Birmingham Council OKs Rezoning To Allow Event Venue In Kingston

 ========= Old Image Removed =========1Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2021/09/IMG_5841-e1631215270560.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1200;s:6:"height";i:675;s:4:"file";s:35:"2021/09/IMG_5841-e1631215270560.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:33:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:35:"IMG_5841-e1631215270560-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:3:"5.6";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:18:"Canon EOS REBEL T3";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:10:"1553001155";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:3:"208";s:3:"iso";s:4:"3200";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:4:"0.01";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"1";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:11:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:1200;s:6:"height";i:800;s:4:"file";s:12:"IMG_5841.jpg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:17:"medium_large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-768x512.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:512;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:10:"large-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-771x514.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:514;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"wbhm-icon-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"IMG_5841-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-800x450.jpg";s:5:"width";i:800;s:6:"height";i:450;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"wbhm-featured-square-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-467x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:467;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-398x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:398;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:20:"IMG_5841-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_image_alt] => Array
        (
            [0] => pictured is Council President William Parker and President Pro-Tem Wardine Alexander
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Miranda Fulmore
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

)
1659578254 
1631024542
pictured is Council President William Parker and President Pro-Tem Wardine Alexander

Council President William Parker and President Pro-Tem Wardine Alexander

Miranda Fulmore, WBHM

The Birmingham City Council approved a rezoning request Tuesday to bring a new, private event center to the city’s Kingston neighborhood despite concerns about its lack of compatibility with the city’s long-range land-use plan and neighborhood demands that the venue not sell alcohol.

The center will be part of a three-unit property at 4700 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. Owner Abdul Alammari told councilors he had spent more than $500,000 to renovate the building, and the other two units would be rented out as commercial space. But for the property to include an event space, it would have to be rezoned from CB-1 Contingency Neighborhood Business District to a C-2 General Commercial District.

The city’s long-range land-use plan for the area states that the property should transition “toward a more mixed-use low designation” because of its proximity to residential areas, said Katrina Thomas, the city’s interim deputy director of planning, engineering and permits.

But some councilors noted that the surrounding area already was filled with commercial businesses.

“I’m a little perplexed why this doesn’t fit,” said District 5 Councilor Darrell O’Quinn. “There’s a Holiday Inn, like, three blocks down, and there’s a trucking stop across the street. There’s all sorts of businesses up and down this area of Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard … Why doesn’t this fit?”

Thomas agreed that an event center would not be “completely inconsistent with the surrounding land uses” as they currently stand.

Approval of the rezoning also came with a Q condition, or qualifying condition, from the Kingston neighborhood association, which had voted to approve Alammari’s request as long as alcohol was not sold at the venue. Event hosts, however, would be allowed to provide alcohol for free.

While Alammari said he did not intend to request a liquor license for the venue, District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt called the neighborhood association’s conditions “asinine.”

“I’ve seen this same community give liquor licenses to folk, and they’re inundated with liquor places,” he said. “What I’m saying is, it’s a neighborhood that’s schizophrenic. You apply rules here, but you don’t apply them there! Be consistent!”

Hoyt attempted to change the rezoning ordinance to remove that Q condition but was reminded by the city’s law department that to do so would require the city to readvertise the zoning changes and schedule another public hearing before a vote could be held.

He acquiesced, voting against the rezoning along with Councilors Valerie Abbott and Crystal Smitherman. The no votes were narrowly outnumbered, though, with the remaining councilors who were present — O’Quinn, Hunter Williams, John Hilliard and Wardine Alexander — voting in favor of the rezoning.

 

At least 68 African migrants killed after boat capsizes off Yemen coast, U.N. says

More than 150 Ethiopian migrants were on board the boat when it sank in the Gulf of Aden off the southern Yemeni province of Abyan, the International Organization for Migration in Yemen said.

More than 3,000 Boeing workers are set to strike after rejecting a contract offer

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union members in Missouri and Illinois rejected a modified contract offered by Boeing last week.

Russian volcano erupts days after monster quake shakes region

The volcano may have been primed to erupt before the magnitude 8.8 quake pushed it over the edge.

Canada wildfires cause poor air quality in the midwest and northeast U.S.

Health officials from Minnesota to Maine have issued alerts warning of poor air quality from wildfires burning in Canada. People are advised to limit outdoor exposure.

Pope Leo tells 1 million Catholic youths they are sign ‘different world is possible’

In his closing blessing for the Jubilee of Youth, Leo remembered the young people of Gaza and Ukraine and other countries "bloodied by war" who could not join their celebration.

Senate confirms ex-Fox News host Pirro as top federal prosecutor for nation’s capital

The Senate confirmed ex-Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as top federal prosecutor for the nation's capital, after President Trump withdrew his controversial first pick, conservative activist Ed Martin Jr.

More Front Page Coverage