2026-09-22 - City Council

00:27Good morning, Birmingham. Today is

00:29Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026. The time

00:34is 9:43 a.m. I call to order the regular

00:37meeting of the Birmingham City Council.

00:39Today's invocation will be led by

00:42Reverend Otis Maguire, pastor of Water

00:45of Life Ministry in Huitttown, Alabama.

00:47And our pledge of allegiance will be led

00:49by Counselor Brian Gunn. If you all are

00:52willing and able, please stand and join

00:53me. Pastor Maguire, thank you.

00:58Good morning.

00:59>> Good morning.

01:00>> May we bow in a word of prayer. Our

01:02father and our God, we come now to say

01:05thank you for another day of life,

01:06health, and strength. We father come

01:09this morning to ask your blessings upon

01:12this gathering in this hallow chamber

01:14that you would bless each one of these

01:17elected officials, these members of

01:19Birmingham City Council and all others

01:22that they would govern this city to the

01:24best of their ability with integrity,

01:27with compassion, with patience, with

01:30understanding, with a spirit of

01:32well-being. Then father we ask further

01:34that you would bless all those who have

01:36come before this council today. That you

01:38would give them a sense of fairness and

01:40respect and the b business that they

01:42present and then that your blessings

01:45would extend and what is decided here

01:47today to every neighborhood every

01:50citizen every district father because we

01:53do acknowledge that you are the

01:55sovereign. You are the ultimate

01:57official. So bless us now according to

01:59your will in the name that is above

02:01every name. Father, we ask it in the

02:04name of Jesus. In his name we pray.

02:07Amen.

02:07>> Amen.

02:09>> Salute the flag.

02:10>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

02:12United States of America and to the

02:15republic for which it stands, one nation

02:18under God, indivisible, with liberty and

02:21justice for all.

02:25>> Thank you very much, Reverend Magguire

02:27Maguire, and thank you, Councelor Gun.

02:29Good morning, Madame Clerk.

02:31>> Good morning. If you'll call the role.

02:33Thank you.

02:33>> Yes, ma'am.

02:38>> Council member Gun.

02:40>> Good morning. Council member O'Quinn.

02:43>> Good morning. Council member Smith.

02:46>> Good morning. Council member Smitherman.

02:50Council member Vasa.

02:52>> Good morning.

02:53>> Good morning. Council member Williams.

02:55>> Morning.

02:56>> Good morning. Council member Woods.

02:58>> Good morning.

02:59>> Good morning. Council President Pro Tim

03:01Tate.

03:02>> Good morning. And Council President

03:04Alexander.

03:05>> Good morning. President

03:07Counselors. At this time, the minutes

03:09are not ready from the meetings of July

03:117, 2026 through September 15, 2026. At

03:16this time, we'll entertain

03:17communications from the mayor.

03:19>> Morning. Morning, Madam President.

03:20>> Good morning.

03:21>> Morning to the council.

03:25You know, on second thought, I'm going

03:26to let Senator Sparks

03:29share this information with you.

03:32>> Morning, Madam President.

03:33>> Chief Sparks,

03:34>> Madam Pro Tim, members of the council,

03:36members of the public, all those under

03:38the sound of my voice. This is the

03:40mayor's report.

03:42Birmingham residents ages 15 to 24 are

03:45invited to apply for funding to turn

03:47their ideas for a healthier, greener,

03:49and more resilient city into action.

03:52Eligible youthled pro projects can

03:54receive microrants ranging from$1,000 to

03:57$5,000 through the Bloomberg Bloomberg

04:00Philanthropy's Youth Climate Action

04:02Fund. They will also receive mentorship,

04:05technical assistance, and support

04:08from city departments and community

04:10partners. Projects must address at least

04:13one of four focus areas: youth

04:15engagement, nature-based solutions,

04:18healthy homes, or public health. Go to

04:21www.birmiringham.govycaf

04:26for details. Applications are due

04:29October the 9th, 2026. Before turning in

04:32their applications, there's an

04:33opportunity for them to get help

04:34developing their idea with a virtual

04:36project ideiation and application

04:39assistance session. Youth wanting help

04:41with their application and support

04:43fleshing out their ideas can hop online

04:45on Wednesday, September the 30th at 6

04:48pm. To register for this session,

04:50everybody go to the website at

04:52www.birmiringhamal.govycaf.

04:57And then finally, the city of Birmingham

04:59is inviting North Birmingham residents

05:01to help shape the future of underused

05:03and abandoned properties through a new

05:05Brownsfield program focused on

05:06identifying redevelopment opportunities

05:09and supporting neighborhood

05:10revitalization. The city will host a

05:12Brownfields community meeting at 5:30

05:14p.m. on Tuesday, September the 29th at

05:17the North Birmingham Library, 251 31st

05:21Avenue North. Residents can learn about

05:23the program, meet the project team, ask

05:26questions, and share their priorities

05:28for the future of North Birmingham.

05:31Madam President, Madam Pro, members of

05:32the council, and brother Mayor, that

05:34concludes your report, sir.

05:36>> Thank you very much. Thank you for those

05:38announcements. At this time, counselors,

05:40if I could get unanimous consent, we

05:42will go from our agenda and we'll

05:43entertain the following presentation. At

05:46this time, we have a presentation from

05:48councelor Daryl O' Quinn uh regarding

05:50the National Diaper Awareness Month.

05:53Councelor Quinn.

05:54>> Thank you, Madam President. For the past

05:56several years, um one of our partners

06:00that we have um worked with in

06:03delivering services to the the

06:05Birmingham community is organization

06:08called Bundles of Hope. So, Miss

06:11Lindseay Gray is here this morning to

06:13tell us more about the organization and

06:16National Diaper Awareness Month.

06:26>> Good morning.

06:27>> Good morning.

06:29>> Thank you so much for the opportunity to

06:31present this morning. I'm Lindsay. This

06:33is Miss Freeman. She is representing one

06:36of the thousands of families that we're

06:38serving annually here in the city. Um,

06:41if you're not familiar with with who we

06:42are, Bundles of Hope, we're a 501c3. We

06:45are actually located about five blocks

06:47from where you guys are currently

06:48sitting and um, we've been around for

06:51the last 12 years and we care for the

06:55community by meeting the basic essential

06:57monthly needs of families. We do that by

06:59distributing diapers, wipes, and period

07:01products. Our vision is really to

07:03improve quality of life here in the

07:05city. We want happier, healthier

07:07families. Uh the the facility that I was

07:10speaking of, I wasn't sure if I had a

07:13presentation. I didn't know if it was

07:14rolling or not. I can share that with

07:16you guys.

07:19>> There later. There we go. Can I get a

07:21slide change? Sorry about that, guys.

07:24Okay, one more slide change for me.

07:26Okay, our milestone. [clears throat]

07:28Um the owner we were leasing for the

07:30last five years the owner of the

07:31facility was selling and so we actually

07:33recently purchased um it's 22,000 square

07:36feet. Really excited about the

07:38permanency for um what that means for

07:41our mission. You know a Birmingham

07:43family who needs diapers will never wake

07:45up again and be told that there's no

07:47support for them. So really excited

07:49about that. We also host about 6,000

07:52volunteers annually through our facility

07:54you guys. So, it's a really good um

07:56space not only to serve the community

07:58but also invite others to engage um and

08:01getting involved and connected. I'll get

08:03that next slide.

08:05Our impact, we have 44 partners across

08:08the footprint here in Birmingham uh

08:10serving about 2,000 babies. That's

08:13monthly. That's a 100,000 diapers

08:16monthly um that are going straight into

08:19the hands of of residents. And um

08:22[clears throat]

08:23excuse me. While that's meeting a

08:24physical need, there is an economic

08:26mobility component here. You guys,

08:29national research says support from

08:31diaper banks puts 2500 to $4,000 in

08:34folks pockets on an annual basis.

08:37Families are using that money to buy

08:39food, pay utilities, and cover the cost

08:41of rent. So, it's really a bigger

08:43picture um that starts with something as

08:45small as a diaper. Next slide for me. We

08:50just wanted to give you kind of a clear

08:51picture of who we're partnering with.

08:52those 44 partner organizations. It's

08:54going to look like the housing

08:55authority, schools, um churches,

08:59community agencies, uh home visitors

09:02that um are case managers and nurses

09:04that are literally driving these

09:06resources into the homes of families. We

09:08actually have a really cool door

09:09delivery program with Door Dash. Uh they

09:12deliver to new moms for a three-month

09:13period, and that has to be you guys

09:15within a 10 mile radius of our facility.

09:18So, those are hitting residents.

09:21Next slide for me.

09:23We also wanted to break it down for you

09:25specifically. What how is it significant

09:27to you? Um those are those 44

09:29partnerships district 1, two, and three.

09:33I get the next slide. Four, five, and

09:36six.

09:38I'll get the next slide. Seven, eight,

09:40and nine.

09:41Okay, next slide. So, we need you.

09:44That's why we're here. Um uh Councilman

09:47O'Quinn has been very, very generous to

09:49us and such an amazing partner. um and

09:51has come forward with some allocation

09:54and we're we're making a big ask. Um

09:57diapers are really expensive. I just

09:58told you we distribute a million um to

10:01residents and we need the city's buy in

10:03for that. So um as far as why, let me

10:08pull up those statistics. I'm not sure

10:09if you guys can read them. 99% of

10:11families report increased stability in

10:13their home. 98% report happier babies.

10:1697% report decreased stress and anxiety.

10:2094% in increased health and wellness.

10:24So, um, a lot of times we get babies

10:26warm and fuzzy. Um, nothing about

10:28families not having their basic

10:30essentials met is warm and fuzzy. Um, we

10:33think babies are very cute. Um, but in

10:35order for them to thrive, they need

10:37those essentials. So, I don't know if

10:39Miss Freeman wants to say anything.

10:42>> I would like to say just

10:44>> step up to step up to the mic, Miss

10:47Freeman. pull the mic down for us, okay

10:49so we can hear you.

10:50>> Thank you. I just want to say that this

10:53has been a blessing for all parents and

10:56grandparents.

10:58This has helped the many children to

11:00stay dry and blessed them with wipes,

11:04everything you need to take care of a

11:07baby. And it's by them being in the

11:10community and working all over

11:12Birmingham, it is a blessing.

11:15And that's all.

11:19I left you I left you guys some leave

11:21behinds. I know that's kind of a lot of

11:22information in a really short period of

11:24time. I want to be respectful. They're

11:26actually packets we leave for um people

11:28who do tours. We hand those out. Anybody

11:30wants to come visit the Dyro Bank. It's

11:32five blocks, y'all. When the cool

11:33weather, you can walk down there. Um

11:35check us out. Community Development is

11:37actually coming to volunteer with us

11:38tomorrow because we do walk-ins, direct

11:41service. So you guys join them or join

11:44on another day when it's convenient for

11:45your schedule. I really appreciate you

11:47listening to us today.

11:50>> Um, am I correct in thinking that you

11:52guys also distribute feminine hygiene

11:54products?

11:55>> We do.

11:56>> Okay. All right. And um,

11:59I mean, you know, one of the things that

12:01are really valued, we do a a health fair

12:04every year as you know, and you guys are

12:07like the star of the show every time. Um

12:11so um to my fellow counselors um you

12:15know encourage you to partner with um

12:18Bundles of Hope. Uh it's a

12:22you know surprisingly wildly popular

12:25resource um for folks in the community.

12:28Um you know they'll come out to the the

12:31community if you're doing an event. Um

12:33but you can also direct residents to to

12:36drop by their location. there on Abraham

12:39Woods. Um and uh again, thank you for,

12:45you know, all you guys are doing. Very

12:47happy to see that you guys were able to

12:49purchase the building. Um Littleles of

12:52Hope is a former uh bold recipient. So

12:56that program through our IEO department

13:00building opportunities for lasting

13:02development. Um there's a lot of sort

13:05service organizations that have been

13:07recipients of those uh of that funding

13:09and so this is one of them that has made

13:12their permanent home here in the city.

13:15So thank you.

13:17>> Thank you Councilwoman. Thank you guys.

