Council - Regular Meeting

Pre-consil meeting for the city of Homewood, May 11, 2026. Councelor Simmons here from the hall. Councelor Sims here. Councelor Lane here. Councelor Armstead and Mayor Anderson here. Four.

All right. So, uh, councelor Armstead will be joining us shortly and we will get underway. Um, we are going to take one item out of order and one we are very excited about and that is going to be item 050526. That is a presentation from ETC institute regarding the results of the citizen survey. Uh, and this is brought to us from our city manager. Yeah. So you guys know we um started a citizen survey about four months ago. We reached out to ETC Institute who has done many of these uh in the in the region and Jason Marado flew in today from Kansas City uh not a direct flight so he's been on the road most of the day.

We're glad that he's here and he's going to present present the results that um they found. Fantastic.

Yeah. Thanks. All right. Thanks. Good afternoon. It's great to be here. Um my name is Jason Morado. I'm the vice president and director of community research at ETC Institute. We are a firm that specializes in conducting community surveys for local governments and we just finished for the first time conducting a community survey for the city of Homewood. So today I'm going to walk through the key findings from the survey. I have just a little background about ETC Institute. We're a national leader in providing market research for local governments. We've been doing this type of work for over 40 years and in the last 10 years alone, we've conducted surveys in more than a thousand communities across the country. So, this is really the type of work that we specialize in. This is just an overview of what I'll go through today. I'll go over the purpose and methodology of the survey. I'll walk through the key findings. I'll summarize our main conclusions from the survey. And then if there are any questions, I'll be happy to answer those. So, there are several reasons to conduct a survey like this. One is to get an objective assessment of how satisfied residents are with city services and to determine what residents feel are the top priorities for the community. This survey could also serve as a baseline for future surveys. A lot of cities we work with conduct these surveys on a regular basis. The most frequent time frame is two to three years. That way, you can measure trends over time. And then we're also able to compare your results with other communities across the country based on surveys that our firms uh conducted. So this survey was seven pages long. On average takes residents 15 to 20 minutes to take the survey. So it's a fairly lengthy survey. It was administered by a combination of mail and online to randomly selected households throughout the city. Our goal is to receive 400 surveys. That's a typical sample size

for a statistically valid survey for a city the size of Homewood. And we had a very good response. We ended up with 460 completed surveys. The 460 surveys at the 95% level of confidence has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 and a.5%. Essentially, that means that if we conducted the survey the same way 100 times, 95 times the results would be plus or minus 4 and a half% from what we're reporting. So even for a statistically valid survey, the results are not perfect, but the margin of error is small. And as we were administering the survey, we made sure that the demographics of survey respondents reflect the actual population of the city. So we made sure we had a good representation based on age, household income, and geographic location across the city. So here's what we learned from the survey. We found that residents have a very positive perception of the city of Homewood. 99% of respondents rated Homewood as an excellent or a good place to live and 98% rate Homewood as an excellent or a good place to raise children. Um, so those are obviously incredibly high numbers, some of the highest numbers really anywhere in the country where we conduct these surveys. We also find that Homewood rates higher than the US average in 47 out of the 49 areas that we compared. We'll look at some of this in more detail in a little bit, but there are a couple of areas I wanted to point out, make sure to point out. One is that city of Homewood rates 41 percentage points above the US average regarding the overall quality of city services. That's one of the most important questions on the survey because here we're asking residents to take into account all the services that you're providing and really give kind of an overall satisfaction rate for how well the city's doing delivering services. And then we also found that Homewood rates 34 percentage points above the US average when it comes to customer service provided by city employees.

The top overall priorities for city services are management of city streets and facilities, traffic flow and congestion and storm water runoff and the storm water management system. We'll look at that in more detail in a little bit as well. And then we asked respondents what are their most important topics for the city when planning the future. And the most important topics were preserving the city's character and history, preserving trees and green space, creating a vibrant downtown, and then preventing drainage and flooding, and preserving water quality. So I mentioned that residents have a very positive perception of the city of Homewood. We asked respondents to rate the city as a place to live, as a place to raise children, as a place to work. You can see the dark blue arrays excellent. Light blue is good. The gray is neutral. We interpret neutral as average or meeting expectations. So, it's a rating of a three on a fivepoint scale. It's not a bad rating. And then the orange, which is barely any of that on this on this graph, are those who gave a rating of below average or poor. So, obviously the results are very positive. Nearly all respondents rate Homewood as an excellent very good place to live and to raise children and as a place to work. One thing that especially stood out if you look at just the dark blue part over 70% of respondents rate Homewood as an excellent place to live and to raise children uh which are really really incredibly high numbers. Here we ask respondents to rate the perceptions of the city of Homewood in a number of different ways. Here the dark blue are those who are very satisfied. light blue satisfied. Gray is again that neutral or average and then the orange dissatisfied or very dissatisfied. So obviously the positive ratings far away the negative overall very high ratings to the quality of life uh the image and appearance of the city. If you look at the third row down 85% of respondents are either very satisfied or

