Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Rezoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves Westmore Landing rezoning after lengthy presentation and public comment
Summary
The Huntsville City Council approved rezoning about 381 acres for the Westmore Landing Planned Development, adopting a form-based plan with mixed transects, modified street sections and accessory dwelling unit rules after presentations from planning staff, developer representatives and several residents who raised concerns about transit, density and environmental protections.
The Huntsville City Council on Dec. 18 approved rezoning roughly 380.93 acres south of Alabama Highway 20 and east of Interstate 65 to a Planned Development Housing district dubbed Westmore Landing.
Thomas Nunez, manager of planning and zoning services, told council members the PDH application uses a form-based approach with multiple transects (T3, T4, T5) intended to support walkable neighborhoods, mixed uses and a T5 town center. The plan calls for a mix of housing types, structured parking in core areas, sidewalks and bikeways, and a town-center zone with a maximum building height of eight stories.
The proposal requests multiple modifications to the city's zoning and subdivision standards, including altered street cross-sections, reduced intersection radii, shared parking provisions, modified perimeter landscaping requirements and adjusted lot-orientation rules. Nunez said the plan allows accessory dwelling units that may total up to 60% of the primary dwelling's habitable floor area and requires a minimum finished-floor elevation of 18 inches in the development.
Several residents used the public hearing to press the council about transit and affordability. "What's the point of a walkable neighborhood that's not connected to downtown by public transit unless it'll only be accessible to folks who can afford drivers?" resident Sarah Coletti said during public comment, urging stronger transit connections and more affordable units.
Other speakers raised concerns about density and ecological impacts near Wheeler Wildlife Refuge. "It's too dense in my estimation," Nancy Grayson Van Belkinburg said, citing the development's size relative to existing neighborhoods. Joy Johnson urged the city to follow dark-skies guidelines and to involve the sustainability committee in landscaping and lighting choices.
David Horace, president of Land Innovations, said the development team has coordinated with the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge and Singing River Trail and supplied a support letter from refuge partners. Horace said the plan emphasizes sustainability and water-treatment measures "that would actually improve the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, along with coordinated access points to not only allow access to Limestone Bay, but to educate the public," he said.
Councilmember John Meredith praised the work of planning staff and the development team. On the motion to adopt the ordinance, Meredith moved approval with a second from Councilmember Kling; the motion carried on voice vote.
The ordinance adopts the Westmore Landing plan and forwards detailed design standards and requested modifications to the city's regulatory framework. Council members asked staff to provide the full PDH submittal and supporting materials by email for their review as the project proceeds through final adoption steps and implementation reviews.