13:19>> Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you

13:21councelor O'Quinn for bringing this

13:23presentation to us and we are grateful

13:26to them for the work that they do in our

13:28community. Thank you very much. At this

13:30time, councilors, we'll return back to

13:32our agenda and uh we will before we

13:36begin to consider the items that are

13:38designated as consent, I'd like to read

13:40the statement of conduct of business

13:42regarding the consent agenda. All items

13:45designated as consent are routine and

13:47non-controversial and will be approved

13:49by one motion. All items on the consent

13:52agenda will be announced by reading the

13:54item numbers only. No separate

13:57discussion of these items will be

13:58permitted unless a council member or the

14:01mayor requests the item be removed from

14:03the consent agenda. Additionally, a

14:06citizen interested in addressing the

14:08council with respect to an item on the

14:10consent agenda which is designated for

14:13public hearing may request the item be

14:15removed from the consent agenda to hold

14:18the hearing on the item. Any items

14:20removed from the consent agenda will

14:22revert to its normal place on the agenda

14:25order of business. For remaining

14:27matters, all matters of permanent

14:28operation and they are indicated on the

14:31agenda with a capital P will be read and

14:34all public hearings indicated as a PH

14:36will be announced. Madame clerk, if you

14:38would read us the items that are to be

14:40considered for consent.

14:42>> Yes, ma'am. The consent agenda begins on

14:44page two with items two, three, and

14:49four.

14:52Page three, items five and eight.

14:59Page four, items nine and 10.

15:05Page five, items 11, 12, 13, and 14.

15:13Page six, items 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.

15:22Page seven, please note that items 20

15:25and 21 have been withdrawn from the

15:28agenda uh at the recommendation of the

15:31administration.

15:34So, the consent agenda picks up at items

15:3722.

15:37>> Excuse me.

15:39>> Well, wait. I don't think they're moving

15:41that one. Those two items.

15:46Item 20 and 21.

15:48Administration has an answer.

15:51They're not pulling them from the

15:52agenda.

16:07>> Mhm.

16:44as administration. Yes.

16:45>> Yes. Items 20 and 21 will be withdrawn

16:48for now.

16:57And is there any answer as to when these

17:00may come back on the agenda?

17:04>> Excuse me.

17:26All right. Thank you. So items 2021 you

17:28said withdrawn. You can continue. Thank

17:30you.

17:31>> All right. The consent agenda picks up

17:33again on page seven with items 22 23 24

17:3925.

17:42Page 8, 26, 27, 28, 29,

17:4930, 31.

17:53Page 9, items 32, 33, 34, 35, 36.

18:03Page 10, items 37, 38, 39.

18:10Page 11, items 40,

18:1441, [snorts] 42.

18:22Page 12, items 43,

18:2644, 45.

18:3113 items 46 47 48 49

18:4014 items 50 51 52 53

18:49page 15 items 54 55 56 and 57

19:00page 16 items 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63.

19:11Page 17, item 64. And that completes the

19:14consent agenda. Thank you, Madam Clerk.

19:17Counselors, are there any items you'd

19:19like to have added or removed from

19:20consent?

19:25Okay, thank you. Hearing none. Can we

19:27have a motion and a second for approval

19:29of the consent agenda?

19:31>> Move. Second.

19:32>> All in favor? Let it be known by saying

19:34I.

19:34>> I.

19:35>> All oppose.

19:37>> All right. Thank you. The items that

19:38were listed for consent have been

19:40approved. We'll continue with the rest

19:42of our agenda. And madame clerk, if you

19:44will start with item six.

19:47>> Item six.

19:47>> Yes, ma'am. On page three.

19:49>> Okay. Item six is on page three.

19:54an ordinance approving and authorizing

19:57the mayor to execute an

19:58intergovernmental agreement with city of

20:02with the city of Mountainbrook, Alabama,

20:05pursuant to which the city of

20:07Mountainbrook will install a public art

20:10sculpture at the center of a public

20:12roundabout located on Kahaba Road within

20:16Birmingham's corporate limits near

20:19Mountainbrook boundary. and the city of

20:21Birmingham will grant the city of

20:22Mountainbrook access to the right ofway

20:25for installation and maintenance of the

20:28sculpture. This is an item of permanent

20:31operation. So, we will need unanimous

20:33consent first to take up the item.

20:36>> So, move.

20:38>> Council member Gun.

20:41>> Hi.

20:42>> Council member O'Quinn.

20:43>> Hi,

20:44>> Council Member Smith.

20:48>> Council member Smitherman is out.

20:51Council member Vasa.

20:53>> Hi.

20:54>> Council member Williams.

20:55>> Hi.

20:57>> Council member Woods.

20:58>> Hi.

21:00>> Council President Pro Tim Tate.

21:03>> And council president Alexander.

21:05>> I a

21:10counselors. This is an ordinance

21:11approving and authorizing the mayor to

21:13execute an intergovernmental agreement

21:14with the city of Mountain Brook,

21:16Alabama, where the city of Mount Brook

21:18will install a public art sculpture at

21:21the center of a public roundabout. Any

21:24questions concerning this particular

21:26agreement?

21:28This time we're ready to entertain the

21:30vote.

21:32All in favor, let it be known by saying

21:34I.

21:35>> I.

21:35>> All opposed.

21:38>> Item passes. Item seven, please.

21:41>> Item seven on page three is an ordinance

21:44approving and authorizing the mayor to

21:46execute an intergovernmental agreement

21:48with Jefferson County, Alabama, under

21:51which Jefferson County will grant the

21:53city access to portions of the Roosevelt

21:57City Pedestrian Bridge over Valley Creek

22:01located outside the city limits. Which

22:03bridge connects a Birmingham

22:05neighborhood to Roosevelt City Park and

22:07Recreation Center? And the city will

22:10undertake repairs and maintenance of the

22:13bridge. Again, this is an item of

22:15permanent operation. So, we need

22:16unanimous consent to take it up.

22:19>> So, move.

22:21>> Council member Gun.

22:23>> Hi,

22:23>> Council Member O'Quinn.

22:25>> Hi,

22:26>> Council Member Smith.

22:27>> Hi,

22:29>> Council Member Vasa. Hi,

22:32>> Council Member Williams.

22:34>> Hi,

22:35>> Council Member Woods.

22:36>> Hi,

22:37>> Council President Prom Tate.

22:40>> And Council President Alexander.

22:43>> I

22:48counselors. This is an ordinance

22:49approving and authorizing the mayor to

22:52execute an intergovernmental agreement

22:53with Jefferson County under which the

22:56county will grant the city access to

22:58portions of the Roosevelt City

23:00Pedestrian Bridge which crosses over

23:02Valley Creek and is located between a

23:04neighborhood that um gives you access to

23:06the Roosevelt Community Center. Any

23:09questions regarding this item?

23:13We're ready for the vote.

23:15>> All in favor? Let it be known by saying

23:17I.

23:17>> I. All opposed.

23:20All right. Thank you. This item passes.

23:22I am very excited. This is in district

23:247. I know this is long time coming. A

23:26lot of residents had asked for this to

23:29allow that access. It was one that we

23:31used often uh when I was growing up that

23:33connected you to the neighboring uh

23:36community. And so we're glad now that

23:38we'll be able to give these residences

23:39access back to the Roosevelt Center. So,

23:42thank you very much. Thank you,

23:43administration. Appreciate that. Next

23:46item. And we'll keep going. And let's

23:48see. We have any other items open other

23:51than the public hearing item?

23:52>> No, ma'am.

23:53>> All right. Thank you. So, now we'll call

23:54that item up.

23:55>> Okay. Item number one on page two,

23:58an ordinance to amend the zoning

24:00district map of the city of Birmingham,

24:03case number ZAC

24:052025-000027

24:09to change zone district boundaries for

24:12all properties in the Pratt Ensley

24:14framework plan area located in the Pratt

24:17community and Ensley community filed by

24:20the city of Birmingham. And this is the

24:22hearing of all interested parties.

24:24Motion, please.

24:27>> All right. Thank you. At this time, we

24:29will u have the public hearing and

24:31councelor Foster will conduct the

24:33hearing. Council Bosa, I turn the

24:35meeting over to you.

24:36>> Thank you, Madam President. Um is staff

24:39uh available for uh an update on the

24:43plan. Thank you.

25:12Good morning. My name is Kim Sproul. I

25:15serve as the zoning administrator for

25:17the city and department of planning,

25:18engineering, and permits. And also with

25:21us today is Donald Wilbourne, who serves

25:23a senior planner in the department of

25:25planning, engineering, and permits. and

25:27we are before you today for the public

25:30hearing for the Pratt Ensley resoning.

25:34Um, so just real quickly to go over the

25:37neighborhoods that are involved in this

25:39resoning application in the Pratt

25:42community, we have Central Pratt, North

25:45Pratt, Sanduski, Smithfield Estates,

25:49South Pratt, and the Thomas

25:51neighborhoods. And then in the Enley

25:53neigh community, we have the

25:55neighborhoods of Ensley, Tuxedo, Wam,

25:59Dolomite, Sherman Heights, and Oakidge.

26:03So these are the only neighborhoods that

26:05are involved in this communitywide

26:08resoning.

26:09And just to reiterate, I know that we

26:12have probably beat these goals into

26:14y'all's heads the past few years, but

26:17the overall goals of our communitywide

26:20resoning is to align our zoning with the

26:23city's comprehensive plan that was

26:26adopted in 2013. We are also trying to

26:30consolidate our zoning ordinance. We

26:32currently have three titles in our

26:35ordinance and this will allow us to

26:37consolidate that ordinance to about half

26:40the pages that we have now, which will

26:42be easier for our residents and for our

26:45staff to work out of. We are also using

26:48these communitywide framework plan

26:50resonings as an opportunity to downzone

26:53heavy industrial areas that are vacant

26:56or inactive. We also have introduced our

27:00mixeduse districts in all of our

27:02communitywide resonings to create more

27:05vibrant and walkable communities in all

27:08of our neighborhoods. And then we are

27:10also implementing urban neighborhood

27:13district in our communitywide resoning

27:15framework plans for more flexible

27:18housing options for our residents.

27:22Um, another reminder throughout this

27:24framework plan resoning process, we are

27:27not adding any Q conditions to any of

27:31these properties. If there are QE

27:33conditions that a previous council or

27:36this council has adopted on properties

27:40in these areas, those Q conditions have

27:43remained, but we have not added any new

27:46Q conditions as part of this process.

27:50So for this particular community, for

27:53Pratt and Ensley, we began meeting in

27:56September of 2024 with the community to

28:00discuss this communitywide resoning. We

28:03met four times in 2024 and in 2025 with

28:07the community to discuss the resoning

28:10plan and the plan was voted on by the

28:13community in February of 2025 with their

28:16support. The Birmingham Planning

28:19Commission met in November of 2025 and

28:22made a recommendation to approve this

28:25resoning plan with one condition. And

28:28I'm going to go over that condition in

28:30just a moment with you guys. In May of

28:34and in June of this year, the planning

28:37and zoning committee recommended

28:39approval of this resoning plan. And then

28:42staff had additional town hall meetings

28:45in August of this year to meet with

28:48residents to answer any questions that

28:50they had about the two resoning maps.

28:55So at the planning commission meeting

28:57last November, the planning commission

28:59did recommend approval. However, there

29:01were some concerns from some of the

29:04neighbors about properties that were

29:07zoned for I4, which is our um our

29:11district that allows for landfills and

29:14for mining. Um, so if you recall, we did

29:17propose those updates before the council

29:20and you did adopt them in the spring

29:23where we updated our I4 mining landfill

29:27and timbering district to include

29:30definitions for a private and a sanitary

29:33landfill. And we added them as special

29:36exception uses. So that would mean that

29:39they would go to the neighborhood for

29:41approval first if a new landfill were to

29:45be introduced in an I4 district. To

29:48assist with your presentation, we're

29:50having some problems uh generating what

29:53you have on your screen. So I believe

29:54they're going to try to make some

29:55adjustments if you'll give them a few

29:57minutes.

29:58>> Okay.

30:01>> Cody's coming back out to help her. Yes.

30:03>> Okay.

30:05>> Thank you.

30:18It's not showing up.

31:40I apologize.

31:42>> That's okay.

31:42>> Um, so just um we were on the planning

31:46commission update. So, if you recall,

31:48the council did adopt those changes from

31:51the planning commission.