satisfied with the overall quality of city services. And that's compared to only 2% who are dissatisfied. On this question, we ask respondents to rate their satisfaction with major categories of city services. So here we ask residents to rate these areas at the big picture departmental level. And then later on in the survey we asked about some more specific areas within some of these categories. So again the blue are the positive ratings, gray is average, pink are the orange or the negative. So again the positive ratings overall for outweigh the negative. If you look at the top of the chart, those top for those top four areas, over 90% of respondents are either very satisfied or satisfied. So that includes the school system, parks and recreation, public safety services, and then library facilities and services. The areas with the lowest dissatisfaction, those two in the bottom, were traffic flow and congestion and storm water. But even for those two, you had more positive than negative responses. A lot of times when we ask this question um in most cities there's usually at least a couple of areas that have more negative than positive responses. Um but here we we don't have that at all. And then we asked respond as how safe they feel in various situations. You can see very very few residents feel unsafe. Um residents feel safe in their neighborhood both during the day and at night. um just see overall feeling of safety in homewood is very high and then residents also feel safe in commercial and retail areas and in city parks. So here we have a map of the city and here we broke the results out by census block groups. These are fairly small areas. This tells us if residents in different parts of the city have different perceptions of the city or rate services differently. This map is for the overall quality of city services. You can see the entire map is

blue and there are a few areas in dark blue which is the highest possible rating. But if the entire map is blue, it means that residents all throughout the city are satisfied with the overall quality city services. Sometimes what happens is even if the results are very positive overall, which is break into these smaller geographic areas, a lot of times you'll see some pockets where residents are more dissatisfied. But here you can see that's that's not the case. And then this map is for how residents feel about the value they receive for city taxes and fees. And here the entire map was blue. And this is very unusual for residents all across the city to be satisfied with the value they receive for city taxes and fees. Um in most cities there's at least some area usually areas where residents are not quite as satisfied. I mentioned earlier that satisfaction with city services is much higher in home within other communities. City of Homewood rates above the US average in 47 out of the 49 areas and that includes 45 areas where you rate significantly higher than the US average. So in other words, 5% or more above the US average and then homewood rates above the regional average in 47 of 49 areas and significantly higher in 46 of those. And this is based on data collected by ETC Institute. So for these next few charts, the dark green bar are Homewood residents who are either very satisfied or satisfied. The light blue are the satisfaction ratings for residents in the southeast regions. That includes the state of Alabama as well as nearby states. And then the gray bar are the satisfaction ratings for residents all across the country. And again, this is based on a national survey conducted by by etc institute. So when it comes to ratings of the city as a place to live, as a place to raise children, as a place to work, you can see homewood rates more than 40 percentage points above the US average as a place to live, as a place

to raise children. Almost 40 percentage points higher than the US average as a place to work. Here are more perceptions of the city. You can see your ratings are much higher than other communities uh when it comes to the image and appearance of the city. If you look at that second row down, overall quality of city services. Again, that's one of the most important questions on the survey. You can see Homewood rates more than 40 percentage points above the US average. And then if you look at this bottom row, value received for state tax dollars and fees. You have a 73% satisfaction rating, which is more than double the regional national average, but you're only at 33%. Most cities don't get good ratings when it comes to value for taxes and fees, even if the ratings are high overall when it comes to to city services. Here are comparisons for major categories of city services. So you can see in most areas, homewood rates significantly higher than other communities. That includes schools, parks, recreation, public safety, library, um customer service from city employees. That's one of the areas that rates the farthest above the US average. Um, communication codes and ordinances, streets and facilities. Traffic flow is kind of on par with other communities, just slightly below the regional average, but a little bit above the national average. And then storm water is the only area that rates below the regional and national average. This chart focuses on maintenance. In all areas, your ratings are above the national average. Uh, five of the six areas are significantly higher. Uh, when it comes to sidewalks, your ratings are still above the regional and national average, but just not quite as far ahead. Um, as opposed to city buildings, mowing and trimming, uh, cleanliness of streets and other public areas, street lighting and major city streets. Those areas all rate higher.

