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Planning board given April kickoff dates for citywide zoning ordinance rewrite; focus groups and open house planned
Summary
Staff told the board that consultant Halsey Levine will kick off the zoning ordinance update in Birmingham April 22–23 with a planning-board meeting, a city tour and several small focus groups; staff expects a roughly 12-month process and asked the board to review a process map when available.
Planning staff told the Birmingham Planning Board that the city’s zoning-ordinance rewrite will be formally launched by consultant Halsey Levine with a two-day kickoff on April 22–23.
Staff said April 22 will include a staff-led tour and the planning-board meeting while April 23 is slated for a kickoff open house and several small focus-group sessions. “They advised us that in those focus group meetings, they keep it relatively small…in the 10 to 15 range,” staff said, explaining the consultant plans six to seven focus groups for business owners, property owners, residents and other stakeholders.
The consultant will provide public-engagement materials that staff will distribute by mail newsletter, e-news and social media, the planner said. “We’re gonna be very strategic about that,” staff added, promising the board a schedule and process map that lays out involvement over the anticipated 12-month project.
A board member raised concerns about pending state legislation that could reduce single-family zoning constraints and allow additional housing types, saying such laws could preempt local rules and influence the ordinance update. Staff said the project team will monitor state activity and advise the board if required adjustments are needed.
Board members asked that at least one planning-board member attend each focus-group type when feasible so input is heard directly, and staff agreed to provide recording or detailed notes of sessions for internal use.
