Council begins bond process, approves slew of annexations
After rescheduling due to the Memorial Day holiday, the Vestavia Hills City Council met Wednesday to discuss more than two dozen items of business.
Notable for major future projects, the council approved a resolution to begin the process of entering into a bond issue to pay for capital improvement projects approved earlier this month.
Heyward Hosch, who represents the city in this area, discussed the resolution that was approved unanimously.
Basically, he said, it is a measure that allows the appropriate city staff and contractors to begin working on documents and terms so the city can go to the bond market in the near future.
“But that’s as far as it goes,” he said.
The resolution does not bind the council to any terms or conditions, and the rest of the process will still have to come before the council, Hosch said.
Additionally, the resolution allows Hosch to include a provision that will allow reimbursement for certain items during a certain timeline before the bond funds are acquired.
The council also approved a slew of annexation requests.
Requests for annexation, both the overnight and 90-day variety, were approved for 3332 Misty Lane, 2441 Jannebo Road and 2764 Altadena Lake Drive.
For the most part, the properties in question were surrounded by Vestavia Hills and received reports of no-issue from the police and fire departments.
The request for 3332 Misty Lane was approved under the condition that the homeowners improve the roadway in front of the property to allow for fire department and public works vehicles to easily access the property and turn around.
Two other properties, located at 2424 and 2432 Dolly Ridge Road were approved at the request of Jim Thornton Construction.
The properties, which are located approximately 200 yards from the Rocky Ridge Road commercial area, are proposed to be eventually subdivided to allow for four homes.
Representatives for the development said the prices of the homes are expected to be in the $600,000 to $800,000 range, and the target demographic would be empty-nesters.
Place 4 City Councilor George Pierce, who represents the annexation committee, said that the school board has no issue with the development.
The developers will still need to get the property rezoned in order to subdivide.
Other council business included:
- Postponing action on a request for rezoning of 3127 Blue Lake Drive and 4565 Pine Tree Circle.
- Approving a new ordinance that prohibits “rat running” or driving through private or public property to avoid a traffic control device, most often a stop light. Vestavia Hills Police Department Chief Dan Rary noted that the ordinance will be enforced if officers observe drivers violating the ordinance if the property has a sign noting the ordinance.
- Approving annual ordinances to levy Jefferson County and Shelby County ad valorem taxes, which are the city’s main income source.
- Approving an amendment to the special economic incentive agreement with the development anchored by Your Pie in Liberty Park.
- Approving a special event alcohol license for Slice LLC, which will handle beer sales at this year’s Wing Ding event. Place 2 City Councilor Kimberly Cook voted against the item after asking about one of the co-owner’s criminal record.
- Declaring property from the public works facility and an old police vehicle as surplus.
- Approving an extension and expansion of the city’s contract with Ingenuity, which provides the software for the city’s program offering vehicle tag renewal. The city will now be able to offer renewals for additional vehicles like boats.
- Reappointing Donald Harwell to the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority until 2022.