The Birmingham City Council approved a consultant agreement with Freshwater Land Trust to provide consulting and project management services for the Shades Creek Greenway project.

The resolution authorizes the mayor to execute an agreement with Freshwater Land Trust for an amount not to exceed $547,619, funded from account 10301595101-54510, to establish a trail along Shades Creek connecting Mountain Brook's Bridal Furnace Trail to the city's Flora Johnson Nature Preserve. The term of the agreement is one year.

Councilor Williams, who pulled the item for discussion, thanked local and state partners and the Innovate Alabama network that supplied remaining grant funds. "Without partners like the Innovate Alabama network, we really can't... we need that type of funding to be able to finish off this project," Williams said. Councilor Abbott also praised Freshwater Land Trust as "great partners" who helped with prior phases of the Vulcan Veil project.

Council members described the agreement as part of ongoing efforts to complete multi-phase greenway connections and noted the city's capital projects team will continue coordinating design and delivery with the non‑profit partner. Voting on the agreement was unanimous.

The contract is structured as consulting/project management; the vote authorizes the mayor to execute the agreement and obligate the specified funds.