[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6499104,"mediaKeyId","5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df","parentId",5496985,"title","City Council approves rezoning, roadway amendment, ATF data-sharing agreement and emergency mowing contracts","audioSeconds",2280,"startMs",5264000,"endMs",7544000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df&start=5264&end=7544","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df/thumbnail_5264000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6499104/Birmingham-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/City-Council-approves-rezoning-roadway-amendment-ATF-data-sharing-agreement-and-emergency-mowing-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499104-ebe92973841f4450770dc2bfab813d7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660427&Signature=f1AaVyMEEiCIC4Ws8QB90AoBsYQ8hJP5qcdwVqIN4OOKExeCTETDm57ijY~QwDe6cgdRB83bvMuoBmDsLGqbHbq7HLxRVyeEY2pYMNbV7inagyv5G-du1gD6mbfBEVf0~LRgxibcy-eRpqzYQ9KmbQkmv7iFYGfUppDTE783qfCSuoc8HjqN-PYil8I~ZFi2tYu~j~rW~4d89mtnyowOHxE-B0tba4dREoRvDx2aQHRCE03vaYqUCEF7Bt-UTjcGmOB0QaF6HSrojx3-Wm1jO0MAmKiev8T2MrabjuDRENeT3sbThqg0wpuSczuALmA9F6B4h2kzyf5ddU2fFhS4Zg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Birmingham","date","2025-07-29T00:00:00Z","article","The Birmingham City Council held a series of votes July 29 approving a rezoning, several operational ordinances and short-term emergency contracts. The actions below were taken during the meeting and were announced on the record.

• Rezoning (ZAC2025-5): The council approved a zoning change to reclassify property at 2542 Queenstown Road from D-3 (single-family) to I-1 (light manufacturing) to permit a contractor storage yard and attached office/warehouse. The item was presented by Kim Spurwell, zoning administrator, and the applicant’s representative Robert Sprain said the proposal includes a Type C landscape buffer along the rear of the property. The item was approved by the council.

• Ordinance repeal — Twentieth Avenue South: The council repealed ordinance 25-99 to restore vehicle access at a portion of Twentieth Avenue South near Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard South; the council approved the repeal by unanimous consent.

• Interlocal amendment with Jefferson County (Shady Grove Road): The council approved an amendment to an interlocal cooperation agreement that increases the city’s share to cover additional construction costs for a cross drain replacement on Shady Grove Road. The amendment adds an estimated $36,147.05 to raise the city’s total payment to $138,481.11 (from $102,334.06), as explained by the administration. The item was passed by unanimous consent.

• ATF NESS agreement for Birmingham Police Department: The council approved an agreement to permit the department to use the ATF’s National Enforcement Support System (NESS) at no cost to the city for the installation, operation and administration of crime-gun data-sharing tools, with the police chief authorized to execute related documents. The council passed the item.

• Emergency mowing contracts (45-day emergency period): Under an emergency declaration for weed abatements, the council approved five short-term contracts for overgrowth cutting and nuisance-lot mowing to support the Public Works and Code Enforcement response during the high-growth season. Chief Mitchell explained the contracts were awarded after an emergency solicitation; council members discussed timelines for complaint processing and the minimum eight-week window between complaint and city action for standard (non-emergency) processes. The emergency awards were approved.

Consent agenda: The council approved a multi-item consent agenda covering routine public-hearing and administrative items; two items (30 and 29) were withdrawn by the administration and one parcel (item 91 under item 18) was removed from the consent agenda for a property owner question and will be heard separately.

All listed items were approved by the council during the meeting; where votes were taken the presiding officer announced approval and no recorded roll-call tallies were read into the record beyond members saying “aye” during unanimous consent votes. Where the agenda text cited specific statute references (for example, certain interlocal and contract authorizations), the city noted the applicable Code of Alabama sections when presenting the item.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Birmingham - Regular City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Birmingham City Council on July 29 approved a rezoning (ZAC2025-5), an interlocal paving agreement amendment with Jefferson County, an ATF National Enforcement Support System agreement for the police department, the repeal of a roadway closure ordinance, and five emergency mowing contracts.","taxTitle","Birmingham City, Jefferson County, Alabama","taxId",3652,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6499109,"Jones Valley Teaching Farm says ARPA funds helped expand to 16 Birmingham schools; reports nearly 5,000 students served",318,3703000,4021000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df&start=3703&end=4021","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df/thumbnail_3703000.jpg","/articles/6499109/Birmingham-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Jones-Valley-Teaching-Farm-says-ARPA-funds-helped-expand-to-16-Birmingham-schools-reports-nearly-5000-students-served","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499109-c4fd4bbdbc9da83f849e1a16262c20db/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660427&Signature=OTkW3Cq5FZ8q98nPneCl5YSxGdOyrHlrzVm1w1EyjvCgAf2z0c8ebzu7hrGpzWt0ZKzQ-hAv-ncUAiqOdLRTxYIu5o6Yh-QnhWoOfiPx2VLVEHO7CnDjgkXYeDdrLAz8iMvadDOzIb9XelupQsXjX-mUcS15CXHBDfD4558xTd~c9YVUyFIiOSG9UatDrloxg3xSHQhVuWzBsBhynJ7v~J2YWyZ700XGLq2gUG10rhAFg6P6v~DQ9sqQ3zBY4S2HzcA7kBml6srAlt0YU9DMjAvAIs-3eb4SG7F4BWRsHSpa2FCk2HIuVmbz9UO4UNvCfERadnKNZBSMx8pqY-6ZDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jones Valley Teaching Farm presented its annual update to the Birmingham City Council July 29, reporting city-supported expansion into classroom and controlled-environment agriculture across 16 Birmingham City Schools and a nearly 5,000-student reach during the past year.