And then when it comes to public safety, in all 11 areas, homewood rates significantly above the regional and national average. So you can see this includes a wide variety of different services related to police, fire, and EMS. So now we'll look at top priorities. We saw earlier how satisfied residents are with major city services. As a follow-up question, we asked which of these services are the most important for the city to emphasize over the next couple years? So you can see the top priorities, the two that especially stand out are maintaining city streets and facilities and the traffic flow with the next highest priorities being storm water management system and then just the school system. This is something we call the important satisfaction rating. Uh this analysis is based on two different types of data, both of which we've looked at already. First we ask residents how satisfied they are with services. Then we ask which services are the most important for the city to emphasize. So the idea behind this is those areas that have a combination of low satisfaction ratings but at the same time rate as the most important are identified as the top priorities. So this is for major categories of city services. The areas in pink are the top priorities. That's city streets and facilities, traffic and congestion and storm water runoff. Those were the top three in importance and then the bottom three in satisfaction and then the next highest priority is enforcing city codes and ordinances which is in the the yellow. This important satisfaction uh focuses specifically at maintenance. You can see the top two priorities are maintenance of sidewalks and then maintenance of major city streets. The next highest priority in yellow is street lighting. And then we asked respondents which

topics should receive the most emphasis over the next couple of years when it comes to the city planning for the future. You can see the top priorities are preserving the city's character history, preserving trees and green space, creating a vibrant downtown, uh preventing drainage and flooding and preserving water quality. Those are the top four. And then falling not far behind are adding more parks and greenways. uh investing in expanding roads and sidewalks and then investing in traffic management. So that's everything I had just a quick recap. We saw that residents have a very positive perception of the city. There's a lot of examples of that in the port in the report. But what especially stood out were the high ratings for homewood as a place to live and as a place to raise children. Uh where you had really just a handful of respondents who didn't say excellent or good. Um, as I mentioned, homewood rates much higher than the US average. Um, significantly higher in most of these areas. Uh, with the couple of areas that really stood out that were the overall quality of city services and then customer service provided by city employees and the top priorities. This is based on that important satisfaction rating we just looked at. Uh, streets and facil uh, city streets and facilities, traffic flow and congestion, and then storm water runoff. And then the most important topics for the future, um, preserving the city's character and history, preserving trees and green space, creating a vibrant downtown, and then preventing drainage and flooding, and preserving water quality. So, that's everything I had. Um, obviously there's always room for improvement, but obviously very, very positive results overall, really across the board. Um, so that if anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. questions. Yes.

Question. The one item I didn't see on there is parking, which is to me is one of the major issues we do have here in Homewood, especially downtown. And nowhere did I see any of the questions that they questioned about the parking. Now, parks, I I saw Yeah. And u and that's that really If you would asked that question, I'd love to have seen results on that with the community.

Right. We got into that just a little bit. I didn't show that slide, but it's in the report where we asked about uh specific aspects of transportation. We asked about the availability of parking just specifically downtown. Um I got to grab the report and see what the ratings maybe I'll grab that see what the ratings are. But that was one area we got into a little bit there. Downtown's a huge one. And I would say I would say Edgewood also.

Yeah, I think we we only asked about downtown. Um so for that one, trying to see what the ratings were. So 31% were sat very satisfied or satisfied, 20% neutral. So that's average. And then 49% dissatisfied. So that there were more dissatisfied than satisfied residents when it comes to availability of parking downtown. Okay. Because that's that's a big one to miss in my opinion, just personally. Yeah. Yeah. Well, it it certainly is in the report. I'm just giving kind of the

Yeah. Um Kell can make a copy for everybody of the report. It's like 142 pages long. So um we were gonna he's going to send this power out, but he can also get He that the reports and the maps are going to be online in the morning. The whole thing was like 100 pages of map. Yeah, it's a very it's a very in-depth report. So kind of just getting the highlights here. Question. Uh I'm sorry I was late. You may have covered this when you went into it, but

when you talked about the rankings, I guess regionally and nationally, was it what were the parameters that that you were you comparing us to cities that were like us? And if that was the case, what was like criteria for those comparisons? It's city of all sizes. Um the national average is based on a survey that we conduct every one to two years with about 10,000 randomly selected residents all ac across the country. And then the regional average is the portion of that who were in Alabama as well as surrounding states. Um, now it doesn't include all cities. We could break it down more specifically based on population, but those averages were really all all city sizes both nationally and regionally.

Just flexibility and you doing that to look at different scenarios. if we were just just talking about it and asking questions, you were able to kind of dial into that stuff. Um, as far as different types of comparisons, yeah, absolutely. We could do we could do more based just on population. Um, we could do it just even on only the state of Alabama. The southeast region includes um nearby states as well. The more specific you get, the less data there is to compare. So that's why we try to keep it fairly broad, but there's yeah, all kinds of ways we can break out those results. And we can also get results from some of our neighboring cities who have used etc before to do this kind of survey.

Okay. Thinking about the analysis, you mentioned the report. Um, but you also showed during the presentation

like a comparison based on different census tracks in Homewood of asking about value for taxpayer dollar and I think there was another one you showed um about um overall satisfaction of city services. I forget what it was. But the main question I have is are there other I guess questions where we can ask where you're going to provide like the shape files where we can use that in GIS and then toggle and and see like the variation in question responses for different tracks and areas of the city. For example, sidewalks, streets, storm water. Those are ones in particular where I'd be interested in seeing like is there a part specific area of the city where we have residents who are experiencing more drainage, storm water issues, so therefore the responses are more negative, that type of thing.

