Council approves rezoning for Chick-fil-A development in Cahaba Heights
Three properties on Crosshaven Drive and Wall Street in Cahaba Heights were rezoned at the Feb. 25 Vestavia Hills City Council meeting, allowing Chick-fil-A to move forward with their plans to build a restaurant on the property.
The rezoning drew plenty of resident comments, both at a Jan. 10 planning and zoning commission meeting and at the council meeting.
Steve Manley, landscape architect for Chick-fil-A, said the restaurant has added to their plans a type B buffer Wall Street, including trees and shrubbery, and a six-foot privacy fence. The restaurant is also recommending a left-turn lane be added on Crosshaven Drive, but did not recommend a right-turn lane be built at this time. The restaurant will also work with the city to make sure their construction lines up with the city’s ongoing work to repave and improve Crosshaven, and Chick-fil-A will not open until after improvements to Crosshaven are made. There will be no access to the restaurant from Wall Street, a restaurant representative said.
Residents from the area, concerned about the traffic impact, spoke at the meeting and requested the council not rezone part of the land, making the restaurant’s property smaller, or to delay making a decision, but the council decided to pass the ordinance.
Mayor Ashley Curry addressed issues presented by citizens via email in the weeks leading up to the meeting. On the potential of widening Wall Street, which will likely see increased traffic with the development, Curry, along with City Engineer Christopher Brady, said the city would have to obtain rights-of-way and widening may increase traffic as well.
Morris Newman, who lives in the area, said residential development wouldn’t bring as much traffic to the area, and also argued the city hasn’t listened to residents.
“We have heard [the city] has been working with Chick-fil-A for years,” Newman said. “How long have they been working with us?”
Newman asked the council to give residents a chance to work with Chick-fil-A to resolve their concerns.
Jack Kubiszyn, an attorney representing the Westminster Homeowners Association, recommended a small sliver of one parcel be rezoned, with the rest left residential, arguing Chick-fil-A didn’t need the extra space.
After the meeting, Kubiszyn said residents were disappointed by the council’s decision, and said they would try to find time to meet and regroup.
In other business, the council:
- Approved a conditional use permit for a home business for Teresa Yates in the 700 block of Hampden Place Circle.
- Approved an ordinance authorizing the city to enter into a memorandum of understanding with Vestavia Hills City Schools, which states the city will pay VHCS about $280,000 per year to help with construction costs, along with outlining future land swap agreements, pedestrian and walkway usage and shared-use agreements for fields to be built at the old Berry High School campus. The BOE is responsible for building the fields.
- Approved an ordinance authorizing the city to execute and deliver an access and parking agreement with HCI Vestavia, LLC, which is developing the Baumhower’s property. The agreement allows Baumhower’s to more easily move forward with construction.
- Moved the second May council meeting from May 27 to May 20.
- Approved a bid with Vestavia Hills Tire Express to serve as the city’s wrecker service.
- Approved spending no more than $60,000 to purchase and equip two vehicles for the city’s police department, with money coming from the confiscations fund.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect that the board of education, not the city, is responsible for building the ball fields at the old Berry High School.