Council amends ordinance in hopes of strengthening stormwater management

In an effort to better manage stormwater throughout the city at construction sites and bring about more compliance from contractors, the Vestavia Hills City Council passed an amended erosion and sediment control ordinance at the Dec. 28 meeting.

After rescinding the original ordinance, the Council passed an amended version, which creates escalating penalties for noncompliance and doubles the fee for working without a permit, said City Manager Jeff Downes.

Appeal processes are also given for contractors to use should they disagree with the decision, Downes said.

Last year, the city resolved technological issues that led to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management finding the city deficient in enforcement. The city is required to check all ADEM-permitted sites (those larger than 1 acre) once a month.

The penalty for violation of a compliance order or for repeated unresolved notices of violations will be a $200 fine for single-family residential sites and $400 for all other sites, according to the ordinance.

Council member Kimberly Cook commended the city for addressing the problem.

“I think this is a really positive step,” Cook said.

The Council also approved an additional $26,570 to purchase a new transport unit at the fire station in Liberty Park. The amount of the unit increased since the city budgeted for the vehicle, Downes said. The item was not put out for bid, as it was a budgetary item purchased through a cooperative, as allowed by state law. The new cost of the unit is about $232,000, said Fire Chief Marvin Green.

The Council also approved an alcohol license for The Backyard Market, opening in the former Joel’s location on U.S. 31 near the City Center. Owner Jeff Gentry said they will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner in the store, with take-home meals and grocery items, as well as beer and wine. The store will serve as a “smaller option” for groceries than nearby Publix, he said. One of the founders of Big Bad Breakfast in Homewood is helping craft breakfast items, Gentry said, and the business is expected to open sometime in January.

In his report to the Council, Downes said residents looking to dispose of their Christmas trees can leave them out with their trash for Amwaste to pick up, or they can use dumpsters located near the softball field at Liberty Park, Scout Square and the New Merkel House to dispose of them.