Council Highlights: July 21 Edition

In this episode of Council Highlights, we recap the key decisions and discussions from the Birmingham City Council meeting on July 21. From important updates to upcoming community events, get the information you need to stay connected and engaged with what’s happening in our city.

Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:04

Welcome to Motion to Adjourn, the podcast about the work that continues with the Birmingham City Council beyond what happens on Tuesdays during council meetings.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

All in favor, let it be known to stay on.

SPEAKER_04 0:15

Or in the committee meeting. After the official motion to adjourn, the councils continue work on behalf of the city and its residents. Welcome to the Motion to Adjourn podcast. I am your host, Anaya Kenyan, a service project manager for the Birmingham City Council. On Tuesday, the Council approved an agreement with the Offender Alumni Association for the Peace on the Block Initiative. Council President Pro Tim Latanya Tate and Council Crystal Smitheman both contributed discretionary funds to support this event as it enters its third year. Now let's hear from Pro Tim Tate and Councilor Smithman about the impact they hope this initiative will have on residents.

SPEAKER_03 1:05

And it's a big event where you take all the resources into the community, you know, to the people so they can have access. And so I have the pleasure of doing this for the third year with Councillor Smithman, who has been a great partner, and I'm going to yield the floor and let her talk about her portion of these.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

Yes, thank you, Madam Press Him. She actually has been traveling all over the world to bring these types of initiatives right here to Birmingham. And we've seen over the past few years from the partnership with the Fender Alumni Association to the street outreach teams. And now Peace on the Block here, just making sure that we we provide those resources, as she mentioned, to our families. A lot of times people just don't know where to go or who to contact. So we want to bring it right to their doorstep, bring family-friendly fun for everybody so we have something for the parents, the child, the grandparents, and we hope everybody can come out.

SPEAKER_04 2:02

The goal of Peace on the Block is to bring together families, community organizations, and local leaders to promote healing, unity, and access to essential community resources. This year's event will take place on Saturday, August 1st at the intersection of Tuscaloosa Avenue and 12th Street Southwest. A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 25th at 9 30 a.m. to consider a rezoning request for a proposed boutique hotel in the Red Mutt neighborhood. Let's hear from Councillor Darrell O'Quinn, co-chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Every time we have a public hearing, we actually have to set the date for that public hearing and advertise the public hearing for at least three weeks according to the state. It turns out that the city has an additional seven days that we advertise as well. So usually those public hearings are set at least four weeks out before the public hearing. And a public hearing is an item where we invite the public to come in and comment on a um, usually it's a these are zoning cases. So mixed use high would allow for up to 125 feet.

SPEAKER_04 4:11

The proposed development includes 80 hotel rooms and approximately 15 condominium units on the upper floors. The property is currently zoned mixed use medium, and the applicant is requesting a shift to qualified mixed use high to allow a building height of up to 125 feet. The planning and zoning committee recommended approval of the rezoning case with a 3 to 1 vote during the July 14th meeting. The public hearing will take place during the August 25th City Council meeting at 9 30 a.m. in the council chambers, located on the third floor of City Hall. Next week's episode is one you'll definitely want in your queue. Counselor Darrell O'Quinn sits down with special guest Art Franklin of the Omega Sci-Fi Alpha Phi chapter to talk all things health, vibes, and what's coming at their health fair in August. Think real talk, real impact, and a sneak peek at how the city's getting ready to show up for residence.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

You mentioned there's going to be cooking demonstrations. I think there's also going to be some exercise classes happening at the same time. So not just, you know, screening for disease situations, but actually trying to connect people to information about how to prepare healthy food, how to get exercise, and actually prevent some of the conditions that they might otherwise experience without that type of information.

SPEAKER_04 6:18

Thanks for listening to Motion to Adjourn. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast to learn more about your city and local government. Also, follow us on our socials on Instagram and Facebook at City CouncilBeham. Until next time, stay informed and stay engaged.