Photo by Loyd McIntosh
The Vestavia Hills City Council on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, rezoned this property at 4244 White Oak Drive from an agricultural district to an R-9 planned residential district for the construction of three houses.
The Vestavia Hills City Council on Monday night approved a rezoning request for a parcel of property in Cahaba Heights despite opposition from one resident with concerns about the plan.
The property, located at 4244 White Oak Drive, was unanimously rezoned from an agricultural district to an R-9 planned residential district.
The property is owned by Jon Hinds and the Sweet Home Group, but the plan is for Griffin Walker of Walker Building Co. to build three single-family detached homes on the .81-acre property, which is now vacant following the demolition of an older home.
Shareen Zaiden, a resident of the neighborhood, raised concerns about the project during Monday’s council meeting, saying she believes the property is too small for three houses and worries that the plan will increase traffic in the community with narrow streets and young children who regularly ride bicycles and tricycles in the area.
She also told the council she has received feedback from other neighbors who are opposed to the plan. “We’re OK with one house, but it would just bring a lot more traffic.”
Walker and Nathan Spence of the Foresite Group, an engineering, architecture and landscape company based in Birmingham working with Walker on the project, said the project would not increase traffic to a considerable degree.
Map courtesy of city of Vestavia Hills
This .81-acre piece of property at 4244 White Oak Drive is proposed to be rezoned from an agricultural district to an R-9 planned residential district for three homes.
Additionally, Walker and Spence told the council they have received positive feedback from residents of the community who expressed their support for the demolition of the existing house, the rezoning of the property to residential instead of commercial, and their plans to improve stormwater drainage, an issue Councilman and Planning and Zoning Commission member Rusty Weaver said was a major concern for residents.
“I would say that stormwater was far more a topic of discussion in planning and zoning,” Weaver said.
Walker said the neighbor across the street, the neighbor behind the property and the neighbor to the left of the property have all been for the proposed changes. “I feel confident that we’ll actually be improving the water situation in that area,” Walker said. “People that stop by have been very, very happy that we actually tore the house down that was there, and they’re excited about what we’re doing. Many of them thought it was a commercial property we were wanting to propose, but when they realized we’re doing residential, they were all for it.”
In other business Monday, the City Council approved a resolution accepting excess right of way from Jefferson County at the intersection of Dolly Ridge Road and Cahaba Heights Road. The right of way donation will allow Vestavia Hills to make improvements to the intersection as part of its Cahaba Heights gateway project.
“We’ve begun this project with some enhanced crosswalks and pedestrian safety, and landscaping is coming forth,” City Manager Jeff Downes said.
The project is aimed at improving the entrance into Cahaba Heights from U.S. 280 in which several key businesses, such as Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint and the shops of The Heights Village are located, Downes said.
Much of the funding for the project is from the Cahaba Heights Merchants Association.
“Their money is allowing for there to be preliminary engineering. Their money is going to be buying a welcome sign,” Downes said. “We’re collaborating with them as well for infrastructure improvements and other landscaping.”
The next Vestavia Hills City Council meeting has been moved up one week to Monday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m.