32:01It still doesn't like us, but that's

32:02okay. Um, so, um, we also wanted to

32:06address the Ensley work site. There have

32:08been a lot of questions surrounding the

32:11zoning for that property. The Ensley

32:14work site is currently zoned MXD which

32:17is planned mixed use. Um this change

32:21this plan does propose changing that to

32:23I1 light manufacturing. And the reason

32:26that that change was being made um is

32:29because light manufacturing allows light

32:32manufacturing business and office uses

32:36particularly in a business park type

32:38setting with an emphasis on advanced

32:41manufacturing logistics and then green

32:44energy technology which is what the

32:47vision for this site would include. Um,

32:50so that is why we have proposed to

32:52change that site from MXD to I1. Um, and

32:56I'd also like to point MXD requires a

32:59lot of conceptual plan approvals. Um,

33:01and it does require site development

33:03plan approvals, but there have been no

33:06development or conceptual plans

33:08submitted for that site. Um, it's also a

33:11brownfield site, so it makes more sense

33:13for it to be zoned I1 than MXD.

33:18So, the key takeaways as far as um the

33:21Pratt Ensley resoning plan. Um on

33:24February 25th, 2025, the Pratt Enley

33:27community did recommend approval of this

33:29resoning plan to the city council. The

33:32Birmingham Planning Commission also

33:34recommend approval in November of 2025.

33:38And then the planning and zoning

33:40committee also recommended approval to

33:42the city council on May 12th and June

33:459th for this resoning plan. And we would

33:48be happy to answer any questions if you

33:50have them for us regarding this Pratt

33:53Ensley resoning.

34:19Thank you. Were there any other comments

34:21or is that it for now? All right. Any

34:23comments from uh council? Any questions

34:25for staff?

34:31>> All right. Seeing none, uh we will now

34:33open this up for a public hearing.

34:36>> Yes.

34:41>> I'm so sorry.

34:41>> Oh, okay. But before we do that, we have

34:44a question from councelor

34:45>> prom. Quick question. Um, I did hear you

34:49talk about a Q condition. What What is

34:51that Q condition? So the Q conditions

34:54are any property that had been reszoned

34:57prior to today. The Q conditions that

35:00have been adopted by the council over

35:02the years have stayed. Okay.

35:05>> So we have not altered any of those.

35:07They're actually it's about a 20page

35:10list of the Q conditions. They should be

35:12in your packets. Okay.

35:14>> But we have not altered those Q

35:16conditions.

35:16>> The Q conditions remain.

35:18>> Yes, ma'am. They just will carry over as

35:21part of this plan.

35:22>> Okay. Thank you.

35:23>> Yes, ma'am.

35:25>> Thank you, Prom. Any other questions

35:27from council for staff?

35:43All right, we will now open this up to

35:47uh the public for a public hearing. Um

35:50just a few reminders on how this works.

35:53Uh folks, we're going to ask that

35:55comments stay relevant to the topic at

35:57hand. If they stray off, uh I will

35:59redirect. Uh the council uh will not

36:02respond directly to any comments. Uh

36:05staff is on hand and can address that uh

36:07as needed. And also a reminder that each

36:10speaker will be given three minutes to

36:12speak. Uh and the time will be displayed

36:15on the ma monitors to my left and right.

36:19All right. If anyone's interested in

36:21speaking, please uh go begin lining up

36:23to my right, your left on this side

36:25right here. Do we have anybody

36:26interested in speaking?

36:33Thank you. [clears throat] Please go

36:34ahead and make your way to line up.

36:40I see two speakers.

36:43All right.

36:46Thank you, sir. If you can uh state your

36:49name and your address

36:51and the three minutes will begin.

36:53>> Good morning. My name is David Rivers. I

36:55live at 140 on 942nd Street in Ensley in

36:59the Belleview Height area and I am

37:01speaking on the zoning. I know this is

37:03not in Belleview Height, but it is also

37:06surrounding the Belleview Height

37:07community, but I had three questions.

37:10How would these proposals zoning change

37:13the uh surrounding area residents and

37:17what characters would change the

37:18community? The second question is what

37:22uh safeguards will and conditions be put

37:24in place to secure and make sure these

37:27uh zoning uh visions be done properly

37:31where they can be addressed by the

37:32citizens.

37:34Thirdly, if the zoning board approved

37:37these uh requests, who will be

37:39responsible for uh making sure the

37:42zoning and everything is done properly

37:45for the community?

37:47And those are my questions. Also too, I

37:50would like if it's any way possible with

37:52the zoning committee a lot of time when

37:54they go out to these elderly

37:56neighborhoods when he start speaking

37:57like zone 1D4, it's kind of like

38:01misleading to them cuz I don't think

38:02they quite understand sometime what all

38:05those initials mean. So, it' be more

38:08helpful for them to be broken down to

38:10them so they'll know because I did hear

38:12in his uh in the zoning committee uh

38:16presentations about land fields and I

38:20don't think we need any more landfields

38:21in our area. But thank you so much.

38:26>> Thank you for your comments,

38:29Councelor Quinn. Um, I just point out

38:33that planning and zoning staff are a

38:36available to

38:38answer all of those questions really.

38:40They're in conference room A, which is

38:42right across the hall over here. So, um,

38:48you know, as Miss Burl pointed out, this

38:51is the

38:53last step in a very long process. I

38:55think the Ensley framework plan

38:57reszoning has been going on for a couple

39:00of years now. Um and um is

39:07um so there's been a lot of community

39:09engagement um culminating at this public

39:14hearing. The um other thing,

39:18you know, to just be aware of is is that

39:22uh zoning is really enforced in a lot of

39:26ways. Um, we have a enforcement

39:29mechanism through our PEP department

39:32that if somebody's using a piece of

39:35property that's not in accordance with

39:38the allowed zoning, um, they have an

39:41enforcement team that will go out and

39:44address that issue. The other way that

39:46it's enforced is uh, through the

39:48permitting process um, and business

39:52licensing process. So, um, if you're

39:56trying to operate a get a business

39:58license, you have to, um, provide the

40:02location of where that business is going

40:04to be operating and the zoning, you

40:08know, has to allow that type of use. uh

40:12if you want to construct uh do any type

40:15of you know construction that requires a

40:19permit um you know that's also a point

40:23where the um zoning you know would be um

40:29validated. So hope that re answers some

40:33of your questions but again PEP staff

40:36are right across the hall. They have the

40:39maps um with all the proposed uh zoning

40:43changes and they're available to answer

40:48any and all of your questions.

40:50>> Thank you.

40:51>> Thank you, Councelor Quinn. Next

40:52speaker. Thank you. Please state your

40:55name and your address.

40:58>> Yes. Good morning. Uh my name is Harry

41:00Chambers and I'm the vice president of

41:02Osborne Enterprises. We are located at

41:04825th Street Enley on the corner of

41:07Avenue H. We've been located that that

41:10uh office space for the last 35 years. I

41:13want to thank you guys for finally

41:15deciding to change the zoning stuff in

41:17my community because the buildings have

41:19been falling down for years. Uh and I

41:22appreciate your efforts. I also would

41:25like to thank you for um

41:29being

41:33observant that there are existing

41:35businesses in that community. Also, uh,

41:37mine is one and it's been I've been told

41:40I need to talk to the zoning advisory

41:42committee to get it reszoned to what it

41:44was before. Um, so I thank you for what

41:48you're doing. Uh, I appreciate the

41:51effort to do the ch zoning changes and I

41:53look forward to correcting the zoning

41:56issue on the property that I currently

41:58exist in. Uh, because I bought two other

42:00properties and I need to make sure I

42:02include all of those in that. So, thank

42:04you.

42:07Thank you for that comment. Do we have

42:09any other speakers?

42:13>> All right, seeing none, this concludes

42:14the public hearing. Uh, Madame

42:17President, I hand this over to you.

42:20>> Thank you very much. Thank you, Council

42:22Levasa, for um conducting that hearing.

42:25Councilors, any questions?

42:27We're ready to entertain the vote.

42:30>> All in favor, let it be known by saying

42:32I. I. All opposed.

42:35>> All right. Thank you.

42:38That item passes.

42:40Does that conclude our agenda, Madam

42:42Clerk? I think it does.

42:43>> Yes, ma'am.

43:14you all just give us one moment. Thank

43:15you.

43:26[snorts]

44:53Thanks everyone for your patience. We'll

44:55return back to our agenda. At this time,

44:59we thank everyone for the participation.

45:01And all of our items have been

45:03considered on the agenda. And now we

45:05will entertain

45:09comments from our districts. Councelor

45:12Williams, you seem to be ready.

45:14>> I'm always ready. U Madame President, uh

45:17Crestland neighborhood will be Thursday,

45:19September 24th at 6 o'clock at Hope

45:20Church. Southeast Lake [snorts] will be

45:22Monday, September 28th, 6 o'clock.

45:24Southeast Lake United Methodist.

45:26Crestwood South will be on the same day,

45:28the 28th at 6:30 at the Jewish Community

45:31Center. And I'm also going to read uh

45:33Miss Smitherman's

45:35uh announcements for District 6 as well

45:37in her absence. And uh the first one is

45:40that she would like um to invite

45:43everyone out to join Saturday, September

45:4526 for the Brenda Brown Bosom Buddy,

45:47Sister Strut from 7 uh a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

45:51at Legion Field. Uh it will be a great

45:54event focused on exercise, health,

45:56wellness. Um and I know that that event

46:00has been wildly successful in the past.

46:02Uh Saturday, September 26, also Urban

46:05Ministry collard green cookoff will take

46:07place 11 to 3:00. Um uh urban ministry

46:12and we gardens located at at 1229 Cotton

46:16Avenue Southwest. uh she asked that

46:19everyone come out and join uh for food,

46:22community and fellowship. Get fit while

46:25you sit continues for its final Monday

46:28in September. And if you will join um

46:31them, it is a free community fitness

46:33class um with veteran DJ Maestro Monday

46:37from September 28th from 9:30 a.m. to

46:4010:30 a.m. at Holy Family Cristo Ray

46:44Catholic High School. And um I know that

46:47that event also has been successful um

46:50especially for some with the senior

46:52community. The Woodland Park

46:53neighborhood meeting will take place

46:55Monday, September 28th at 6 p.m. at Wood

46:58Woodland Church of Christ and all

47:01residents are encouraged to come out to

47:03stay informed. And that is everything

47:05for District 6. Thank you.

47:07>> Thank you so much, Council Vasa.

47:09>> Thank you, Madam President. This Friday,

47:11September 25th, at the Altoont School

47:13Theater, the Southern Exposure Films

47:15will debut. Mix and Mingling at 5:00 PM.

47:19Film starts at 6:30. This free event is

47:21presented by the Alabama Rivers

47:23Alliance. Next, uh, story time at the

47:26Gardens. Uh, bring your preschoolers and

47:28little ones to enjoy a story in the

47:30gardens. This story time fosters a love

47:32of reading, creativity, and nature as

47:35well. uh this Friday, September 25th,

47:3710:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Gardens.

47:41And lastly, Growing Up with Attekus uh

47:44is at the Virginia Sanford Theater. Um

47:48this uh will this show will be um

47:51running through September 27th. Um

47:54tickets on sale online.

47:57That is uh concludes my announcements.

47:59Thank you, Madam President.

48:00>> Thank you very much, Council Smith.

48:02Great. Thank you. First want to say

48:04congratulations to councelor Gun on a

48:07very nice and successful safe summer

48:09concert series at East Lake Park on

48:11Sunday. Um so that was it was nice to

48:14see the carnival. So great job. Also

48:16want to say congratulations to counselor

48:19Clinton Woods. He um picked up a tennis

48:21racket a couple months ago and this past

48:23weekend participated in his first tennis

48:26tournament at the James Lewis Tennis

48:27Center. Um so congratul [laughter]

48:35Uh, so he played well, his partner maybe

48:37not so much, but he played well and did

48:39a great job. So um, and also

48:41congratulations to the James Lewis

48:42Tennis Center on a successful Magic City

48:45Tennis tournament. We had people from

48:47uh, Michigan, Tennessee, Florida,

48:50Mississippi, all over to come and

48:52participate in this um, weekend

48:54tournament. So kudos to Donald Smith and

48:57Cheryl Lockard and all the people that

48:59worked hard to put that event on.

