Birmingham leaders outline scope, timeline for citywide zoning ordinance update

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — City planners and members of the Birmingham City Commission and Planning Board reviewed the scope of a citywide zoning ordinance update and the consultant selection process during a joint meeting on Sept. 29 at the Department of Public Works.

Leah, a city planner, told the boards the project is funded in this year’s budget and is the second of two required joint meetings per year under the ordinance. She said the city opened a request for proposals on Sept. 2 and that the RFP will close the day after the meeting. "This is not throwing out the entire zoning ordinance and putting high rises everywhere in the city," Leah said, adding that the update will be a major revision based on the existing code and the 2040 plan.

The meeting focused on a seven-step scope of work staff refined for the RFP: (1) kickoff and scope refinement with the consultant, (2) public engagement and stakeholder involvement, (3) a diagnostic report identifying deficiencies and best practices, (4) drafting a revised zoning ordinance, (5) updating the official zoning map as needed, (6) revising administrative and procedural elements…