Amanda Storey, executive director of Jones Valley Teaching Farm, said ARPA funding and city support enabled the organization to add eight hydroponic (controlled-environment) systems this fall, doubling the number of partner schools from eight to 16. Storey said the nonprofit aims to reach 20,000 students across the district over time.

“Our goal is 20,000 students, the entire system. So we are slowly but surely, but it feels kind of like a rocket ship these last couple of years,” Storey told the council. She said the program also operates paid high-school internships at $15 per hour; this year the organization hired 11 student interns and received 95 applications for those positions.

Storey provided program statistics: Jones Valley reported serving almost 5,000 students this past year; 176 students were enrolled in after-school clubs; the organization distributed about 25,000 pounds of produce to the community; and it supplied over 35,000 seedlings to community gardens and urban farms across the city.

The presentation described workforce and youth-pathway programming, a Center for Food Education that ran summer programming representing more than 47 schools, and a community-food fellowship funded by USDA support (Storey said some USDA funding was paused or delayed and the organization is pursuing additional funds). Storey listed site-level impacts and community gardens built in multiple council districts and noted that the Jackson-Olin High School feeder pattern is served by new installations.

Council members thanked the organization and asked operational questions about materials and garden construction; Storey said partner Ricky D. of We’re Sowing Seeds in Bessemer builds many of the raised beds and that she would follow up on construction materials when requested.

Storey closed by thanking the council for past support and for ARPA funding that helped scale internships, school partnerships and community garden construction.

No council vote was required for the presentation.","Jones Valley Teaching Farm told the City Council July 29 that ARPA-supported expansion has placed educational hydroponic systems in 16 Birmingham City Schools and that the nonprofit reached nearly 5,000 students in the past year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6499115,"Birmingham marks 35th anniversary of ADA; Capital Projects outlines transition plan and staffing vacancy",403,3108000,3511000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df&start=3108&end=3511","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df/thumbnail_3108000.jpg","/articles/6499115/Birmingham-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Birmingham-marks-35th-anniversary-of-ADA-Capital-Projects-outlines-transition-plan-and-staffing-vacancy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499115-3433b98c18fee3a279791df7547d4cc1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660427&Signature=A311t2bn24GTAeSA4YMGnlO-hVOYaBRIMik7Xelik55anDe7ghRuXkXAuG1cgBXRM8IrujqAxiO1pBaxec~I4T8szwB3YL2WBLOBqKhNx4izgnoe1rwNCGRKsKP5MPDZZd-csxTiuXyhHklhjSIf9vNgpJlZ6bkvaF~KH9W8JZEYcKkRybm-kTjhbbkdNmDiAVZmujzr8vIrc82E~OG6LRBNgVsfk0LAtcwcuQjBn~5oime9SdXiAEnRL8w6RyVJjhTf3Gl2L-36XdBwby3s5mcMSKbiLOS-16-pkabHhuXDW6ANxPrXyODxCMq8fnsENtKWlvO4lUtxA9GPYizoKw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Birmingham commemorated the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act during the July 29 City Council meeting, with a proclamation read by Mayor Randall L. Woodfin and remarks from city Capital Projects staff and disability-service partners.

The mayor read a proclamation recognizing the ADA’s role in prohibiting discrimination and underscoring the city’s investments in accessible infrastructure; staff from the Department of Capital Projects described recent and planned work to improve access in public facilities and services.

Veronica Merritt, chief compliance officer for the Department of Capital Projects, told the council the city is subject to Title II of the ADA and that the department is preparing a new transition plan required by the U.S. Department of Justice. “We are actually working on a new transition plan. That is one of the Department of Justice requirements. We hope to be releasing that new plan by the end of the year,” Merritt said.

Merritt introduced her project team and listed recent accessibility work, including curb cuts and public-building modifications. She noted an expansion of ADA-accessible parking at the Birmingham CrossPlex and said the city recently reinstated an ADA Community Advisory Committee to work with stakeholders and citizens with disabilities. Merritt also said the city has advertised a vacancy for an ADA compliance administrator and has been recruiting for about six months; applicants can apply at jobsquest.org.

John Roper of Disability Rights and Resources described the partnership between the city and local independent-living centers and cited a concrete measure of impact: Disability Rights and Resources has completed critical repairs and modifications on 316 homes in Birmingham during roughly two and a half years, work Roper said helps people “age in place.” He thanked the city for ARPA funds and other support that have aided accessibility-focused work.

The mayor’s proclamation recalled that President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26, 1990, and urged continued investments to remove physical barriers in public spaces.