49:01Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 23rd, at

49:036 PM, Sloth Furnace is hosting a panel

49:06discussion, Forged in Iron, Built by

49:08Hand: Black Labor and the Making of

49:10Birmingham. Um, also roll call, 200

49:13Years of Black American Art, opens this

49:15weekend at the Birmingham Museum of Art.

49:17The exhibition runs from September 26th

49:20through January 17, 2027.

49:25Birmingham Park and Recre is hosting a

49:28block party this Saturday, September 26

49:30from 1 to 4 at Wiggins Park. Um, and

49:33also um I see here we have John Nihan,

49:36but just want to mention on Monday,

49:37October 5th, we have a green mass at

49:39Holy Family um

49:42church and Bush Hills Neighborhood

49:44Association is meeting on Tuesday,

49:46September 22nd at 6:30 p.m. Um, which is

49:50today at the Bush Hills Community Garden

49:52Urban Farm. and just want to also say a

49:55happy early birthday to my nephew Marcus

49:57Smith who turns 20 on Thursday.

50:01Thank you.

50:03>> Thank you very much. Happy birthday to

50:05your nephew, Councelor Gun.

50:07>> Thank you, Madam President. Council

50:08Smith beat me to the punch. U but I want

50:11to say thanks to everyone who came out

50:13to the safe summer series concert uh

50:15this weekend at East Lake Park. Uh it

50:17was a phenomenal event by all accounts.

50:20Um, I had an opportunity to go out and

50:22mingle um with neighbors um from

50:25district 4 uh during the concert and

50:27everyone was just excited and ecstatic

50:30about that level of excellence bring

50:33being brought over to uh the east side

50:36uh in East Lake Park. So, I wanted to

50:37say thank you for everyone who made that

50:39uh come into fruition. Um, of course, my

50:41council colleagues that showed up and

50:43those that were there in spirit. Um,

50:45thank you so much for your support. Uh,

50:47Commissioner Tyson was there as well.

50:49So, I want to say thank you to her. I

50:51also want to take us a moment to thank

50:52the Birmingham Police Department, uh

50:54Birmingham Parks and Wreck, uh for going

50:57all above and beyond uh to make this

51:00event happen. Um fire and rescue, they

51:03were there um as well. So, thank you to

51:05them. And then most importantly, um my

51:07team and then uh the team at OPA, thank

51:11you all so much for uh everything that

51:13you all did to make that event happen.

51:15Um it couldn't have happened without all

51:17of your support. Uh so next up I want to

51:20make sure I uh give a recognition to the

51:22Woodline and Kingston communities. Uh

51:25they hosted a Woodline wellness day uh

51:27this Saturday and from the what I've

51:29seen and heard uh it was a phenomenal

51:32well-attended event and it was just an

51:34opportunity for the communities to get

51:35out and get active. Uh so I want to say

51:38a special thanks to Woolon United for

51:39putting on that event. I also want to

51:41give a shout out to the Collegeville

51:43Neighborhood uh Association who had a

51:45very successful community cleanup day uh

51:48in their neighborhood. They are all

51:49about making sure that pride uh resides

51:52in their community. So, I want to say

51:53thank you to uh Collegeville for making

51:55sure that that they keep uh their

51:57neighborhoods clean. Uh next up, uh

52:00community events wise, there will be a

52:02community meeting on Brownsfields uh in

52:04North Birmingham on September the 29th

52:06at 5:30 p.m. uh at the North Birmingham

52:09Library. And so I'm encouraging all

52:11residents uh on the north side and those

52:14who have interest in learning more about

52:16Brownfields to show up to that meeting.

52:18Uh upcoming neighborhood association

52:19meetings, uh Kingston neighborhood

52:21meeting is next Monday, uh September the

52:2428th at 6 p.m. at the Royal Event

52:26Center. Haramman Park is this Thursday,

52:29September the 24th at the Heramman Park

52:31Recreation Center. And then upcoming uh

52:33committee meetings. The next community

52:35development committee meeting is Monday,

52:37October the 5th at 3:30 p.m. in the city

52:40council chambers. If you have any items

52:42that you would like to submit for the

52:43agenda, please send them to adaris.may

52:46at birmingham.gov

52:48by close of business Monday, September

52:5028th. That concludes my announcements.

52:52>> Thank you very much, Councelor Woods.

52:56>> Thank you. Good morning. Um,

52:58[clears throat] yeah, definitely want to

52:59shout out the uh James Lewis Tennis

53:01Center did a great job putting on a

53:03tournament. I think uh Councelor Smith

53:06brought Mr. Smith uh to council earlier

53:10this year.

53:11>> And so I I didn't know that they had all

53:13that going on out there, but they're

53:14doing actually uh basically free tennis

53:17lessons Monday [snorts] through Thursday

53:19in the evening. And so I've been going

53:21out a few months learning how to play

53:22and found myself on the court. So

53:24definitely encourage anybody uh that's

53:26interested to uh get engaged and learn

53:28something new. I think learning a new

53:30thing is uh good for everybody. It's uh

53:33my daughter is eight years old. She's

53:35been playing for a couple years now, but

53:38uh she's a number eight player in 12 in

53:40the state of Alabama and so I've watched

53:42her a lot and I got to got to try to

53:44catch up so I can beat her uh before she

53:46gets too far down the road. [laughter]

53:49uh a couple neighborhood associations or

53:50a neighborhood association meeting

53:52coming up on next Monday, September 28th

53:55at 7 p.m. at Huffman Baptist Church.

53:57That is the Huffman neighborhood

53:59meeting. Also, the next budget and

54:01finance committee meeting will be

54:02Monday, September 28th at 3:30 p.m.

54:05Agenda submissions are due by noon on

54:08Wednesday, September 23rd. Uh, also want

54:11to thank everybody who came out last

54:13week for coffee and community last

54:16Thursday as well as the volunteers from

54:18the uh that came out to work with us and

54:20Black Warrior Rivereper on Saturday uh

54:23at the East Pensson Valley Rec Center.

54:25Uh appreciate everybody that continues

54:27to show up and stay engaged. And if you

54:29are looking for a way to get involved

54:30and make an impact, uh you can volunteer

54:32with the Goodter grocery store over at

54:35Huffin Middle School. you can become a

54:37stair reading teacher uh at Sun Valley

54:40Martha Gastings Elementary or Huffman

54:42Academy. And um also want to celebrate

54:45if you're aware of somebody that has a

54:47big milestone uh could be 50 years of

54:49marriage, 100 years old, uh graduation,

54:53anything like that that you want to

54:54share with the community, uh you can

54:55reach out to bhm district1gmail.com

54:59and we'll be happy to recognize them.

55:01Thank you.

55:03>> Thank you very much, Council Quinn.

55:05Thank you, Madam President. We have a

55:07couple of neighborhood association

55:09meetings tonight in District 5. Fountain

55:12Heights Neighborhood Association will

55:13meet at 6 PM tonight at the Fountain

55:15Heights Rec Center and Crestwood North

55:18Neighborhood Association will meet

55:20tonight at Girls Incorporated.

55:23Um, and just a reminder that um there's

55:26a couple of farmers markets that take

55:28place every Saturday morning. Uh the

55:32first is the Pepper Place Market in the

55:34Lake View area and uh the East Lake

55:37Farmers Market that takes place uh at

55:41East Lake United Methodist Church on

55:44First Avenue South in the parking lot.

55:46So uh that concludes my announcements.

55:49Thank you.

55:50>> Thank you, Madam President.

55:52>> Thank you, Madam President. Dolamite

55:54Neighborhood Association meeting is

55:55tonight at 6 PM. They meet on conference

55:57call. You can dial in at 7208432669.

56:03Access code is 3789426

56:06as councelor O'Quinn has mentioned.

56:09Fountain Heights Neighborhood

56:10Association meeting is tonight at 6 p.m.

56:11at the Fountain Heights Rec Center. In

56:14Ridge Neighborhood Association meeting

56:16is Thursday, September the 24th at 5:30

56:20at New Salem Baptist Church and it's

56:21located at 16326

56:24Street North. and Drury Hill

56:26Neighborhoods Association will meet on

56:28Monday, September the 28th at 6 p.m. at

56:32Protective Stadium. The next public

56:34safety meeting is today at 1:00 p.m. in

56:36the council chamber. Also, I am going to

56:39be partnering with Council Gun. We're

56:41going to be bringing Avenue Street

56:43Market to the North Birmingham Square.

56:46So, we excited about that. It's going to

56:48be on October the 17th from 10:00 a.m.

56:51to 2:00 p.m. So, we will have flyers

56:54that we will um you know, if you want to

56:57participate, we're calling all vendors

56:59and you can we'll leave some information

57:01in various locations, libraries, and

57:04we'll also be going on mainstream media

57:07talking about this event as well. And

57:09I'm very super excited. If you think you

57:12got what it takes to host 205 in Park,

57:15um HBCU edition. So, we doing a casting

57:18call. We calling all H.B.CU students. If

57:20you think you got what it takes to host

57:22205 in Park, please um

57:27um submit your information. It's also a

57:29flyer with a QR code. I will provide

57:31this information to y'all, but we'll

57:33have this on all social platforms. So,

57:35we excited about um honoring, you know,

57:38the H.B.C.U., you we'll be talking about

57:40you know things that are trending like

57:41the future of the HB.CU's cus, you know,

57:44we nil is a hot topic now. So, we need

57:46to be talking about, you know, NIL

57:48dating, you know, while, you know,

57:50attending a H.B.CU mental uh health and

57:53domestic violence. So, we excited about

57:56um 205 and park and hosting our H.B.CU

57:59units. And if you are an H.B.CU alum,

58:02please come out to this event and um

58:05listen, enjoy this event. Um this

58:07casting call is um happening now. the

58:10deadline to, you know, submit your

58:12information. Um, it's October the 2nd.

58:15So, you scan a QR code. We'll have it

58:17all floating around. We have these

58:19flyers out with the QR code. And also,

58:22the the show takes place October the

58:2423rd at the Boutwell again from 10:00

58:27a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Thank you, Madam

58:29President.

58:29>> Thank you very much. Thank you everyone

58:31for your announcements. These are

58:32announcements for district 7. Just want

58:35to remind everyone that Saturday,

58:37September 26 is Brenda Brown Bosom

58:41Buddies. She's hosting her 15th annual

58:44Sister Strut at Legion Field and that

58:46will be from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. I

58:49really ask everyone if you can come out

58:51and participate. Think of supporting

58:52Brenda's Brown Bosom Buddies. Not only

58:55does she help cancer patients, but she

58:57helps families. And um she's been doing

59:00this for quite some time and she needs

59:01our help. So come on out. There's always

59:03great fun, great activities. So that

59:05Saturday, September 26, Legion Field

59:087:00 a.m. to 11. And on Monday,

59:11September 28th, the Tarpley City

59:13Neighborhood Association will meet at 6

59:15PM at the Merid Door Center. And if you

59:17will allow me to um wish my son Gregory

59:21a happy birthday. His birthday is on

59:23Friday the 25th. So happy birthday,

59:26Gregory. He'll be 43 years old. So very

59:28proud of him. Thank you very much. That

59:30ends my announcements. At this time, we

59:33will entertain

59:35community voices and our speakers list.

59:38And so, madame clerk, if you'll call the

59:40first speaker.

59:41>> Yes, ma'am. John M.

59:45>> Okay. And as he comes forward, just know

59:47that if you give us your name and

59:49address, you have three minutes. We have

59:51these video boards on either side of us

59:53and it shows your countdown. Good

59:55morning.

59:56>> Good morning. I'm John Mian. I reside at

1:00:0130001

1:00:03Avenue D in Eninsley. Proud of it. Uh

1:00:08I'm in Coun Council President Pro Tim uh

1:00:13Tate's district.

1:00:15Um I wanted to announce on OC as

1:00:19Councilwoman Smith just announced

1:00:23St. Mary Holy Family is having a green

1:00:27mass. our 6th annual green mass to take

1:00:30place on October the 5th at 700 p.m.

