Commission approves regulation, zoning amendments
At the Aug. 26 Shelby County Commission meeting, the commission approved subdivision regulations and zoning amendments to the Subdivision Regulations of Shelby County.
According to the report from the Department of Development Services and Planning Services, “the amendment is intended to facilitate a wider range of new residential, non-residential and mixed use development to the Coosa River and Lay Lake recreational areas by automatically qualifying properties within one-quarter mile of the Coosa River as Tier 1 scoring based on the recreational and environmental characteristics of the river, the predominant pattern of residential development in the area, and the Coosa River's function as a regional vacation destination.”
The proposed amendment will modify Section 2.02 A. Land Suitability Criteria Evaluation.
Also approved was the Amendment of Article 4 adding Section 4.05 Post Construction Stormwater Management. This proposed amendment to the Subdivision Regulations of Shelby County is intended to fulfill a requirement of Shelby County's current Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4).
Chief Development Officer Chad Scroggins explained that evaluations and updates are made to areas and more will come over time.
“Everyone is subject to this in the Cahaba River basin,” he said. "We are just putting it in subdivision regulation, this is nothing new.”
The holding zone amendments are intended to:
- clarify the intent of the HZ district,
- reduce the number of legal non-conforming parcels by reducing the required minimum lot area for single family dwellings from 10 acres to 3 acres,
- add accessory structures as a permitted use on 3 acres or more,
- reduce the Conditional Use minimum lot area for single family dwellings and accessory structures to 3 acres or less and to define the area and dimensional requirements of the H-Z district to be consistent with the dimensional requirements of the A-R district.
Bob Barefield and his wife Nancy were in attendance at the meeting. County Manager Alex Dudchock said that Barefield has been “instrumental in the capital improvement project on the Alabama National Cemetery on U.S. 119 in Montevallo.
“This was a $609,000 project started in 2013,” Barefield said. “The support committee took it on and has been raising funds.”
He thanked Dudchock and Scroggins for their support and shared that a groundbreaking ceremony for the project will take place Sept. 6 at 10 a.m.
The commission also approved the renewal of a three-year contract with WastePro for the county. It will run from Oct. 1, 2019 through Sept. 30, 2022. The contract also comes with a CPI increase of 1.5% in customer service rates, ranging from 18 cents to 84 cents.
Commissioner Lindsey Allison announced that at a recent conference Dudchock was presented with the Excellence in County Government Service Award for his years performing his job as County Manager.
Also during the meeting, a resolution was approved for an alcohol beverage license for Pho Place located at 4647 U.S. 280.
The next Shelby County Commission meeting will be held Sept. 9 at 8:30 a.m. at the County Services Building in Columbiana.