Yeah, absolutely. That that is that's certainly useful to look at. And we did create maps for every question on the survey asked on a fivepoint scale. Okay. Um so the report there's this main report and there's a separate appendix that has like a hundred maps or something like that. So Oh, that's fantastic. Yeah. So, I just showed a couple here, but it goes Yeah. far more in depth than that. And that would be Yeah. for any any of those questions. Sidewalks, those are all perfect examples to look at it. And the maps are just as interesting, if not more than the actual report. Yeah. And that'll be online as well. We're putting both the report and the maps online. Thank you, Brian.

Have a good question. the 460 respondents is that online and um uh and the written the survey that was m combination. It's a combination of both. Yeah, combination of mail and online. Yeah. Thanks. All right. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Great. Thanks everyone. All right. All right. Moving on to the old business agenda. Item 220426. request for consideration for a budget transfer brought to us from Mr. Secret. We carried this over uh in our last meeting. Um news on that. Yes,

this is the Birmingham water

issue. So Bo and Kelly and I met with Argo, the contractor, and then um and then I talked to John Hansen, who is the program manager from BL Harbor, who was program manager for a lot of City of Homeless projects at the time. Police Station was was one of them just to understand what what happened, what he thinks. Um so the story is in July of 2020, the building was turned over to the city of Homewood. And at that point, all the all the utilities got turned over into Homewood's name except for Birmingham Water because Birmingham Water had an issue with the address

and where the meter was located and what it was serving and all that. So they kept it in Argo's name. So the building was active. We were in it. We were using the corpse and the jail and all the things and so we were using water flushing toilets and but the meter was still in Argo's name until October of 2020. So this bill covers July to October. It's that that's the bill for those six months. So now what we're trying to do is get the bill transferred from Argo's name into our name. But I got a I have a letter from John Hansen that details all of that. And once we have a new invoice and we bring it back to you guys, I'll include that in the

And just to clarify, sorry, just to quickly clarify what you said, the past due bill, the bill itself is already transferred into Homewood's name, which only thing you're trying to get transferred. Yes. From Argo to city of Homewood is a pass due bill. That's correct. So the jail house was working at the jail house. The um The police station was working at that time. That's right. Okay. Because you said when you said July to October, did I mis understand that? Same year. Same year. Same year. 2020. Yeah. But when you say July to October, you said six months, but the building was turned over in in Jul in July of 2020 to the city. The building was That's right. So from January to July. Is that what

July October? July to October. Okay. But there'll be a different invoice for the review later. I hope so. I mean, it' be nice to see a comparison from that month once like for instance we're talking into October. Say how about November, December. How did the bills look going forward that we paid? Were they that much? Oh, I don't know. I'm not sure that we I'm not sure. You know, I mean, it'd be nice to know. I mean, I'd hate to see I mean, I'd love to see if if the bill was 18,000 for the next three months and we're paying 37 for you know what I'm saying, right? How's the rational?

Yeah, we can certain we can certainly pull those invoices. You know, one of the things I'll say about our invoicing from Birmingham water is that it fluctuates pretty tremendously every six months. It seems like they come out and read the meter and make a significant change. So, good point. Yeah, matter of fact, the new waterworks something else. They've changed the the two they've gone on the water one and two tier. It just so happened on the sewer they've gone to three tiers from six. And I don't know how that works except for the sewer gets a lot more money now. I'm not into that.

So we're not going to pay this item. I mean I'm sorry. We're not going to discuss this item in council. I was trying to say I wasn't trying to say we're not going to pay this bill. I was trying to say we're not going to discuss this item in council. Thank And just one other clarification before we move on too because this is based on discussion we had as well and you can see reviewing the invoices but this is straight for the charges. There are no late fees associated with this. So just want to make sure everybody understood that because the bill because that bill is the bill bill we saw. Correct. That's right. So obviously that we wouldn't pay any late fees based on this issue but it's not included. 27,000 of that 37,000 was I mean it's incredible to me. I mean

I mean that's about like I think my personal bills anecdotally normally normally runs on the high end. Mine's usually about two like a third. Yep. Yeah. That's a little bit bigger than it was surprising the amount. I think when I was asking about the invoices like it it it almost like we're looking at like a like a static bill like it didn't and I guess this letter will really help right because it just it it was framed in however we wanted to interpret it was just like a document and bill on it so it would be good to know. Yeah. So

yeah John kind of just tells the story in his letter and he he said there's no he doesn't have any question that it's homeless to pay and not so that's helpful. Okay. New business. Next item 010526, request for consideration of approval for a limited private residential fence encroachment on cityowned property adjacent to 10 Pomona Avenue. Brought to us by Miss Dalling and Mr. Pew.

