Homewood public-safety committee backs restriping, sends design and parking permit proposals to budget and council

Homewood's public-safety committee voted Aug. 4 to begin temporary restriping at the Oxmoor Road and Saint Charles intersection to shorten diagonal crossings, and sent the engineered Phase 1 design to the budget hearings for funding; the committee also moved a residential parking-permit ordinance to council for formal consideration.

The committee's discussion focused on pedestrian safety, vehicle maneuvering and delivery access in the Oxmoor-Saint Charles commercial corridor. Brian (city engineer/presenter) described a three-phase plan that removes diagonal crosswalks, adds curb bulb-outs to shorten pedestrian crossings, and straightens crosswalks at Broadway, noting the current angled crossings "create a really long path for folks to cross the street" and allow awkward vehicle turns.

Committee members expressed concerns from nearby businesses about where deliveries and loading would occur if a left-turn lane and some on-street parking are removed. A business owner and resident who said their child had previously been struck while using the crosswalk urged expedited safety changes. City Manager Adams and engineering staff proposed interim restriping, including removing a westbound left-turn lane and creating a no-loading zone, while staff negotiate loading-hour windows and alternative delivery locations with businesses.

The committee approved the temporary restriping proposal by vote (ayes 5-0) and, without objection, referred the Phase 1 engineered design to budget hearings so the bulb-outs and permanent curb changes can be funded. The committee also voted to send a residential parking-district ordinance to council (and to budget hearings) to create permit enforcement capacity; staff said the ordinance will require funding for enforcement software and part-time enforcement officers.

Implementation issues the committee identified: private-property parking that the city cannot alter without owner agreement or compensation; the need to meet business delivery needs (some businesses receive large tractor-trailer deliveries early in the morning); and the risk that allowing large trucks after a curb build-out could damage new infrastructure. Committee members recommended a phased approach: restripe quickly, schedule business outreach to define restricted delivery windows and loading zones, and present Phase 1 construction funding during budget hearings.

Action summary: restriping approved (5-0); Phase 1 design referred to budget hearings (no objection); residential parking-permit ordinance sent to council and budget hearings (motion and second recorded; committee vote supportive).