[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6211561,"mediaKeyId","3694979-e5bd88e444843bb8ecaafc6d598129a2","parentId",3694979,"title","Homewood BZA approves corner picket fence at 310 Saint Charles Street for child safety","audioSeconds",906,"startMs",2764000,"endMs",3670000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3694979-e5bd88e444843bb8ecaafc6d598129a2&start=2764&end=3670","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3694979-e5bd88e444843bb8ecaafc6d598129a2/thumbnail_2764000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6211561/Homewood-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Homewood-BZA-approves-corner-picket-fence-at-310-Saint-Charles-Street-for-child-safety","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211561-45b32a40596efccd4ddf0bd990bfa16a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200027&Signature=eA5vo6qZBbFBSj0Gz9nvOv6GHSb43eJURAGyGe7atymM72ajvGVYx~6KH47GcGiiCvzQ~WdnhWGkxr3b2jJ5b9muf6zQnx4G-W~MzRAXnyDK93UOvBU9x4q2HHYTKV57Iqt0tl539YnTcq9-~ue9JmJ0GzNYfmVx6Y~Lu3h~XEJVSe0C3nVTaGwjz-wGRq5E-XwQPnN5COkYlMMoA-AwTGQKtEMZvSc4rZFuimbN5lqSm3-yaZvpRmExaCj7KxLFYCMenfgGZyH97wrNlWiu0qlUJ7QDnige18M9RATd4egCtU8~mjbKRHhh--mjMjg9FPg-lMC02-yjfUpk3Z7zqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Homewood, AL","date","2025-06-06T17:03:13Z","article","The Homewood Board of Zoning Adjustment on June 2 approved a variance permitting a three-foot picket fence with nearly zero setback along the Irving Street side of 310 Saint Charles Street (case SV250603). The homeowners said the fence is a safety measure to keep young children from entering a busy adjacent street.

Homeowners Scott and Meredith Wiseman said they rebuilt their house after structural problems and want a picket-style barrier so they can open French doors on a side patio while keeping their two young children safe. Scott Wiseman told the board the family has “two young kids,” including a nearly 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, and said the corner location on Irving made the barrier necessary for daily use.

Photos and street-view images were shown during the hearing. Staff confirmed that an earlier picket fence had existed at the property and that the new fence would be shorter than the prior condition. Board members discussed the public right-of-way and the property line locations; staff noted the street’s 40-foot right-of-way and confirmed the fence would be sited at the property line within that right-of-way boundary.

After questions from the board, a motion to approve was seconded and the board voted to grant the variance. Recorded votes on the motion show the approval carried with the board majority; the staff noted the applicants have one year to apply for the building permit tied to the variance.

The board’s approval allows the Wisemans to install the three-foot picket fence to enclose the side patio for child safety and to permit the family to open doors to the patio without immediate risk of the children entering Irving Street.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Homewood Board of Zoning Adjustments June 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board granted a variance allowing a low picket fence along the Irving Street side of 310 Saint Charles Street to permit a near-zero setback for a three-foot safety fence; the owners said the fence will let them open patio doors and better supervise small children.","taxTitle","Homewood City, Jefferson County, Alabama","taxId",65544,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6211566,"Homewood BZA denies variance request for privacy fence on Eighth Avenue South",682,2671000,3353000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3694979-e5bd88e444843bb8ecaafc6d598129a2&start=2671&end=3353","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3694979-e5bd88e444843bb8ecaafc6d598129a2/thumbnail_2671000.jpg","/articles/6211566/Homewood-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Homewood-BZA-denies-variance-request-for-privacy-fence-on-Eighth-Avenue-South","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211566-72c66650eca2c017459dffc001441ae4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200027&Signature=QWkb9~oyr8J3eB2mE6aie0HeImg3mUdBdYc-N7s3oyeqrsLTe2qRrpDtwvtw7paqUQiBNoSlPvRC1l3wNMnWP4U0rhFFVAaFPnQNp~jfAJNU4GIm9fvEfs41h9SlFeyLBRNhtbEq0nQGFaCwRqsYhYs-jPaldgUgdgZAQExJK6OJ6U3sQY8FgFUv7v65iASpdK-A9BOnAvU5TwtSgHSO2lUQ5fxZESGHZQSCS-jksQX-dbQqMDxWwbJTwul5iLDPNFSME7FxbHSpJ-gNxOvWi0M5VolvwSenqY27IkvOzMMbM~iwoH9yXeyOfyHkDzqEvBRva2WonyigqEAQXAXbaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Homewood Board of Zoning Adjustment on June 2 denied a variance that would have legalized an existing privacy fence built atop a new engineered retaining wall at a property on Eighth Avenue South (case SV250602).

Applicant representatives described the work as part of a backyard renovation and said they believed the fence was covered by the building permit for the retaining wall. Danny Treywick, vice president of engineering with GSLD Land Management, explained the fence mounting: the posts are bolted into a notched cap of the new retaining wall and the property’s grade drops about five feet to an adjacent neighbor, which makes the fence appear taller from that neighbor’s lot.

Two adjacent property owners submitted written approvals to staff, and the applicant said letters were included in the record. Planning staff confirmed receipt of those letters but noted the project as constructed exceeded the allowable fence height on the lot where it is built and that a fencing permit was not pulled prior to construction.

Board members questioned whether the fence posts were set into the wall and whether the alignment was on the property line. The applicant said the fence was placed essentially on the property line and that neighbors had been advised prior to construction. The applicant also said the proposed pool that prompted the privacy fence had not been submitted for permitting and was not part of the current request.