Yes. So, um, the request here is to allow to allow a portion of a private residential fence to extend onto a city-owned um parcel that is directly adjacent to um to 10 pomona. So the fence location shown on the submitted site plan there shows that the encroachment is just the green rectangle into the rectangular parcel that's city-owned. Um at its widest point, the fence would extend approximately 10 ft and then taper back to the homeowner's property line. Uh this request does not involve any street right away and um we do not understand that that this would affect any front setback or street access. Um so the the issue before council is simply to um consider whether or not to allow it to occupy that portion of cityowned land.

Is that Ventura up here? Yes, it is parallel with that. And this fence has not been built yet. Not to my understand. Okay. I was just just confirming. Okay. This was a I mean there's a whole backstory like oh yeah it was long involved the board of zoning adjustment. Why are we back? Why is it because it's in the right way? That's why it's back with us. So what did the BCA do with it? I don't I don't recall. It was so long ago that were gonna be they wanted to buy the land right away. Right away. What was that, Brian? They tried to buy it. Remember? Yeah. Came through and they were trying to buy it. That was approved. Yeah, it was approved.

But then they decided not to do it, but now they just want to put the fence there right away instead of buy it. Even if they bought it. So here's how it went. So even if they had purchased it, they would still have needed a variance. So they went and requested a variance. the variance was denied. So at that point there was no purchase no point in purchasing it. So now they're back to request just to simply have an agreement to put it on put on the city owned property there and there's no site distance issues here. I got know it's kind of on a curve right where Venture and Pimona are. Are they got what's the height? I think the height

it's that it's that corner right there. Right. It's that section right there. That's where it goes. Right there. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Was that I I had asked to come because is the height just 8 ft or height is 8t? That's right. Yes. Who said that? I did, but he go ahead and answer councelor Lane's question. Did they Did they take the polls down already? Um Yes, I I think they did. Don't quote me on that cuz they they had started putting up some poles and they left them there for a long time.

I was going to say I thought even the fence kind of was getting there was something kind of fancy looking but now but it kind of stopped. It stopped now. Now we went by there today and it's kind of it's still sitting there like this. Okay. Yeah, there there may still be some post there. I haven't been by there in a couple of weeks. I think that's in the right way that what they got where the post are cannot be right. I mean yard substantially what I'm saw well sometimes though the rightway comes back it's right through that very corner big corner here that that triangular piece that the city owns

goes pretty far up into her yard there. So, well, the worst part about about this whole issue is that corn lot. They're facing a the smaller street where this Ventura is a big main street and now they're gonna everybody's going to see a fence on the back end of that which is so why going back uh to the drawing of Brian

and thinking about if the I'm trying to retrace the history on this based on what was just said. So the triangular parcel in red which is owned by the city was what there was a vacation of rightway request but then that was halted because they didn't get their BZA variance to build the fence where they wanted it even if the vacation of rightway went forward. So, if the red triangular piece was part of their property, would where they're wanting to put the fence now meet the setback requirements? Not exactly. No, they would still need a variance.

So, they would still need a varian. So, the loophole here here is basically they're putting in an R rightway and then therefore since it's an R rightway, the city doesn't have to abide by the setback ordinance. pretty much now. I I think they have brought the fence back substantially from where they were originally appro requesting it, but it would still need a variance. Okay. It would it would be a different variance request, but it would still need this is not a public not for tonight. No. And it's not going to council tonight. And it's not a public hearing. There is going to be a public hearing. There is a public hearing. Sorry.

Not tonight. It is a public hearing because it's followup question regarding this. Would procedurally though should it come to council before it goes to BZA then if well there there wouldn't be a BA request because it's city-owned property. Okay. Okay. I I halfway heard that and then I then I was unsure. So I just wanted to clarify. Thank you.

Yeah. The the problem is, let's just say they owned that. Let's just say that city vacated that and they owned that red triangle. They would still need to be 9 ft minimum back from the the property line in order to u be compliant with the zoning ordinance. And as you see, this drifts closer and closer. So at some point you end up with less than nine feet there. So it a variance would be still be required. Okay. Thank you for that additional correction. But not

so then procedurally it would the next step for consideration would be to set a public hearing. That's correct. And then and basically just wait for additional information to come in through that process which we are not setting tonight. Not setting. Can I have a question? Can I ask about the fence? Can I ask about the fence? Yes. Anything to do with the fence we have nothing to do with. Doesn't that go to the BZA? Whether it's height, whether it's structure, what whatever it is.

