City recognizes efforts of Cahaba Heights businesses, proclaims Arbor Week

After two days of intensive strategic planning, the Vestavia Hills City Council didn't have much to talk about at its regular meeting Monday.

In fact, there were no action items to consider other than approving the minutes from previous meetings.

However, the council did recognize the efforts of community members at the meeting after updating everyone about upcoming events.

Katherine McRee, owner of The Lili Pad and Gigi's in Cahaba Heights, was introduced by City Manager Jeff Downes to discuss the special holiday open house merchants in the neighborhood held in November.

Deck the Heights featured trolley rides around Cahaba Heights, local bands, a visit from Santa Claus and a chance for the community to get to know the local business owners in the area.

McRee reported that where the group of merchants hoped to have 100 people attend the event, the turnout was closer to 500 or 600, possibly even more.

But more than just the number of people who rode the trolley, McRee said she reached out to Downes to get a better idea of what the event did for businesses that participated.

Compared to the same period in 2016, McRee said that participating merchants saw an 8 percent increase in sales.

“Which I thought was an astounding number for it being our first year,” she said.

McRee said that the group of merchants is looking at organizing into a formal group, and is hoping to hold another event sometime this spring, as well as "sprucing up" the neighborhood with landscaping.

“We are really, really looking forward to that,” she said.

Mayor Ashley Curry and the council also recognized the efforts of Keep Vestavia Hill Beautiful and the city's efforts to become a Tree City USA member by proclaiming Feb. 18-24 as Arbor Week.

Curry explained that the city and Keep Vestavia Hills Beautiful, which is a local chapter of Keep America Beautiful and works to clean up communities and keep them in tip top shape, are working through the application process for Vestavia to join Birmingham and Mountain Brook as a Tree City.

Curry also invited his fellow council members and the community at large to a community awareness breakfast on March 13 about the opioid crisis. The breakfast will take place at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church at 8 a.m.