City Council approves Rocky Ridge entertainment district

The Vestavia Hills City Council voted unanimously to establish the Rocky Ridge entertainment district at their Monday night meeting.

Mayor Butch Zaragoza re-opened the public hearing from the Sept. 28 meeting, but the public offered no further comments. The district takes advantage of a new state law that allows the city to create entertainment districts where patrons can consume alcohol from open containers if they are outside a licensed restaurant or bar in the district. Zaragoza said he thinks the districts will be primarily used for special events such as concerts and art shows.

The council’s approval came with an amendment, proposed at the Sept. 28 meeting, to limit the hours the district is in effect to noon-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from noon-11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. However, the city manager has the right to issue a waiver if an approved event needs extra time.

After the vote, Zaragoza said he wanted to make a point that the ordinance has provisions to prevent much of the problems residents were concerned about, and that the council would be monitoring the situation.

“I think what we’re trying to do here is encourage people to continue to stay in Vestavia Hills and work with our merchants in that area,” Zaragoza said.

Other council business:

•  Monday night’s meeting was the final meeting in the 513 Montgomery Highway location. The next meeting, on Oct. 26, will take place at the new facilities near the Civic Center, behind the Montgomery Highway Red Lobster.
• The parks and recreation board will be taking a new member on Jan. 1, 2016. Applications are available online or by contacting the City Clerk’s office, and interviews will be held in November.
• The library board is also accepting applications within the same time frame, with the new member also being taken on Jan. 1, 2016.
• The council recognized the winners of the city’s photography contest. Pieces done by the winners will be used as artwork in the new municipal facilities.
• The council took a five-minute break to inspect a new fire engine that will be commissioned on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
• The council voted to approve a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute and deliver an agreement on an APPLE project study on Acton Road.
•  The council voted to approve the rezoning of 513 Montgomery Highway, the current location of the Vestavia Hills Municipal Center, in order for a Chick-fil-A to be built. The council hopes to close on the property by Nov. 30, and Chick-fil-A representatives hope to begin construction on the same date, with a projected opening of April 2016. 
• The council voted 4-1 to approve a conditional use for home occupation for 3794 Poe Drive, with Mayor Zaragoza voting against.
• The council voted to approve a conditional use for home occupation at 4191 Vestview Drive.
• The council voted to rezone 3127 Blue Lake Drive and 4565 Pine Tree Circle for mixed-use development, with an office and retail mix.
• The council voted to rezone 4209 Autumn Lane to a neighborhood business district, with uses limited to professional office use.
• The council voted to rezone 3117 and 3121 Blue Lake Drive to an office district.
• The council voted to approve a beer and wine license for UAT, Inc. for a Cahaba Heights Texaco.
• The council voted to approve a resolution to deliver an agreement to ALDOT for an ATRIP grant to re-pave Rocky Ridge Road from US 280 to Lorna Road. The multi-jurisdiction agreement will cost the city $190,000, with the funds coming from either the capital improvement fund or the gas tax.
• The council read Ordinance No. 2608, the proposal to rezone portions of Dolly Ridge Road and Oakview Lane for a four-story mixed-use building. Members of the community made comments urging council members to consider the opinions of parents and Cahaba Heights Elementary representatives at the Oct. 26 meeting.