Petitioner withdraws rezoning request for Culver Road property after neighborhood objections over outdoor monument storage

Ricky Sherrod asked the Planning and Zoning Commission to continue his rezoning petition for two Culver Road parcels after residents objected to alleged outdoor storage of monuments and vaults and staff outlined regulatory constraints.

Sherrod — who identified himself at the hearing with his Northport address and said he operates a vault and monument business — explained he needed more storage and that one parcel is a "deadlock property" without direct access to Culver Road. Zach (staff) and other city staff clarified that neighborhood commercial (NC) zoning does not allow outside storage of monuments; any inventory would need to be kept inside a structure or in an accessory building that complied with code and buffering requirements.

Several neighbors spoke in opposition. Chandra Kirkman, who said she owns 2831 Culver Road, described repeated problems when vaults and monuments were left unsecured: "My kids' bedrooms are on that side by that fence. They're terrified. They have nightmares. They have not slept in their rooms for almost a year." John Martin and Paul Rollins Jr., whose properties are adjacent, said they intended to keep the area residential and asked that the commission preserve setbacks and buffers.

Staff noted that NC zoning would require either a 40-foot landscape buffer or a 20-foot buffer paired with a masonry wall at least six feet tall where commercial uses abut residential property. Staff also said the petitioner could pursue accessory structures or expand the existing enclosed building to create indoor storage, but persistent outdoor display or storage of vaults on the parcel would remain a code-enforcement issue.

Commissioners recommended the petitioner work directly with staff to clarify the desired use and to confirm whether the lot immediately east of the existing commercial parcel might meet the petitioner’s needs without converting the residential lot on Culver Road. Petitioner and staff discussed options including lot consolidation, interior storage and the technical requirements for driveway access off U.S. Highway 11 (Culver Road), which would require Alabama Department of Transportation approval for new access if used.

Given the outstanding questions about permitted uses, buffers and the appeals of nearby residents, the petitioner asked to withdraw/continue the item to work with staff. The commission granted the continuance so Sherrod can meet with planning staff and resolve code and access questions before returning with a clarified plan.

The petitioner did not present a definitive plan to leave monuments outdoors; staff’s repeated statements that outdoor storage is not permitted in NC shaped the meeting’s outcome. The petitioner agreed to coordinate with staff on whether expansion of existing structures or use of the adjacent lot could satisfy his storage needs while preserving neighborhood protections.

The commission closed public comment on the item and approved the petitioner’s request to continue the rezoning to a later meeting after outside coordination with staff.