1:00:34Normally the St. Francis of Aissi uh

1:00:38falls on on on a Sunday, but we decided

1:00:42to have it the next day because we are

1:00:45inviting members of our environmental

1:00:48community to participate because last

1:00:51year when they come, our priest, Father

1:00:54Philip Paxton, our pastor, gave them a

1:00:57special blessing. And we're going to

1:01:00have it again at 700 p.m. And the theme

1:01:04for this year's uh green mass will be

1:01:07immersed in in living waters. Where the

1:01:11river flows,

1:01:13everything will live. Ezekiel uh chapter

1:01:1747 verse 9 and 12. So, it's about trying

1:01:21to protect our community, protect, you

1:01:24know, to get people involved because

1:01:27climate change is a is serious. It's

1:01:29real. So, I got some flyers here I would

1:01:33like to pass out to all of them. Uh

1:01:37hope hope that's enough.

1:01:42>> So, we'd like for you all to come uh

1:01:46because also let me just say this. We

1:01:49have St. Joseph's Catholic Church, which

1:01:52is a Hispanic church uh parish and and

1:01:57it is in your district, Council

1:01:59President Pearl Tim uh Tate, you might

1:02:02want to visit them and get in touch with

1:02:05him. Father Patio is the pastor there.

1:02:08And so that's part of our passionist

1:02:11community since we're a religious order

1:02:14and what we have holy family uh St.

1:02:18Joseph and St. Mary's as a part of the

1:02:21our uh passion is community. So I'd urge

1:02:24all of you to come. It's we're going to

1:02:27have a reception afterwards and

1:02:28fellowship. So this is a way of trying

1:02:32to get our community together to protect

1:02:36God's creation because not only for us

1:02:39but for our future for the that are

1:02:42going to be coming coming after us. So,

1:02:45thank you for your time and effort.

1:02:48>> Thank you very much.

1:02:53>> Next speaker,

1:02:54>> Mary Khaw.

1:03:03>> Good morning.

1:03:07>> Good morning, counselors. Thank you for

1:03:09this opportunity to speak. Um,

1:03:12>> your name and address. My name is Mary

1:03:14Krenshaw

1:03:16and my property is at 312 Avenue V in

1:03:20Pratt City. I actually reside in

1:03:23Maryland. And the reason, you'll

1:03:25understand why I said that in a minute.

1:03:29So, it just so happened that during this

1:03:31visit,

1:03:33it coincided with this meeting, which

1:03:36I've always wanted to come to.

1:03:39Uh I am very concerned about the um

1:03:44various dilapidated properties in my

1:03:47community

1:03:48and the reason that is so important is

1:03:51that I really don't see a lot of

1:03:53movement on it. I usually come here

1:03:56about once or twice a year and the

1:03:59properties remain the same. This has

1:04:01spanned over several years. I was able

1:04:05prior to this meeting to speak with Miss

1:04:07Williams. She told me that there are

1:04:10several properties that have been

1:04:12demolished and are slated for

1:04:15demolition. However, this particular

1:04:17property that is on my street, it is

1:04:20owned by a business and as she informed

1:04:23me, several properties in that community

1:04:26are owned by businesses. My question is,

1:04:29why aren't these businesses being held

1:04:31accountable? This particular property,

1:04:34as she told me, was inspected last year

1:04:37and is also scheduled for another

1:04:39inspection.

1:04:41This property is beyond inspection.

1:04:44Uh there are weeds that are literally

1:04:47overtaking this property. I feel very

1:04:50unsafe during my visits when I come here

1:04:53uh to even walk down the street because

1:04:56with these vacant properties

1:04:59uh dogs take up residence and when you

1:05:02walk down the street you just never

1:05:04really know when they're going to come

1:05:05out and attack you. That is my first

1:05:07issue. My second issue is

1:05:11unfortunately

1:05:13during my visits here, although

1:05:15infrequent,

1:05:18there's hardly a time that I come here

1:05:20that I do not hear gunshots.

1:05:22Just the other night, there were four

1:05:24gunshots

1:05:26fired. I was alarmed and I called 911

1:05:31and said there are gunshots in my

1:05:33neighborhood. And uh the woman told me

1:05:35that she would dispatch a patrol

1:05:38officer. Um I called my neighbor. I

1:05:42said, "Did you hear those gunshots?" And

1:05:44to my surprise, he was very

1:05:47complacent about it. He was like, "Oh

1:05:49yeah, that happens kind of on a regular

1:05:52basis." So, I want to know, you know, uh

1:05:55particularly councelor Tate, uh what is

1:05:59being done to address those particular

1:06:02particular issues? If you could answer

1:06:05those.

1:06:10>> Um you you did meet with Miss Williams.

1:06:13>> Yes, I did meet with Miss Williams. She

1:06:15provided me with her card. And um then

1:06:18we have our city attorney here who

1:06:21attorney King who can actually tell you

1:06:23the law

1:06:25>> about dilapidated structures.

1:06:27>> Yes.

1:06:27>> It's it's just not impressed city. It's

1:06:30everywhere.

1:06:30>> Absolutely.

1:06:31>> And I will be the first to tell you and

1:06:34I'm very proud of the work I have done

1:06:36to res to reduce violence in the city of

1:06:38Birmingham.

1:06:40>> We have no control of people shooting.

1:06:43When people shoot, I have no idea. I

1:06:45don't know when people decided they want

1:06:47to just take guns. It's illegal to fire

1:06:50shots anyway in this city. So

1:06:54I think you did what was right. Call the

1:06:56police so they can address it. And you

1:07:00know that's the thing that you know you

1:07:02can do is is call the police. But um gun

1:07:06violence has been reduced significantly

1:07:08you know in the city of Birmingham. Yes.

1:07:10>> But you know, attorney King can, you

1:07:14know, tell you the Alabama code, the law

1:07:16that we have to follow.

1:07:18>> Yes.

1:07:18>> Um to address any dilapidated

1:07:21structures, particularly being a private

1:07:23structure.

1:07:24>> Absolutely.

1:07:24>> You have to take the law. You have to

1:07:26follow the law. And it takes about eight

1:07:28weeks or so, you know, to get those

1:07:31things addressed. this council

1:07:34today we voted on weed abatement and

1:07:37nuisance properties and dilapidated

1:07:39structures.

1:07:40>> Um all throughout the year we um I get a

1:07:44update on what's being torn down you

1:07:46know in the you know in this in in the

1:07:49community. So

1:07:50>> you know I I have to follow the law but

1:07:54things don't go unnoticed in District 9.

1:07:57I'm going make that very very clear for

1:07:59anybody that's in the audience and

1:08:02people that are listening live.

1:08:04>> Yes.

1:08:04>> You know, I ride the communities every

1:08:06day. My staff has days that they go out

1:08:09and we turn in problems,

1:08:12>> multiple problems,

1:08:14>> but I think everybody has to play their

1:08:16part, you know, in community as well.

1:08:19And it is a shame that people own these

1:08:22properties and just think it's okay to

1:08:25do what they do. Some of the properties

1:08:27that's owned in these in these areas are

1:08:29people that probably people that you

1:08:30grew up with and they just go away and

1:08:34um leave their parents' house that they

1:08:37worked very hard to raise them in.

1:08:39>> And is that fair to people that remain

1:08:42or stayed and keeping up their property?

1:08:44Absolutely not.

1:08:45>> Right.

1:08:45>> So don't think what you're saying is

1:08:48going unnoticed. So, um, if you talk to

1:08:51Miss Williams, I can tell attorney King

1:08:53to kind of give you like a high level

1:08:55overview of of the law that we have to

1:08:57follow when it comes to dilapidated

1:08:58structure. I'm going to give yield the

1:08:59floor back.

1:09:01>> Thank you.

1:09:01>> Okay. I appreciate that,

1:09:03>> Dr.

1:09:04>> Yeah. I just wanted to follow up in on

1:09:07particular the the business properties

1:09:10that are dilapidated. So,

1:09:13this is a good opportunity to thank the

1:09:17Jeff Jefferson County legislative

1:09:19delegation again for a law that I

1:09:22believe they passed in 2024

1:09:26um that allows the city to foreclose on

1:09:31municipal leans. And um last year we

1:09:37worked on a local ordinance version of

1:09:39that that that is a tool in our toolbox

1:09:43that hasn't existed before. Um and

1:09:48uh so we have some pretty strict

1:09:50parameters. We're not going after

1:09:53properties that you know are residences

1:09:56and inhabited. Um, but we have plenty of

1:10:01properties that were, you know,

1:10:03commercial structures that have just

1:10:05essentially been abandoned. Um, and,

1:10:10you know, quite frankly, we we got in

1:10:13that situation because, um, Alabama is a

1:10:18very strong,

1:10:20um, property rights state. Um, so,

1:10:25uh, there are a lot of protections in

1:10:28place for for property owners, but this

1:10:31law, this recently passed law, is a, um,

1:10:35a tool that we are very hopeful that we

1:10:39can use in these types of situations to

1:10:43address the issue that has persisted for

1:10:47several decades. So, um, again, I want

1:10:52to thank the Jefferson County

1:10:54Legislative Delegation for their

1:10:56leadership on this issue. Um, and, you

1:11:00know, just

1:11:02point that out as

1:11:04something that has changed uh, recently.

1:11:09and to put these property owners on

1:11:13notice that

1:11:15look, you know, the stat status quo does

1:11:19not exist anymore. If you don't take

1:11:21care of these properties, we will come

1:11:23after you and you will no longer own

1:11:25those properties.

1:11:26>> Right.

1:11:27>> Thank you.

1:11:28>> Okay. Thank you.

1:11:29>> I appreciate it. Thank you so much.

1:11:31>> Thank you very much,

1:11:31>> Miss Greenshaw. just been go yet

1:11:33>> given an alert um that um the

1:11:38condemnation inspectors are on site as

1:11:40we speak

1:11:42>> about the property.

1:11:43>> Okay.

1:11:44>> Okay.

1:11:44>> All right. Thank you.

1:11:45>> And I want to thank everyone. I want to

1:11:46thank you for still investing in your

1:11:49community even though you you don't live

1:11:51here but you still have this interest

1:11:53and you want to

1:11:54>> we live here every day.

1:11:56>> I will be here every time I come for a

1:11:58visit. I will definitely be for you. And

1:12:01I did want to reiterate what Dr. O'Quinn

1:12:03and and my other colleagues have already

1:12:04said. We have had some great stride with

1:12:07the Alabama state legislature on what we

1:12:10see now with these delinquent properties

1:12:12and these property owners. And um stay

1:12:16tuned. We have some items that we really

1:12:18are trying to get on the 2027

1:12:20legislative agenda that will give us

1:12:22some more teeth and more power to go

1:12:24after these type of land owners. So

1:12:26thank you again. Thank you for bringing

1:12:28this before us. Next speaker, Joseph

1:12:31Holt.

1:12:33>> Morning, [snorts] Mr. Holt.

1:12:35>> Madam President and council. Um, Joseph

1:12:37Holt, 4730 Second Avenue North. Um, I'm

1:12:40here on a lighter note. Usually, I

1:12:42address something things that I feel

1:12:44like is going wrong with not right. But,

1:12:46uh, today I want to say that uh, we have

1:12:48a great thing going on with the council

1:12:51and uh, with all that you're doing far

1:12:53as events. Um, uh, my councilman Brian

1:12:55Gun had a great event. A lot of you,

1:12:58Miss Smitherman, Miss Tate, everybody's

1:13:00having great events. We have a great

1:13:02opportunity right now to unify the city.