The administration and disability partners characterized the work as ongoing; Merritt said the department will continue assessing facilities and services as it finalizes the transition plan and fills the compliance administrator position.","City leaders commemorated the Americans with Disabilities Act anniversary, highlighted recent accessibility upgrades and said the Department of Capital Projects will release a new ADA transition plan by year-end. The department is recruiting for an ADA compliance administrator vacancy.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6499118,"Birmingham to open two-day application window for critical repair program; city announces back-to-school and vendor events",457,2595000,3052000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df&start=2595&end=3052","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496985-99a32ee1f0568c563ea1e5aba4df37df/thumbnail_2595000.jpg","/articles/6499118/Birmingham-City/Jefferson-County/Alabama/Birmingham-to-open-two-day-application-window-for-critical-repair-program-city-announces-back-to-school-and-vendor-events","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6499118-c54394c02142ee1fc2b25385b30c4662/orig.mp4?Expires=1770660427&Signature=Pgg5kRuAzA4d1dJKZPUp6ON78~rxANsVKSVimh7OAogGR2y~gNAnBBuM1VqgQt1TlMmNSNjVGI1lxU1VQLmpRuQ3ctWQjjntOFsJmmDvJj63VDWgtypUv7LymgecPQDL~-gf2q5DlFvRt2phE-qTa2laIGXnDftSZVFxxdQfCG0XVpxG3ZAu-LOHs4EXTZacK5kltXQhDvaUi6DTLD-84oFKVD~rMLm5xs1~MfMC1Aoe~W5vWaqt54lQ7y5RpCI2kyyCb55wlBOF4xMP6YiQ8mwu0Ynch3OlS7B4SPRVs9BmJSooFN8nEZ5VSE9PHqStWSnc0Jzxr7T6hLA6QTKrNA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin announced July 29 that the City of Birmingham will open applications for its Critical Repair program for two days in September, offering urgent home repairs to 100 eligible residents with up to $30,000 per household available.

The announcement, delivered during the regular City Council meeting, included program details and a schedule of related community events and business outreach. Woodfin said informational sessions will be held before applications open and urged residents to register to learn program requirements.

The Critical Repair program is intended to fund urgent repairs such as roofing, plumbing and electrical work for qualifying households, with the mayor stressing the initiative’s importance to seniors and other residents who need immediate assistance. “This morning… the City of Birmingham's Department of Community Development will soon open applications for its critical repair, where 100 eligible residents will receive up to 30,000, each in urgent home repairs such as roofing, plumbing, or electrical needs,” Woodfin said.

Applicants are encouraged to attend one of the scheduled information sessions to understand program rules; those sessions are for information only and attendees should not bring documents. The mayor’s office listed the first session as a virtual meeting on Thursday, July 31 at 3 p.m.; two in-person sessions are set for Thursday, Aug. 7, from 5:30–6:30 p.m. at the Birmingham CrossPlex, and Thursday, Aug. 14, from 5:30–6:30 p.m. at Fountain Heights Recreation Center. For registration and information the mayor’s office directed residents to criticalrepairbham.com and (205) 581-3117.

Woodfin also highlighted a city-sponsored Tools for School event, presented by Window World, to be held Sunday, Aug. 3 at Lynn Park from 2–5 p.m., with free school-supply giveaways for students and a limited teacher giveaway that requires a Birmingham City Schools employee ID. He encouraged teachers to bring their school ID badges to receive supplies.

For small businesses, the Department of Finance will host the Business with BHM vendor opportunity expo Thursday, Aug. 7, from 4–7 p.m. at the Bridal Auditorium. Woodfin said the free event is intended to help local businesses navigate city procurement, meet purchasing staff, obtain vendor certification and assistance with business licenses; preregistration is required via purchasing@birminghamal.gov or (205) 254-2265.

Woodfin also promoted Rise Up Birmingham’s graduation on July 30 at Miles College, noting the program will distribute a combined $70,000 to launch more than 40 businesses developed through a community empowerment and violence-reduction initiative. He said the initiative includes partnerships with Miles College and the Institute for Research and Social Justice and Action and invited council members to attend the 10 a.m. showcase.

The mayor said event details and application links will be posted on the city’s website and other communication channels.

The mayor delivered these remarks as part of his regular communications to the council; no formal vote was required. The city’s Department of Community Development and Department of Finance were identified as the implementing offices for the repair program and vendor expo, respectively.","Mayor Randall L. Woodfin announced the city will open Critical Repair applications for two days in September to provide urgent home repairs for 100 residents (up to $30,000 each). The mayor also promoted a back-to-school Tools for School event, vendor procurement expo and Rise Up Birmingham graduation dates and registration details.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City Council approves rezoning, roadway amendment, ATF data-sharing agreement and emergency mowing contracts

Jones Valley Teaching Farm says ARPA funds helped expand to 16 Birmingham schools; reports nearly 5,000 students served

Birmingham marks 35th anniversary of ADA; Capital Projects outlines transition plan and staffing vacancy

Birmingham to open two-day application window for critical repair program; city announces back-to-school and vendor events