
Photo by Erin Nelson.
A vehicle passes through the 4-way stop at the intersection of Caldwell Mill Road and Acton Place in Vestavia Hills in front of a 10-acre wooded lot Aug. 27. Highpointe Properties purchased the property with a proposal to build 29 new homes. Nearby residents have expressed concern about the development.
The Vestavia Hills City Council approved the beginning of the 90-day annexation process of property at 2810 Five Oaks Lane in the Altadena neighborhood, which has been met with public concern over a proposed development.
A large number of neighborhood residents attended the meeting, either in-person or via Zoom, on Nov. 23. City Clerk Rebecca Leavings and Council member Rusty Weaver informed those attending that while the Council approved the 90-day annexation, that did not formally annex the property into the city.
Instead, it sets a hearing date 90 days in the future, which in this case is at a February 2021 Council meeting, where the Council will debate whether to approve annexation. In that time, residents can make their concerns known, the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission will hear the case and the developers will also have time to amend their plans as needed.
The development was originally set to see 29 homes built on 10 acres, but the owner, Round Tree Investments, previously said they have lowered that number to 17 homes.
The property is currently in Jefferson County, and is zoned E-2, but the owner is seeking to be annexed into the city and to be rezoned Vestavia Hills R-2, which calls for 15,000 square foot lots.
Concerns from residents include the bridge that provides primary access to the development, as it has a 3-ton limit and needs to be made more structurally sound. The bridge also provides access for trucks to deliver inventory to the Patchwork Farms shopping area, but the city has asked the county to stop deliveries through that route.
Residents have also expressed concern over drainage and environmental issues, the consistency of the surrounding neighborhood, the safety of pedestrians, traffic and the existing bridge.
In an online petition at change.org, residents have asked the Planning and Zoning Commission to consider taking five actions: ensuring 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 pedestrian by requiring sidewalk installation and to consider the immediate and ongoing stormwater management impact to Altadena Creek and downstream property.
Connor Farmer with Highpointe previously said the company has offered to construct sidewalks and a walking bridge.
Don Petry spoke representing the “Save My Altadena” neighborhood group and said in the few months since the project was proposed, he has met with the developer, Highpointe Properties, and has seen what he said are improvements in their plan and he is expecting more documents from them.
The neighborhood group sent a 12-page document outlining their concerns to the Council, which Council member Kimberly Cook said she appreciated receiving.
The final annexation will be discussed at a February Council meeting.
Two new liquor stores had their alcohol licenses approved by the Council. Liberty Spirits, located at 1101 South Liberty Road, said they expected to open by the end of the first week in December, while a forthcoming liquor store next to Publix on Montgomery Highway, Hilltop Liquor, also had their license approved.
In other business, the Council approved several final annexations, including properties at 2537 Tyler Road, 2519 Dolly Ridge Road and 3643 Altadena Drive.
On first read, the Council introduced a resolution authorizing City Manager Jeff Downes to deliver proposals for design services for improvements to the intersection of Columbiana Road and U.S. 31.