Vestavia council rezones two homes for business use

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The Vestavia Hills City Council on Monday rezoned two residential properties for business use.

The first was at 4525 Pine Tree Circle, which was rezoned from an R-1 low-density residential district to a B-2 business district.

The property has a remodeled single-family home on it that is situated among neighborhoods transitioning from a residential area to a commercial district near Blue Lake Drive, Cahaba River Road and Colonnade Parkway.

The rezoning was contingent on the structure being used only as a short-term residential rental house for up to 90 days per renter, Mayor Pro Tempore Rusty Weaver said. No temporary structures such as tents or RVs will be allowed, and the structure must pass a comprehensive inspection by Vestavia Hills fire Chief Marvin Green. The property will not be granted a certificate of occupancy until reviewed by the building inspector and the zoning commission. 

Despite the conditions, the plan was met with opposition by Joe Allred, a longtime resident of the River Grand subdivision whose property backs up to this address. Allred said he has had concerns with the neighborhood, made up mostly of rental properties, for years. 

“My concern is a negative impact on my home value,” Allred said. “The property has been rented previously, and it’s weekend rentals, and there are old school buses in the backyard, but my concern is the noise on the weekends when people come in to visit.”

Allred said that while the community has been trending commercial for some time, the majority of the businesses that have opened are professional office buildings.

Weaver said all city department heads reviewed the rezoning request and said the city’s noise ordinance would be applied just as it would with any other business. Even though people will be living in the building, it will be considered a business and subject to business zoning rules, he said.“I understand your concerns,” Weaver told Allred. “I’m confident after speaking with all the department heads that all of those are going to be addressed, and it’s going to actually be a better use of the property.”

The resolution passed unanimously, with Mayor Ashley Curry absent. 

Next, the council rezoned property at 1929 Canyon Road from an institutional district to an office district. The building is set to become home to the new office of HNP Landscape Architecture. 

In other business Monday, the Vestavia Hill City Council recognized four youth football teams that won various championships in the fall of 2023:

  • Vestavia Hills 8U flag football team, which won the Alabama Recreation and Parks Association state championship for that age group
  • Vestavia Hills third grade tackle football team, which won the 2023 Jefferson-Shelby Youth Football Championship for that age group.
  • Vestavia Hills sixth grade blue tackle football team, which won the JSYF National League Championship for that age group
  • Vestavia Hills sixth grade red tackle football team, which won the JSYF American League Championship for that age group

The City Council and the members of the Vestavia Hills Chaplaincy Program also recognized chaplains Tom Hill and Ron Higgy for 25 years of service as they transition from active status to chaplain emeritus status. 

Editor's note: This story was updated at 11:24 p.m. on Jan. 23 to reflect that the third grade football team that won the Jefferson-Shelby Youth Football League championship is a tackle football team.