Council approves rezoning for 1219 19th Street South to allow overflow parking for Saint Mary’s on the Highlands

The Birmingham City Council on Sept. 30 approved a rezoning request (case ZAC2025‑18) to change the zoning of 1219 19th Street South to allow an overflow parking lot for Saint Mary’s on the Highlands.

City zoning administrator Kim Spurl told the council the parcel is 0.37 acres and that the application would change the property from C‑0 (contingency office and institutional) and QB‑3 (qualified community business) to C‑1 (neighborhood commercial) so a remote parking surface lot may be built. "The parcel is 0.37 acres, and it will provide additional parking for Saint Mary's that is located 1 block north of this subject parcel," Spurl said.

Spurl said the parcel's existing Q condition limited the property to visiting faculty housing and that the proposed automobile parking surface lot is a conditional use allowed in C‑1 with two conditions: use of pervious surfacing approved by the city engineer and application of a landscape buffer along any common property line with a dwelling zone district. She said the city's landscape architect reviewed the proposed landscaping plan and it met landscaping requirements, and that civil and stormwater permits must be obtained before construction.

Spurl also said the applicant met with the 5 Point South Neighborhood Association on July 15, which voted 10‑0 in support, and that the zoning advisory committee and the planning and zoning committee each voted unanimously to recommend the rezoning. No members of the public spoke at the hearing.

Councilor Abbott, serving as planning and zoning chair for the council meeting, put the item to a vote; the motion passed and the rezoning was approved.