Proposed 10-acre development in Altadena area draws complaints

A proposed 10-acre, 29-home development by Highpointe Properties in the Altadena community is drawing the ire of some of the area’s residents.

The property is currently in Jefferson County, though Connor Farmer with Highpointe said they are seeking annexation into the city of Vestavia Hills.

Farmer said the plan is to construct 29 homes on smaller lots, similar to the Altadena Woods subdivision. The lot sizes vary but are roughly a quarter of an acre and 10,000 square feet. The property is currently zoned R-2 in Jefferson County, which would allow for only 19 lots instead of Highpointe’s desired 29 lots, Farmer said.

Layne Savoie, a resident who lives nearby, said the proposal is “inconsistent with the neighborhood in respect to lot sizes.”

“This is an overly aggressive development strategy for an older residential area that already has high levels of traffic pattern issues and failing water shed mitigation,” Savoie said in a statement. “This proposal will only place additional watershed pressure on Altadena Creek, which has been ravaged in recent years by stormwater issues since the development of the Patchwork Farms area.”

Savoie expressed optimism in working with the developer and builder to create a plan to address residents’ concerns. But if the project remains high-density, it will only worsen stormwater conditions for those downstream from the development, he said.

In an online petition at change.org, residents have asked the Vestavia Hills Planning and Zoning Commission, which would see the case only if it is annexed into the city, to consider taking five actions: ensure the consistency of  the surrounding low-density neighborhood design, evaluate the development’s impact on current traffic patterns and infrastructure, initiate a safety plan to refurbish the low-capacity bridge on Altadena Creek, consider the immediate and ongoing safety of pedestrians by requiring sidewalk installation and consider the immediate and ongoing stormwater management impact to Altadena Creek and downstream property.

Farmer said Highpointe has offered to construct sidewalks, as well as build a walking bridge and increase connectivity to the nearby Patchwork Farms area.

Farmer also said with any development, engineering is done to ensure post-construction runoff is less than pre-construction runoff.

Another resident, Jeff Maze, said he has multiple concerns with the development due to frustrations with the Patchwork Farms development, including the “continued removal of green space, the density of the projects, water runoff, including multiple detention ponds overwhelming the community creeks feeding into the Cahaba [River] and Altadena Lake, and traffic/safety issues.” Residents are using the #SaveMyAltadena hashtag on social media to raise awareness about the project.

Neighboring developments have led to more runoff, leading to flooding problems for nearby homes, Maze said. Considering the density of this proposed project, Maze said he is concerned it would only make it worse.

“The density does not fit within the context of the neighborhood being zero lot line development,” Maze said in a statement. “This will not be a welcome change to the Park from an environmental (creek) or greenspace perspective. Assuming sidewalks and related improvements are added, the density along with detention ponds and hard sidewalk surfaces will only add to the runoff issue.”

Maze said traffic has gotten worse with the commercial development at Patchwork Farms and said the roads in the area are not designed or in a condition to accommodate the“substantial increase” in traffic.

As of press time, the issue was not set on the city Annexation Committee’s agenda.