1:13:05I'm getting a lot of calls that people

1:13:07are coming back out the doors. Voters

1:13:09who have been in the house, people who

1:13:10really haven't cared anymore are

1:13:12starting to come back outside and um

1:13:15take part in this. And I would encourage

1:13:16it, especially Miss Smith. She had a

1:13:18great event and things that everybody's

1:13:20doing, especially in the poor

1:13:22communities. uh continue to use the

1:13:24money that you have to invest in the

1:13:26poor communities. You you don't have no

1:13:28idea. Well, you do have an idea of

1:13:30investing in a poor community, having a

1:13:33street party in an area that is is

1:13:36considered poverty and then seeing your

1:13:38council person come outside and just

1:13:41walk around, it brings hope back to the

1:13:43community. And so, uh what you're doing

1:13:45is great. A lot of you are spending

1:13:47money and spending money in the

1:13:49community. You're feeding people. you

1:13:51having events that is building unity and

1:13:54showing people that it's it's killing

1:13:57the narrative that you don't care. Now,

1:13:59I disagree with a lot of stuff that is

1:14:01done and I voice it, but to see y'all

1:14:03stand up and say, "Hey, I'll have a

1:14:05conversation or I'll talk to you about

1:14:07it, not brush nobody off is rewarding

1:14:10and refreshing." and the money that's

1:14:12being spent, especially Miss Smitherman,

1:14:14uh, Vassora, everybody up here is doing

1:14:16something and spending money out your

1:14:18budget in the community and that's

1:14:21what's needed and it's working and a lot

1:14:23of people are excited about it and I

1:14:25pray that throughout your term everybody

1:14:28continues to do it. So, we can't just

1:14:31say it's election time. You've been

1:14:33doing it throughout and it's working.

1:14:35So, I wanted to say something on a

1:14:36positive note about what I see cuz I

1:14:39like to be balanced in the things that's

1:14:41going on. Thank you so much.

1:14:44>> Thank you very much. Next speaker,

1:14:46>> Harry Chambers Jr.

1:14:51>> Okay, he left. I guess I think he saw

1:14:53his Willie Jenkins.

1:14:57>> Hey, Mr. Jenkins. Good morning.

1:15:00>> 1105 Southwood Drive. Mr. with it. J,

1:15:02>> I had some uh some fly to get it the

1:15:05city council. This is uh men of praise.

1:15:07We doing uh men of praise with uh the

1:15:12fourth Sunday, first Sunday in October,

1:15:13October the 4th at 4:00. We'll be at

1:15:16Beth Baptist Church at P. We ain't never

1:15:18been to Beth, but we coming this coming

1:15:21uh October the 1st. And also uh we

1:15:24having a red blue ball car getting ready

1:15:27this this year at Carver High School

1:15:29this Saturday. Y'all ain't got nothing

1:15:31to do, come on by, drop by the alumni.

1:15:33We having a red blue ball at uh 7:00

1:15:36this coming uh Saturday. And also we are

1:15:40getting ready for our women's day at O

1:15:41Street Baptist Church in Collegeville.

1:15:43Re Patrick Irving is my pastor. We had a

1:15:45fun day yesterday. Saturday the cheering

1:15:47the water slide and everything was real

1:15:49nice and we're getting ready for our

1:15:51annual women day the second Sunday in

1:15:53October at uh O Street Missionary Bible

1:15:56Church 3224 Virginia Avenue North

1:15:58Collegeville and uh Mr. gun. I enjoyed

1:16:01myself yesterday out there to your um

1:16:04district uh out there to the pod

1:16:06yesterday and I want to invite you to

1:16:09come to the um man of pray. You want to

1:16:11say see us saying we'll dedicate your

1:16:13song. You come we going rock and knock

1:16:16it out the middle of pray. We've been at

1:16:18it for a long time. Also, Mr. Gone, I'm

1:16:20just had to speak by old car high

1:16:22school. It it grass and roll up and it

1:16:26it's this neat it it's just neat clean

1:16:28cutting grass and stuff. It's it's it's

1:16:30it's kind of um kind of look bad, you

1:16:32know. Cara High school, that's school I

1:16:34went to. Cara, I came out 1973

1:16:37at Carver High School. Been a pretty

1:16:38good while, but I I've been we getting

1:16:41ready for our reunion. But I I just

1:16:42thank God, you know, for my class, you

1:16:44know, we lost a lot of people. Went to

1:16:47Carver High School, passed a girl named

1:16:49Chris. I've been knowing her for years

1:16:50and she passed. She was at the um at the

1:16:54what you call broke her arm and um I

1:16:56broke her arm and then she was at the uh

1:16:59you know at the uh game you know the

1:17:01game and stuff you know and uh she just

1:17:03died you know I've been knowing her a

1:17:05long time but and Coleman and we lost a

1:17:08lot of people went to Carver High School

1:17:10but like I said Car still standing the

1:17:12football stad still there and we've been

1:17:15I've been going to the football game you

1:17:16know the new Carver High School I like

1:17:18the new Carver High School I went to the

1:17:20old Carver High School where you have a

1:17:21a lot of stuff at the old Caba High

1:17:23School. And um and like I said, we

1:17:25getting ready for the uh big um red blue

1:17:28ball Saturday at uh 7:00. That what time

1:17:31it going to start at 7 o'clock. And um

1:17:33and women that like I said, women day

1:17:35coming up second Sunday in October, but

1:17:38the men of pray still got some uh value,

1:17:41you know, concert. I mean, men of praise

1:17:43still going to be uh we got some more

1:17:45program, you know. Then we got my pastor

1:17:47anniversary coming up. That's right.

1:17:49Pastor Irving, y'all ain't never met

1:17:50Pastor Irving. He can preach. My pastor

1:17:53and uh we are he going to preach tonight

1:17:54at Wilson Chapel Baptist Church in

1:17:56Collegeville. Mr. G, you know where that

1:17:58Wilson Chapel Baptist Church in

1:18:00Collegeville. He going to preach today

1:18:02at 7 o'clock this evening. Reverend

1:18:04Irving, my pastor, and I I work on

1:18:06board. Then we got a male cler at my

1:18:08church and we sang too. And we always

1:18:11been sing for a long time. Mr. Wood know

1:18:14Wood used to sing or sing. He always

1:18:16hear me. Come on Mr.

1:18:18Also, Santa Claus coming to town. Won't

1:18:20be long for Christmas. My birthday

1:18:22coming back

1:18:24and I appreciate it for

1:18:25>> Thanks for bringing these announcements.

1:18:27Thank you.

1:18:29>> Next speaker,

1:18:31>> Ricky Green.

1:18:35I believe he's also left.

1:18:39Does that end our speakers list? Oh,

1:18:40Ricky Green. Sorry.

1:18:42>> Good morning, Mr. Green. I

1:18:44>> ain't going to miss all this time.

1:18:46>> Thank you.

1:18:49Good morning. My name is Ricky Green. Uh

1:18:53address is 5600 1st Avenue North,

1:18:56Birmingham, Alabama 35206.

1:19:00This morning I'm here on the behalf of

1:19:02my church, East Birmingham Church

1:19:05Ministries with my pastor, Bishop Peter

1:19:08Ren, Senior. For the past few months,

1:19:11we've been at war with the Birmingham

1:19:13Waterworks. I think you guys is aware of

1:19:16what's going on, but um they came and

1:19:20took our meter and it's been some months

1:19:22now and we had to file a conjunction

1:19:25with the court to get a lawyer to fight

1:19:28on our behalf. They say that we used a

1:19:33million gallons of water in a within a

1:19:36month. That's observed. A million

1:19:39gallons of water, that's enough water to

1:19:41flood the whole woodland. They say we

1:19:44have a bill of $60,000, which is not

1:19:47correct. So, the thing is is that it's a

1:19:52leak somewhere around there. It's not on

1:19:55us. We hired plumbers to come in. We

1:19:59spent thousands of dollars to get people

1:20:02to come in to access our property to

1:20:06make sure that it's not on us. Now,

1:20:09since they took our meter, we haven't

1:20:12had water in some months now. And ever

1:20:15since the meter's been taken, water is

1:20:18still dumping in in our basement. I had

1:20:22to every week I'm having to pump

1:20:25thousands of gallons of water out of our

1:20:27basement every week. I had to burn about

1:20:30four pumps pumping all this water out.

1:20:33Now, we don't have any water on the

1:20:35property. So where is this water coming

1:20:39from? If we don't have any water but

1:20:42water keep pouring into our facility

1:20:45overflooding our building.

1:20:48That's just common sense to to show that

1:20:51it's not us. But instead of them taking

1:20:54responsibility

1:20:56because I know it's going to cost money

1:20:58to have to come out and dig. I

1:21:00understand. And if it's on our if it's

1:21:03our fault, we are prepared to pay. But

1:21:05we have spent thousands of dollars and

1:21:08we're not getting anywhere. We filed

1:21:10with the court. The judge ruled in our

1:21:13favor for them to bring our meter back

1:21:16and turn our water on. They still

1:21:18haven't done it. So at this point, our

1:21:22hands are tied. Like they're not even

1:21:23obeying the courts.

1:21:26So at at this point, like what can like

1:21:30what can we do

1:21:32at this point? like what can we do? We

1:21:35exhausted all our resources,

1:21:39our funds,

1:21:41and we still coming over the short end

1:21:44of the stick.

1:21:46And instead of them stepping

1:21:47responsibility, coming in and trying to

1:21:49find out where this leak is coming from,

1:21:51they trying to point fingers, playing

1:21:53the blame game. But we're suffering. Our

1:21:57church and our congregation is

1:21:59suffering. So, I didn't want to come

1:22:02down here and bother you all with this.

1:22:03I didn't. I really didn't. But it's at

1:22:06the point now to where, like I said, our

1:22:09hands is tied.

1:22:11We've hired lawyers, this and that. So,

1:22:14I don't know what else to do. So, I just

1:22:16come here before the council to try to

1:22:18see if you bless me, to try to see if

1:22:21you guys can point me in the right

1:22:23direction or either shine some light to

1:22:26the situation so we can get the help

1:22:28that we need because they have put lanes

1:22:31on all of our properties.

1:22:33And it's not fair because we take people

1:22:36in off the street, you know, somewhere

1:22:37to stay and people have place that they

1:22:39can't even have water and our properties

1:22:42have nothing to do with the church.

1:22:45So, if you guys could just either point

1:22:48me in the right direction or just tell

1:22:50what to do at this point, that's all I

1:22:53need. I just need answers at this point.

1:22:55Like, seriously.

1:22:56>> Thank you, Mr. Green, for bringing this

1:22:58issue and um sharing uh the story and

1:23:01what's going on. um obviously

1:23:04uh your church is suffering under these

1:23:07conditions and um I do know we have an

1:23:10infrastructure committee but I do want

1:23:12to say that um as you know uh there's

1:23:16current ongoing litigation with that

1:23:19particular organization as well from

1:23:21other sources around the city and so at

1:23:25this time we don't actually manage and

1:23:29control the waterworks um I would like

1:23:32to ask you to also bring this issue

1:23:34before members of the state legislature

1:23:37because um some of that power was taken

1:23:40from us through action by the state

1:23:42legislature and uh maybe if there could

1:23:45have been a recourse. We don't have that

1:23:47power to my understanding at this point

1:23:50that could help you with this as a

1:23:52legislative body. But um I would like to

1:23:55ask you if you would also take that

1:23:57message to the state legislators and see

1:24:00uh what they can do the actions they've

1:24:02had in the past and perhaps they will be

1:24:04able to listen as well. So thank you so

1:24:06much.

1:24:07>> Okay. Thank you.

1:24:08>> God bless.

1:24:10>> Thank you. And Dr. Quinn, did you have

1:24:11something?

1:24:12>> Yeah. I would just say you're doing the

1:24:14right thing. I'm glad to hear that you

1:24:16guys have uh hired legal representation.

1:24:20Um,

1:24:22you know, lawyers get a bad rap

1:24:25sometimes. Um, but [laughter]

1:24:30you're, you know, everybody tends to be

1:24:32thankful when they need them, you know.

1:24:34Um, so, um, that's absolutely the, you

1:24:37know, the right way to to handle this

1:24:40situation. And I just say, you know, I I

1:24:44frequently talk to the city of

1:24:48Birmingham's appointee to the water

1:24:50works board, um, Sheila Tyson.

1:24:53Um, and you know, you're not alone. Uh

1:24:57there's other

1:25:01organizations in the city that have, you

1:25:04know, uh namely the the housing

1:25:08authority where they've gone in and you

1:25:10know turned off the water for hundreds

1:25:13of residents. Um

1:25:17and so we're observing, you know, what's

1:25:22happening very closely. Um, and

1:25:27to uh say that the whole situation is

1:25:30extremely concerning is an

1:25:33understatement. Um and would just

1:25:36reiterate

1:25:38council president's uh

1:25:42suggestion to stock talk to the members

1:25:44of state legislature because you know

1:25:47what we're observing is a direct result

1:25:50of um their actions. So

1:25:56carry on.

