Council approves funding for Hollis Crossing project, temporary parking in Cahaba Heights
The Vestavia Hills City Council voted to approve funding measures that would “kick-start” a project to add an access road and temporary parking lot behind Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights.
The project, City Manager Jeff Downes said, is to replace the parking being lost due to the current construction of a new gym at the school. The parking would serve both the school as well as the ball fields operated by the city.
Monday’s action sets a maximum total project cost of $350,000, which is based on the cost of similar projects with a 20 percent contingency for a “worst case” scenario.
Downes said the resolution allows the Board of Education to move forward with Sain Engineering on a plan for the project, as the BOE will be the lead party in the scope, design and oversight of the construction.
“Our involvement is funding for the purpose of primarily supporting the schools and allowing access to our ball fields,” Downes said in his comments to the council.
There are currently no designs yet, but Downes and City Engineer Christopher Brady indicated that the roadway would be “of some permanence” and that the parking lot is intended to be gravel.
Council members went back and forth clarifying the reasons to fund a project without a defined scope, but Downes said the effort was to eliminate delay in the project and allow the BOE to move forward uninhibited.
Though all agreed there is a need for more parking, several residents expressed their concerns about entering into a project with few parameters.
Resident and city council candidate Robert de Buys urged the council to vote against the resolution, calling the measures a “blank check.”
At the close of the meeting, Place 3 Council member George Pierce encouraged council liaisons with the BOE to relay the residents’ concerns about the project’s scope, and to keep the total cost well below $350,000.
Other Council Business:
- Downes presented the council with his proposal for the Fiscal Year 2017 budget. A resolution approving the budget was given its first read and will be considered on Aug. 22.
- A resolution regarding a reduction of municipal limits was dropped because the necessary paperwork has not been filed.
- The council approved election officers for the Aug. 23 municipal election, as well as their pay contracts.
- The council voted to approve the final 10 percent of the 2016 budget, as per state-required formality.