But what he what he just pointed out is that this is a loophole because it'll be city, right? Exactly. So now there's no the city doesn't have to abide by its own ordinances. So therefore, it would not go to these all of them or just displacement because the height Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. My question, we're not going to get into the heights, though. That should be us. Well, the heights I believe I don't even know that the BZA governed that. I think that I thought that that's just the permitting office. Uh, so am I think BZA has to prove

You're right. So any any any criteria above and beyond or outside of what the zoning ordinance um permits would have to go to BZA. We could not approve that administratively. But in a situation like this, the request is not there there is no there is no variance request because it's on city property

and the the request is simply to place the fence on city property to you know it's a structure on city property just like if someone were to request come and request to put a you know who knows a sign or a monument or something like that city right away. So then through the process and ultimately if something was approved then as a body we would need to kind of provide additional restrictions or guidance like you must comply with the existing agreement would be signed with the city. Okay.

I think it circumvents the spirit of the rule the law and though it's on venturing into venturing into public hearing. Okay.

So, let me clarify. So, going forward any fencing in the rightway will will for the council. I mean, I want to I'm trying to get something straight here because I But it h but it hasn't that hasn't happened in like I know as long as they've had the fences, we haven't had a fence point. I'm just trying to make clarification where the BCA where we separate from the BCA on fencing because it's on our property. Yeah. City rightway. So, anything rightway. Yes. That's the point. That's the point I'm making now. Somebody else comes up with a fence

on our on the rightway. Are we going to go through this again with us or not the BDA? Same as with a driveway or a wall next to the driveway that's coming into that has to come. It's the same process. I agree. But I think we change I think we did change it to where the fencing left the council and went to the BZA. Uh driveways did not. I don't know about that part of it. In the right way. In the right way. Okay. Exactly. Fences go to the BCA when they're on private property and when they're non-compliant with the zoning ordinance.

So if she was on her property, if she stayed within her property and wanted to build a fence within 9 ft of the property of the side property line, she would have to go get a variance from the board of zoning adjustment. Okay. However, she wants to put that on city's properties. So the city council has to approve that request. Okay. So comes up with Got it. Oh boy. All right, we shall set that public hearing at our next meeting on May 18th. All right, next item 020526, request for consideration of a resolution in support of Jefferson County's fiscal year 26 SS4A application brought from Miss Zerry.

Yes. So, Jefferson County is applying for the FY26 SSA implementation grant. Um, what SSA SS4 stands for is safe streets and roads for all. So basically we're focusing on safety projects that will um reduce fatal and serious injury crashes on the roadways. So as part of this um Jefferson County is the lead applicant and they are looping us in as a partner applicant. Um one of the projects is Oxmore Road and that's to um expand the width of the sidewalk just to get ADA compliance. And so like funding agreements, all that will come after if we were to get awarded. Um, but what we've worked out with Jefferson County is we'll be responsible for 10% of the construction cost for just the Oxmore road project.

And what's the length? What portions of Oxmore are the full? It's the full length in um Homewood city limits. So like some of the missing segments like over by Ed Press missing segments the portions where they're like utility poles and

can I add please? So we we went after this a year ago and um we partnered again with Jefferson County and a few other municipalities for this implementation grant and Jefferson County did not get it. So this year some of their feedback was to focus on the high injury networks that were included in a prior study and so Oxmore Road is on that high injury network. So that's the only one that's included but last year we included three sidewalks in Homewood. This year is only one because that one is only is the only high injury network road and right is that fair? Is that right? That's right. Okay. Any other questions?

Consider part of that option. This is going to be really from the Cameron's Corner. Yeah. To Palisades. Is that right? Where? This will be from 31 um going west towards um I think it's Haven Wood. Yeah. And I think the resolution includes that we are our cost is what 10%. Did you say that already? Sorry. Yeah.

So is there any I know it's 10% 10 there kind of guesstimate with 10% of what you know the last estimate I saw was about 2.4 million. Um so we'll be on the hook for about 240,000. It's a great deal. I mean, some of those with the big power pools over between like we're deal and it's typically a 20% match, right? Jefferson County is agreed to pay the other 10% of the 20% match. Well done. Well done. So, this will not go out tonight either, but this for sure. For sure. Yeah.

Thank you so much, Amy. That was well done. All right. Next item. 060526. Request to delegate limited authority to the city manager regarding budget transfers. Mr. Smith.

Thanks. So, um, there's been confusion around this from department heads, including myself. When the budget was put together last year, we talked out loud about what departments and what the city manager was going to be able to do in terms of budget amendments, but it was never codified. There was never a resolution done by the council. So, that's what this is. I want to start out by saying what this is not. So, if there's ever a request to move money across funds, so like from the capital projects fund over into the general fund, that's still going to come to you guys and you would have to approve that. Um, also, if we're using money from a fund balance, that's still going to come to you guys. So, I would never be able to take money across funds or out of fund balance um for a budget amendment. What this does authorize me to do is um to work with department heads if they want to move 10,000 in their own departments or up to 50. I would author I could authorize up to 50,000 um across a fund across departments. So the general fund I can move up to 50,000 from Bose into Wyatt or if or or not to exceed 50,000 in the same in the same fund. So if Bo needed to move 10,000 from supplies into conference, I could do I could do that. I'll give you two examples that have happened in the past couple of weeks because we have brought so many of these to you guys and and for forever the council has always heard these really small budget amendment requests. Chief Broadhead wanted to move $2500 from his supplies budget into employee physicals. um they've had some injuries that required fit for duty checks. And another example is Berkeley wanted to