1:25:57>> Thank you.

1:25:58>> Okay. Uh one more thing I may ask. Uh do

1:26:01you guys know when the board have a

1:26:04meeting like have meetings like like

1:26:06this?

1:26:07>> No.

1:26:08>> You mean the board the central

1:26:09waterworks board?

1:26:10>> Yeah. So central Alabama water their

1:26:13their board meetings have been moving

1:26:17around to the various uh counties. So,

1:26:23I think last the last meeting was in

1:26:27Moody um and

1:26:31um they've been meeting in Shelby

1:26:33County. You know, there the move the

1:26:35meetings are no longer at the

1:26:39headquarters on First Avenue North. Um

1:26:42you have to check the schedule and see

1:26:44where the meeting is each month. Uh so

1:26:48another

1:26:50reason to be concerned um because that

1:26:52makes it more difficult for concerned

1:26:55citizens to engage with them. Um so

1:27:00yes, they're moving around.

1:27:02>> Okay. Thank you.

1:27:03>> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Green.

1:27:04Appreciate you.

1:27:05>> All right. Thank you, counselors. At

1:27:07this time, um, I'd like to entertain a

1:27:10motion and a, uh, second to bring the

1:27:14agenda back open to consider two items.

1:27:17So, move.

1:27:18>> All right. Madam clerk,

1:27:20>> all in favor, let it be known by saying

1:27:21I.

1:27:22>> I.

1:27:22>> All opposed.

1:27:24>> Right. Thank you, Madam Clerk. We'd like

1:27:26to bring back up items 20 and 21 that

1:27:29were on page seven.

1:27:30>> Okay.

1:27:33Item 20, it's a resolution determining

1:27:36that the building or structure located

1:27:38at 3012

1:27:40DA Avenue Southwest Birmingham, Alabama

1:27:4335211

1:27:45to be unsafe, a public nuisance, and

1:27:47directing that it be demolished. Motion,

1:27:50please.

1:27:52>> We could do 20 and 21 together.

1:27:54>> Okay. Uh num uh 21 is a resolution

1:27:57determining that the determining that

1:27:59the building or structure located at 312

1:28:03DAO Avenue Southwest Birmingham, Alabama

1:28:0635211,

1:28:08also known as 3000 DAO Avenue Southwest,

1:28:12Birmingham, Alabama 35211 to be unsafe

1:28:16for public uses and directing that it be

1:28:19demolished.

1:28:19>> All right,

1:28:21>> thank you counselors. These two items uh

1:28:24relate to structures that are located on

1:28:26Dao Avenue Southwest in Birmingham,

1:28:30Alabama in District 7 in the Jones

1:28:32Valley neighborhood. I believe that the

1:28:34property owner is here and um these two

1:28:37items have been scheduled according to

1:28:40these two items being before us for our

1:28:42consideration that they have been

1:28:44determined to be unsafe, a public

1:28:46nuisance and um our actions would be

1:28:48directing that these two buildings could

1:28:52be demolished. I believe the property

1:28:54owner is here and um we can allow the

1:28:58property owner if you'd like to make a

1:29:00statement. Do you have something that

1:29:01you want to say about these two items,

1:29:02sir? If you give us your name and

1:29:04address.

1:29:08>> Yes, ma'am. Thank you, council. My name

1:29:10is Nathan Thompson. Uh mailing address

1:29:12is 6779 Old Springville Road. Uh these

1:29:16properties have been this property has

1:29:19been uh tied up in a state. Uh my father

1:29:22passed in 2021. Uh so these properties

1:29:25have been tied up in an estate that the

1:29:27state is under some has had some

1:29:29litigation issues. we've been trying to

1:29:30close out this state. Uh so I came uh we

1:29:35got notice of this. Uh and when I got

1:29:37notice of this, I responded, my sister

1:29:40got the notice of this. I responded

1:29:42immediately. I called down to the

1:29:44condemnation department to find out what

1:29:45would need to be done on the property.

1:29:47That was September 3rd. On September

1:29:493rd, they said they could not send me a

1:29:51copy of the file. On September 4th, I

1:29:54came to the count the condemnation

1:29:56department's office. uh spoke with

1:29:59several people there. Uh Alabama State

1:30:01Code 361240 delegates that I'm able to

1:30:05view that file. It's a public record. I

1:30:07was denied access to that file. I had to

1:30:10leave 24 messages for Miss King when she

1:30:12returned my call. Uh Miss King was fine

1:30:15when she returned the call. I talked to

1:30:17Miss King's uh associate on the 10th. Uh

1:30:20I just talked to Miss King the 1 of last

1:30:23week. I've requested the council provide

1:30:25me a date for public hearing on this uh

1:30:28via uh mail and email. I've not gotten a

1:30:32response to that. I was not ready to

1:30:34speak today. The council took this off

1:30:36the agenda today and now after I left,

1:30:40uh it's being slid back on the agenda. I

1:30:43I know the intention of the condemnation

1:30:45department and I believe that I believe

1:30:47the intention of the condemnation

1:30:48department and the condition and the the

1:30:53I believe the city wants to steal this

1:30:55property from my state. I fully believe

1:30:57that. I know that I know that as the

1:30:59council you probably don't believe that,

1:31:01but the way I've been handled in this uh

1:31:05I've asked for a uh meeting with the

1:31:08mayor and the city attorneys. uh that's

1:31:12been just ignored. Uh I've been ignored

1:31:15since September 4th since I've tried to

1:31:17do this. They finally showed me

1:31:20pictures. Now, it took me coming in with

1:31:24my body cam clipped right here

1:31:26recording. I do actually have this

1:31:28recording for them to follow the law and

1:31:31to show me access to the file. I only

1:31:33got to see the file

1:31:36this past Friday. I've been trying to

1:31:38see this file since September the 3 and

1:31:42I just got to see the pictures of the

1:31:44file. The pictures you have of the file

1:31:45of the building. I talked to Mr. Artemis

1:31:48Willis about this. When he saw the

1:31:50pictures, I asked, "What's the problem

1:31:52with it?" I looked at the pictures of

1:31:54it. The pictures you have, it looks like

1:31:55the building's secured. He said,

1:31:57"There's a window 20 ft up in the air

1:31:59and that's the problem that it's got a

1:32:01broken window in it. And if it's secured

1:32:03on ground level, if it's not secured, I

1:32:06want to secure the property. We want to

1:32:08save this property. I want to do what

1:32:10needs to be done. I talked to Mr.

1:32:12Glover. Mr. Glover's been basically out

1:32:14of the office on vacation and sick since

1:32:17September the 4th. Okay.

1:32:18>> I've called and left multiple messages

1:32:20for him. I just talked to him. I just

1:32:23talked to him today after leaving

1:32:26council when it was withdrawn at the

1:32:28request of the mayor because we need to

1:32:30figure out what's going on with this

1:32:32property. I understand blighted

1:32:33properties. I understand properties need

1:32:35to be safe for the public to go in even

1:32:38though it's private property. And I

1:32:40realize that I'm going to have to do

1:32:41some work on this property. I've got

1:32:43great plans for this property in the

1:32:45future. Right now, we're trying to get

1:32:47everything resolved. I have now gotten

1:32:49this property out of the estate through

1:32:52other litigation and I'm now the owner

1:32:55of the property through my limited

1:32:57liability corporation. So, that has been

1:32:59transferred in Jefferson County. I'm

1:33:01making progress, but when I go down to

1:33:04the condemnation department and Chief

1:33:06Glover and Mr. Willis both say, "We

1:33:09haven't been to the property. We don't

1:33:10know what you need to do to the

1:33:11property." As a property owner, I can't

1:33:15fix that. I've been before the city

1:33:18council with one of my particular rental

1:33:20properties before that I was told I had

1:33:23to put a railing up for a property that

1:33:26was less than 30 in from the steps.

1:33:28>> We're concerned now about this

1:33:29particular property. Yes, ma'am. Let me

1:33:31ask you, when's the last time you

1:33:32visited that property?

1:33:33>> I I don't know the date of the last time

1:33:35I visited the property.

1:33:36>> Has it been within the last week, the

1:33:37last month, the last year?

1:33:39>> Uh, it has definitely been within the

1:33:41last year. I can't I'm not sure. I've

1:33:43been out of the state for several days

1:33:45over the last month. I've done a lot of

1:33:47traveling for my other business. So, I

1:33:49don't

1:33:49>> You do not live in that in that

1:33:51property.

1:33:52>> I do not. No, ma'am. It is It is a

1:33:54church property.

1:33:55>> Okay. And

1:33:57so in your mind that property has been

1:34:00sitting there for this amount of time.

1:34:02So by if we were to delay this, what

1:34:06actions are you taking?

1:34:07>> So I'll tell you the actions that I've

1:34:08taken since we found out that the

1:34:10property was condemned. So first action

1:34:13was to try to find out what the issue

1:34:14with the property was. I was denied that

1:34:16access. Second problem, the second thing

1:34:19that I tried to do is I have got I have

1:34:22talked to my attorneys and I have gotten

1:34:24the property through through my legal

1:34:27actions transferred out of the state.

1:34:29The third thing that I've do I've done I

1:34:31have formed a limited liability

1:34:33corporation to manage this property. The

1:34:36fourth thing that I've done is I've

1:34:37already contacted the Alabama Power

1:34:39Foundation for helps and grants for the

1:34:41projects we want to So, ma'am, I've done

1:34:43a I realize you think that I've done

1:34:45nothing, but since we found out about

1:34:47it, I have done a lot. And

1:34:49>> since you found out about it, that this

1:34:51has been sitting in that neighborhood

1:34:53for this amount of time. So, this is the

1:34:56first time that you are aware that this

1:34:58property should be considered unsafe and

1:35:00is a public nuisance to the people that

1:35:02live around that property. I'm gonna

1:35:04Thank you.

1:35:05>> Yes, ma'am. From the first notice, I've

1:35:07I've been acting. Yes, ma'am. Counselors

1:35:09do have some questions if that's okay.

1:35:11Absolutely. That' be all right.

1:35:12>> Sure.

1:35:13>> Yeah. So, when you when you mentioned

1:35:15that it was that the first time that you

1:35:16heard about it was September the I

1:35:18believe you said the 3rd, I can't

1:35:20remember. Was that this year or this

1:35:21past or a year a year ago? September.

1:35:24>> No, this the first time that we got a

1:35:26letter on this property was

1:35:29the end of the end of August versus

1:35:31September. I got it from my sister and

1:35:33within a couple of days I came down and

1:35:35asked.

1:35:35>> Just I'm I

1:35:36>> Sure.

1:35:36>> I'm I'm asking specific questions. I

1:35:38need specific answers. I don't care

1:35:40about

1:35:40>> Okay. Yes sir. Absolutely. Yes sir.

1:35:42>> So what maintenance company since you

1:35:45have not visited the property, what

1:35:47maintenance company do you have

1:35:48maintaining the property?

1:35:51>> I formed a corporation.

1:35:53>> No sir. You said you formed that

1:35:55corporation after you received the

1:35:57notice since the property has been in a

1:36:02disagreement with the estate or whatever

1:36:04that is. I don't care. It doesn't

1:36:05matter.

1:36:06>> Sure.

1:36:07>> Who has been maintaining that property

1:36:09since you have not? You just said you

1:36:10have not visited. So I assume that means

1:36:13that you have a private company or and

1:36:15or person maintaining the property. Who

1:36:18is that either company or person?

1:36:21>> We do have two handymen that work on the

1:36:23property securing the properties. Yes,

1:36:25sir.

1:36:25>> Okay. So how often is there maintenance

1:36:29schedule? And I mean for yard work one

1:36:32and then for the facility other. So how

1:36:35often is the maintenance schedule for

1:36:37the yard? Let's start with that. So, I

1:36:38have one guy that I have I have a young

1:36:41lady that cuts all the properties.

1:36:42That's a different that's a different

1:36:43group. We have three people that work

1:36:45for us. Um Manda goes and cuts the

1:36:47properties and she drives the properties

1:36:49and cuts the properties and she sends me

1:36:52requests for the properties uh payment.

