand

In advance of Monday's city council vote on a proposed development near Cahaba Heights Elementary, members of the newly-created Cahaba Heights Community Foundation hosted a lemonade stand to gather donations and petition signatures on Saturday.

The development, proposed by Steven Hydinger of BREC Development, includes an 81-unit luxury apartment complex with retail and restaurant space on the first floor. Since the initial proposal over the summer, residents have objected to the development due to its four-story height, proximity to the school and safety concerns for children. Many are also concerned that the proposal does not align with the goals of the community's master plan.

Saturday's lemonade stand was an effort to get more names on a petition opposing the development, which has been recommended by the planning commission. Organizer Abby Brady said donations at the lemonade stand would be used to pay for the attorney the Community Foundation has on retainer to provide legal advice.

Brady said parents had donated 24 gallons of lemonade as well as brownies to their stand, which was located at the corner of Dolly Ridge Road and Cahaba Heights Road. They also had signs with the phrase "Not in Our Schoolyard" available for sale. One of the first donations of the morning was $100 from a Cahaba Heights resident, and some of the visitors included neighbors and teachers at the elementary school.

The city council will hold a public hearing and decide on the development on Oct. 26. The meeting begins at 5 p.m. and the agenda can be viewed on the city website.