After discussion, a board motion to approve the requested increase (about 2 feet 3 inches above the allowed fence height measured on the subject lot) failed; the board denied the variance. The administrative staff advised the applicant to contact Emily Harris Miller for next steps and appeals information.

The denial leaves the owner responsible for remedying the fence to comply with the zoning code or pursuing administrative remedies outlined by city permitting staff.","The Board denied a request to legalize a privacy fence set above the allowable height because it was built atop a newly constructed retaining wall; the applicant said neighbors had signed letters of approval but the board voted not to grant the variance.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6211571,"Homewood BZA grants variances to Samford University for three student housing buildings, adds lighting and landscaping contingencies",4221,175000,4396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3694979-e5bd88e444843bb8ecaafc6d598129a2&start=175&end=4396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3694979-e5bd88e444843bb8ecaafc6d598129a2/thumbnail_175000.jpg","/articles/6211571/Homewood-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Homewood-BZA-grants-variances-to-Samford-University-for-three-student-housing-buildings-adds-lighting-and-landscaping-contingencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6211571-0a35886d1d3249bb45a1f18f76d91d13/orig.mp4?Expires=1771200027&Signature=JuohRAvF3G9aKnH90OfXWBiV44atHs02jhFe9dT2MoruYtXlxct1ks0NCOe1oqmhiCb6iGNmeF7R4tY0xVcGncO7UH8eI0h4FzGzzwfnrPUGka89s5jkAKCzhceOVyjOqaBmQvur-gdaH2wE1JMG3RbyyQ04Fe62baWglRH7PTG7mCZ6ffN0PbUjeIaLZ8-zD7VPRUqEnR-u~ADwuAuofbsq6LR~Nl8eJtzryrEIDPLTOG1eMG~pOZCk4OKIdr9hhQw0jPmXNbjylIiWvi9wKRSQ6az1NPHV1-vG7Ur6lcpjtZt-~I2AXfTmw~HuBLVSK1wgmbcYQvKHWu-eCvWCPg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Homewood Board of Zoning Adjustment on June 2 granted variances that let Samford University increase building heights for three planned residence halls along Lakeshore Drive, subject to conditions on exterior lighting and landscaping.

The variances — filed as case SV250601 for 800 Lakeshore Drive in the Bulldog (I-3/institutional) zoning area — would permit heights above the city’s 35-foot baseline for portions of the West Village and Stadium Village projects and allow campus housing designed to increase on-campus residency. Jeff Polacek, associate vice president for construction operations and planning at Samford University, told the board, “We have a 75% undergraduate occupancy requirement that we have been unable to meet.”

The board’s action followed presentations by Samford staff, a planning-staff review, and several residents who objected to the scale and proximity of the proposals to Lakeshore Drive. Beverly Bryce LaBeouf, a former BZA chair, said she was “speaking against this project,” noting that variances can set precedents for future requests. Resident John Manzelli asked that the board “table this until after the upcoming election,” saying residents deserved time to review broader plans for Lakeshore.

Samford representatives described design changes intended to reduce impacts on Lakeshore: taller portions of the new buildings would be pushed farther into campus, building footprints would reuse existing parking-area impervious surfaces, and two levels of parking would be placed under the residences. Lynette Crandall, a member of the development, design and engineering team for Sanford, told the board that the timeline for approvals is important so that the university “would enable us to have this housing available for students for the fall of 2027.”

Planning staff noted the development plan amendment for the campus had passed the Planning Commission and will go to the City Council for public hearing on June 24; staff also recommended contingencies to reduce light spill, limit exterior fixture heights and require a photometric plan. The board’s contingencies, adopted with approval, include: a photometric plan showing no light spill beyond property lines (0 foot-candles at the property line), a limit of 14 feet for ground-mounted exterior lighting, building-mounted fixtures no higher than 35 feet, motion-activated and shielded fixtures where appropriate, and substantial evergreen landscape buffering along Lakeshore and the adjacent residential edge.

During the hearing board members asked for unit counts and campus capacity impacts. Samford said the projects as proposed would add roughly 1,100 beds across the submitted buildings (staff gave a figure of 872 beds for West Village and 220 beds for Stadium Village) and that the campus currently expects to have “just over 3,000 students living on campus” after projects soon to open. The university estimated these projects could raise on-campus beds toward roughly 4,100 if all phases were completed, noting phasing would depend on enrollment and other factors.

Board action: Miss Hand recused herself from the case. With four members voting, the board approved the variances on the record; the final motion carried and the board granted the requester one year to apply for permits tied to the approved variances. The Planning Commission had already forwarded a positive recommendation to the City Council, which will hold a public hearing and notify owners within 500 feet before acting.

The board’s discussion and the residents’ remarks showed the two competing priorities in the hearing: Samford’s stated need to house a growing student population and neighbors’ concerns about scale, precedent and the visual effect along Lakeshore Drive. City council action and the developer’s final development-plan details will determine the next steps for permitting and construction.","The Homewood Board of Zoning Adjustment granted variances allowing Samford University to build three new residence buildings along Lakeshore Drive with conditions on lighting, landscaping and photometric controls; one board member recused and the four voting members approved the request.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Homewood BZA approves corner picket fence at 310 Saint Charles Street for child safety

Homewood BZA denies variance request for privacy fence on Eighth Avenue South

Homewood BZA grants variances to Samford University for three student housing buildings, adds lighting and landscaping contingencies