move $27,000 from wages into um building maintenance for new air conditioners. So those are stay those are living within the same fund within the same department. And so the proposal is to do this. Jason worked with you on this, right? Jason and I talked about it earlier today actually. Yeah. But you would but it wouldn't work. I mean it's fine but you like you said from building uh wages to building fund but what about building fund to wages if it's in if it's in the same if it's in his general fund in the same department that's allowed and the cap is 50 wages

that's right is there a is there a point that we would sort of I guess have them as notated or we would be able to see which ones have moved. Every quarter I'll present to you guys a report of what's been done of what of what I've approved. Can I assume that that that's an example you were using when you said from like building fund to I mean wages to building fund. Building grounds and maintenance. Building grounds and maintenance. Okay. The wages I'm just concerned about wages. I think they should be totally different. you start moving out of a budget.

Yeah. So wages would include like summertime lifeguards. That's how that's what he pays. That's what's used for wages. Okay. More like part time is what that sounds like. That's right. Okay. Summer camp counselor. Yeah. They get paid out of wages. When we say wages, I'm thinking the entire pool that could get funky part time.

Any other questions? This will also not go out tonight. So, this will be on the next next council agenda, but not tonight. Alrighty. Next item. 070526. Request to levy an additional amount of certain residential permits for deposit into the Alabama Construction Trade Academy fund. Mr. Smith, Mr. Pew.

Yes. Um, Kale asked me to give you kind of the rundown on this. So, where this comes from, um, last year the Alabama legislature passed Act 2025-398. And what it does is it allows um municipalities that already issue residential permits to collect um to collect up to $20 on each permit and remmit that money to the Alabama Construction Trade Academy fund. And what that does is it it supports workforce development um which has been something that's been identified as sort of lacking um and it it trains people in all the construction trades. So what this particular ordinance before you does is um if you adopt it, it would it would allow that $20 in a fairly narrow way. We've we've narrowed it down. So, it adds $20 fee to only the principal residential building permit for single family residences, detached single family residences. So, a single family home for a new single family home, this would add $20 to that permit. Um, in practical terms, what what would happen is the city would collect that fee at the time of permit issuance, and we would remit that directly to the Alabama Construction Trade Academy fund. What what this ordinance has in it as well, which is modeled off of a neighboring municipalities ordinance, which which was really good. It includes accountabil accountability measures. So the fund administrator will be required per our ordinance each year to provide an annual program report um and and an audited financial

statement. So what this report will will tell us is how many students are completing the program, how many are joining the program and whether graduates are actually entering the entering the field after they graduate. This ordinance would also include what I'm calling an off round. Um the the fee collection would automatically stop if the fund administrator or the program itself officially closes. And the council may also discontinue anytime they want with a majority vote with notice. So if we decide we want to get out of it later, we could. So in short, the ordinance gives Homewood a way to participate in this workforce training program, but it does it with a a narrow scope and reporting provisions.

And tell us about the our neighboring municipalities participation. Yes. So um home um sorry Mountain Brook is in it. Um Hoover's in it. Um, and the what I did was I took the best of both of theirs and and sort of pulled out some things and all of us sort of add some things. Same amount. $20.

Same amount. Yeah. That that's actually in the state act. It says up to $20. So, what some cities are doing is they're saying any permit where you would do anything to a residence, whether it's mechanical, plumbing, electrical, $20, $20, $20. Um, that because of the way our permit fees are set up, that didn't make sense for us. So, we decided to narrow it to $20 for a single f new single family detached residential structure. What from that aspect um will that for a new single family detach structure is that any remodel that is 50% or greater?

No. Is it completely tear down rebuild? New construction. It's it's new construction. So, a tear down rebuild would qualify, of course, but not a major renovation, which is which the code calls a reconstruction, that wouldn't qualify. We did not specify that in the ordinance. So, if you had a bungalow, you know, and took off the roof and added a whole story above, would not apply. Would not. Okay. And and no consideration to commercial construction either, obviously. and just curious why there's already a commercial trade academy and we already pay into that. Okay. This is the residential sort of sister to that. Apologies if I messed that up.

Do you know about how many we did last year permits for new construction? I'm sorry I don't have that number on me, but I can I can pull that number really quickly if you want to shoot that over to you. This will be an ordinance. It also will not be on council agenda. Why? I just had a follow.