1:36:54Okay.

1:36:55>> And she works she works generally four

1:36:57to five days a week depending on the

1:36:58weather.

1:36:59>> Okay. And then what is the other company

1:37:03you mentioned that maintains the

1:37:04property? It's there is a we have uh two

1:37:07handymen that work for the uh that work

1:37:10for the estate and they work every day.

1:37:12>> They work for the state.

1:37:13>> The estate. Yes. The estate is still

1:37:16operating.

1:37:16>> Let me ask you this. How did this become

1:37:20so bad that it got condemned?

1:37:23If what you're saying is true and you

1:37:26are actually having both a a yard team

1:37:30as well as a property maintenance team

1:37:33maintaining this building.

1:37:36>> That's a great question. So, uh the

1:37:38building the main building

1:37:40uh I just found out I actually just

1:37:42found out the second building the 20 I'm

1:37:45not sure which one's which. I I really

1:37:47don't know which the smaller building

1:37:49that's on there. I just found out when

1:37:52we did the deed transfer that we own

1:37:54that. We didn't think we owned that

1:37:56building.

1:37:57>> We thought that was still Powderly

1:37:58Church

1:37:59>> because one of the lots in there says

1:38:02it's a it's a block. And one of the lots

1:38:04says that it's um

1:38:07missing so many feet of so many feet are

1:38:10excluded. And we were told by my father

1:38:12years ago that that house that's there,

1:38:15parsonage, whatever it would be, was not

1:38:17on the property. Well, I went down to

1:38:19mapping Friday and just found out Friday

1:38:22that we own that house. So, that section

1:38:24we've not been cutting because I've told

1:38:26them, "I'm not going to pay you to do

1:38:28that because it's not ours." Well, I

1:38:31just found out that it's mine on Friday.

1:38:33And so, I didn't know that that was it,

1:38:35but the pictures that they provided for

1:38:37the main building are secure

1:38:42>> from what I can tell from the pictures.

1:38:44>> Okay. So, what I'm hearing is one of the

1:38:46parcels has not been maintained because

1:38:48you didn't know it was

1:38:49>> Well, it's it's all on So, it's I went I

1:38:51had to go down to mapping to find this

1:38:53out. So, it's all on the same mind it's

1:38:55all on the same parcel. And so, I've got

1:38:58to look at that house that's got the

1:38:59trees growing into it to see if I need

1:39:01to tear it down or board it or what the

1:39:03process is. And I haven't had time to do

1:39:05that because we just found out about it

1:39:07Friday.

1:39:09>> Okay. So, now that we understand that

1:39:11you've had a crew coming out and

1:39:13regularly maintaining it, um

1:39:17>> I know that my crew has addresses for

1:39:19all the properties.

1:39:20>> Now, sir, how in the world can you tell

1:39:24me that you have had someone maintaining

1:39:26the

1:39:27>> That house on the right is the one that

1:39:28you got in the picture on the bottom

1:39:30right corner, I believe.

1:39:31>> Uhhuh.

1:39:32>> That's the one that I told you I didn't

1:39:34think that we owned.

1:39:36>> Okay, let's look at the one you did

1:39:38think you owned. And if you look at the

1:39:39way the deed's written, it says that we

1:39:41don't own the first 75 ft of one of the

1:39:44properties.

1:39:48>> And this is the property with that you

1:39:51allege to have been maintaining.

1:39:53>> Yes, it has broken windows.

1:39:56>> I'd say it has worse than that.

1:39:58>> It's in bad shape. It is. It needs a lot

1:40:01of work. And I've asked the condemnation

1:40:03department what they want done for the

1:40:05property for me to repair it.

1:40:08Well, on a personal note, whoever you

1:40:11are paying weekly and monthly maintain

1:40:14that. I'd let them I' I'd let them go,

1:40:17but um I I think I've seen enough.

1:40:20>> Thank you. We are passing around the

1:40:21condemnation pictures.

1:40:23>> Sure.

1:40:23>> Um wait a minute before.

1:40:24>> And it has changed ownership. It did

1:40:26change ownership. That is registered. So

1:40:29I'd like time for you to be able to see

1:40:30that I'm willing to do something on the

1:40:32property now that I own it.

1:40:34>> Okay. Councelor Pro.

1:40:37>> Thank you, Madam President. U I just

1:40:39have to echo, you know, what my

1:40:41colleague is saying. You know, I just

1:40:42actually had someone come to speak today

1:40:47that grew up in Pratt City,

1:40:49>> literally complaining about this very

1:40:52thing.

1:40:52>> Yes, ma'am.

1:40:53>> Absentee property owners. We worked very

1:40:55hard last year with our delegation to

1:40:57get a law passed. I don't think it's the

1:41:00city of Birmingham's responsibility

1:41:03to go out, inspect your property, and

1:41:06tell you what you need to do. And you

1:41:08say you live where? On Springville Road.

1:41:11>> Yes, ma'am.

1:41:11>> Okay. Which is probably about a 30

1:41:13minute drive into Birmingham.

1:41:14>> Yes, ma'am. I'm all over Birmingham all

1:41:16the time. So that tells me that you you

1:41:21got this property sitting on the

1:41:22southwest of Birmingham and you weren't

1:41:25frequent, you know, you weren't doing no

1:41:26frequent visits, but you the owners, you

1:41:29want to put the responsibility back on

1:41:31the city saying they should tell you,

1:41:33"No, it is your property and you should

1:41:37be highly responsible

1:41:39for this property and whatever needs to

1:41:43be maintained or whatever you need to do

1:41:45to keep it from going into condemn the

1:41:46nation state. All of that should have

1:41:48been your this your responsibility.

1:41:50>> I understand

1:41:50>> it's not the city's respon the city's

1:41:52responsibility

1:41:54>> is to

1:41:56public safety nuisance weed abatement

1:41:59>> and the safety of those that live in

1:42:01these neighborhoods. It is not fair that

1:42:05people live outside of Birmingham, form

1:42:07these LLC's, hide behind all these

1:42:09corporations, and nobody, we got to

1:42:11track you down, and you literally live

1:42:1430 minutes away or however long it takes

1:42:16to get to Springville Road. I have no

1:42:18idea.

1:42:19>> Miss Miss Tate, I have a response if I

1:42:20may.

1:42:21>> But it's just it's it's not fair. it. I

1:42:24I realize I realize what you're saying

1:42:27100% and I will let you know that I'm

1:42:30willing to fix this property and I have

1:42:33just become the only

1:42:35>> I have no no listen to me. Listen to me.

1:42:39>> What have you done prior to receiving

1:42:42these letters? What I what I what I

1:42:44believe you haven't done is zero net.

1:42:46>> It's due to due to the conflict in the

1:42:49state and the fight of the state that my

1:42:52father's estate that we've been trying

1:42:53to divide out since 2021 that we have

1:42:57been in litigation multiple times that

1:43:00the litigation just ended this year

1:43:02against his estate because people come

1:43:05after you when they think that you have

1:43:06something. I have done everything that I

1:43:09could do. I have transferred the

1:43:10property out to the states through

1:43:13having to use attorneys to do that. That

1:43:15just happened last week. So coming to

1:43:18coming to me on something that I was

1:43:19able to do on Friday. Yes, I formed an

1:43:22LLC because it was because it was about

1:43:24to, you know, be condemned. I knew it

1:43:26was coming up to that. So, but I want to

1:43:29fix the property. I have great plans for

1:43:31the property.

1:43:31>> Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Um, councilors,

1:43:35anyone else? Councelor Smith.

1:43:38So, I know you mentioned that you've

1:43:39been in litigation since 2021. You have

1:43:42still owned the property in this time,

1:43:44>> ma'am.

1:43:44>> You still own the property in this time?

1:43:46>> I did not own the property until Friday.

1:43:49Uh, I became the owner of the property

1:43:51on Friday.

1:43:53It is It is in my It is in my

1:43:55corporation's name. I'm the owner of the

1:43:57property. The estate, my father's estate

1:44:00owned the property from 2021. So, I

1:44:04can't speak as far as that. I can speak

1:44:07with what I can do with the property and

1:44:09my intention is to fix this property up.

1:44:12This property is in bad shape. This

1:44:14property is in a blight. It is a It is

1:44:16in bad shape. There is no question about

1:44:18that. But I want to fix this property.

1:44:21I've been trying to get this property.

1:44:23My sister is executive

1:44:25executing

1:44:31today because you removed it from the

1:44:32agenda. I would have a bottle of water.

1:44:34I went through cancer treatment and my

1:44:36salivary glands do not work. So, I'm

1:44:39completely dry. So, I hope you can can

1:44:41hear me. Um, it has been in it has been

1:44:45my ownership since Friday and I have

1:44:48tried to get this taken off and I wanted

1:44:51a hearing on it and then that y'all were

1:44:54going to pull it off and give me a

1:44:56hearing and y'all put it back.

1:44:57>> This opportunity now, Mr. Yes, sir.

1:44:59We're giving you this opportunity now.

1:45:01That's why we brought it back. we saw

1:45:02that you were here and wanted to give

1:45:04you this opportunity. Did you have any

1:45:05other questions?

1:45:06>> And I wish I've been ready for the

1:45:07opportunity, but I didn't know it was

1:45:08going to be today.

1:45:09>> Thank you, sir.

1:45:10>> Yeah, I I just want to echo what my

1:45:12colleagues have said. It's just a

1:45:13concern. I mean, this is next to a

1:45:14school also.

1:45:15>> So, it's I know I don't I don't live on

1:45:18that area in that area, but whenever

1:45:19I've driven by, I've noticed doors open

1:45:21and it's been unsafe. Um, so it's it's

1:45:24it's a nuisance. You wouldn't want to

1:45:26live next to that either. So, it's a

1:45:27nuisance to those people that live in

1:45:29that area, but also the students that

1:45:30are in school right next to that

1:45:32property.

1:45:32>> And and I plan to take care of the

1:45:34nuisance. Yes, ma'am.

1:45:36>> I agree with you.

1:45:37>> I would like to ask before we have any

1:45:39other questions from counselors, um,

1:45:41Attorney King, could you give us some

1:45:44information that we think we also need

1:45:47about some of the things that Mr.

1:45:48Thompson is saying relative to um,

1:45:51knowledge about the property and the

1:45:53process involved.

1:45:55>> Right. And so, Mr. Mr. Thompson. I spoke

1:45:57with Mr. Thompson last week and his um

1:46:00recap of 24 calls is totally inaccurate,

1:46:03but we did talk. I did explain to him

1:46:05that his uh public records request was

1:46:08denied because he failed to complete the

1:46:10request form correctly. Um he did come

1:46:13back. I told him to show valid proof of

1:46:16residency for Alabama. He did present

1:46:19that on um this past Friday. So, I just

1:46:22wanted to clear up for the record the

1:46:24reason that he was originally unable to

1:46:26view those records is because he

1:46:28incompleted the form incorrectly and

1:46:31failed to comply and then decided a few

1:46:35days later to show up. So, I did want

1:46:36that to be correct on the record.

1:46:39>> That's May I May I

1:46:41>> Thank you, Mr. Thompson.

1:46:43>> Thank you, Mr. Thompson. You can take a

1:46:45seat. We're going to go ahead and call

1:46:46for the vote. Appreciate it. Thank you

1:46:48very much. Any other

1:46:49>> I would just I would just I would just

1:46:51request

1:46:52>> I would just request a delay of 90 days

1:46:54so the council can see what I can do on

1:46:56the property.

1:46:57>> Thank you, Mr. Thompson.

1:46:58>> Are there any other questions? We're

1:47:01ready for the vote.

1:47:02>> All in favor? Let it be known by saying

1:47:05I.

1:47:05>> I.

1:47:06>> All opposed.

1:47:08>> All right. Thank you. Both of those

1:47:09items passed. those um two structures uh

1:47:13will fall in line with what is being

1:47:15asked of the

1:47:17council in finding that they be

1:47:18demolished. Any other items? At this

1:47:21time, we'll go ahead and before I call

1:47:24for adjournment,

1:47:26[laughter]

1:47:27>> there

1:47:28by saying I.

1:47:29>> Thank you. I