Council approves rezoning for future Slice location
The Blue Lake area of Vestavia Hills, as City Manager Jeff Downes said the city generally refers to the area near Blue Lake Drive and Patchwork Farms, is a step closer to getting a new restaurant option.
The City Council voted unanimously to approve a rezoning request for 3104 Timberlake Drive, rezoning it from R-1 residential to B-1.2 mixed-use commercial.
Place 1 councilor Rusty Weaver explained that the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the rezoning of the property on the corner of Timberlake Drive and Cahaba River Road, as long as the business indicates to customers not to continue down Timberlake when exiting the property.
Downes explained that once the building is constructed, the owners will not get a certificate of occupancy until signage discouraging motorists is installed.
The property is intended to be developed into the second location of Slice Pizza and Brewhouse, which currently operates in Lakeview in downtown Birmingham.
While the new location is designed to be much larger than the original Slice, Claude Tindle of Longleaf Realty Partners explained that the design is very similar.
“What we tried to do is pick up the building in Lakeview and move it,” he said.
Tindle explained that while the area is in transition, it can be seen that the properties surrounding the location are trending commercial.
Downes echoed that statement, and said that as the area moves in a commercial direction, the city is working to ensure that everything fits and is mutually benefiting.
He explained to the council that in the coming weeks and months, the city is working on putting the finishing touches on a infrastructure plan for the Blue Lake area, and that some of the negotiations with the Slice property have taken that into account, including requesting that Slice move its sewer system anchor to a location that would benefit future developments on the street.
Additional Council Business Included:
- The council passed a resolution in support of the State of Alabama's bicentennial celebration. Downes explained that in order for the library to apply for grants for the celebration, the council had to pass a resolution in support of the state's efforts.
- Approved a resolution to authorize city officials to sign checks.
- Downes told the council he would be emailing them about a possible warning period for enforcing the city's sign ordinance, due to the large number of current temporary-sign violations that would need to be addressed.
- After the recent ice and wind storms, Downes said the city is working to add a crisis situation button to the online Action Center, to be used for non emergency but time-sensitive requests during crisis situations.