I can follow later. I was just thinking that if we're going to do new construction only permits, I'd also like to if we can get a number on just like the ones that are over 50% as well by comparison. Yeah. When I'll jump in real quick and give some background history, context. So Wyatt and I met with Robin Cooper who is the director of the Alabama Home Builders Home Builders Association

where we went to coffee that day. Um and they and they are they got this off the ground. It's already successful in Huntsville, I think Mobile, and they've got three other locations. Central Alabama is next. So there there's clearly a gap in workforce development and trade for general contractors to find qualified mechanical, plumbing, and electrical engineer or contractors. And so they came to us and they wanted every single permit because we define every single permit as a building permit to be allowed for this to so if you came in and wanted to redo your duck work, you would be tacked on $20. The problem that we saw or I saw can't speak for Wyatt was that in Shelby County they allow for this $20 add-on or fee but they have an umbrella permit.

Is that right? That's right. So where so where a contractor would come in and have to get potentially seven permits to build a house in Shelby County you just have to get one building permit to build a house. So so I wanted to try to be as you know I didn't want builders who were doing the same projects here that were doing the same project in Shelby County to pay $120 in Homewood and only $20 in Shelby County. Great. So that's kind of how we landed on the construction piece. Thank you for that background. And kind of related that to then is there a separate like regional fund that this goes into for their office or does it or does the fee go to the statewide?

It's it's a regional fund. Okay. Thanks. Question. Do you remember them? Do you remember that from that meeting? All right. Thank you. Sure. Appreciate it. W. All right. Last item, and this will be a public hearing that we will set tonight uh in the council meeting. Uh actually, you don't have to go far. Sorry. Next item, 080526, request to vacate a portion of the unnamed alley adjacent to 200 Virginia. That's right. And we're just going to hear from Mr. Pew tonight and then when we go to council, we will set this public hearing.

That's right. So, what the committee has before it here is a joint petition from the owners of properties abuing a portion of an unnamed alley which is um between 200 Virginia Drive, 198 Virginia Drive, 837 Oxmore, and 835 Oxmore. And there is a map in some somewhere in one of my documents that shows how how this lays out. There's al here's the survey also which identifies a that it's 1925 1,925 square feet. Um it goes up to that dotted line where it says alley vacation right above it. So this request is not for vacation of the entire alley. I've got a map in there which shows the limits of the entire alley. So you can get a bigger that that may work right there. So this alley would begin right here. And as you can see, this alley extends sort of like a crooked tea. The portion that's being requested for vacation ends at this property line right here.

And who are the who are the applicants right behind you? I mean on the parcels on the um so I've got those right here. They are David Paige. I don't care. I mean, I'm asking what parcels on that map. Oh, which ones are are joining in the petition? I'm sorry about that. So, it's the the triangle there and then it's these three up to the

So, um the like I said, the request is not for the entire alley. It's for that defined portion of 15 foot ride, 15 foot wide alley rideway. There is from the city's perspective some some concerns could be identified as there is a city drainage infrastructure on down the alley vacation of that portion of the alley could complicate access to that. That's something to consider um for access to make future inspection and future maintenance and future repair. uh it's not an it's not anything that's used for travel. It's not developed for travel. The only issue would be the the infrastructure there. Also, the other issue to consider is the valuation. State law sets a requirement for max valuation. I've done the calculation here for you to consider. So, How how the calculation works is you take the square footage of each lot that's abuing the the section that you're requesting and you take the assessed value. That's all you that that's what the city I'm sorry that's what the state law is based on. You take the assessed value. So you add up the the assessed value. You add up the square footage and you come up with a ratio which is an average square square foot cost. Then you apply that to the area being requested for vacation and that gives you a valuation calculation. That would be the maximum the city could charge as a fee as a vacation fee.

Can I ask Robert? Is there any power lines running down that basement or Yes. Yes. And and a letter from Alabama Power was submitted a letter to objection. Now, they would still maintain their easement and their access. They don't care.

Well, okay. getting at is because of the power situation that's going on outage as y'all know if because I've seen a couple already myself personally where there was an easement where there was an ement and then when that's happened it joins property line how does the power company if it's how does the power company get back there to to do their job if that's gone I'm just you know I'm just asking if that easement's gone and the power line they got to get back there clean I don't know how the

the easement would would not go away. They would still maintain their easement, meaning they have a right to get back there to maintain their equipment and to and to maintain the area as they see fit. I know what you're saying, but trust me, I've got an issue with with Alabama Power with that problem. Paul Simmons is an expert on Alabama Power. Those you don't know, his father worked for Alabama Power for 35 years. 40 years and 8 months. Oh, 40. Okay. Trust me. Yeah. Tomorrow I want you to come with me. Okay.

The addresses that I that I was giving you, this is 200 Virginia. That's 198 Virginia and then 833 and 8:35. Perfect. Okay. So, tonight we will set the public hearing for June 22nd when we go out to council. So, that is it for that. Thank you so much, Mr. Pew. All right, everyone. With that,