City Council – Highlights from the December 21, 2017 Meeting
Published on December 22, 2017
South Huntsville
The City of Huntsville accepted a gift of property from the Hays family that will lead to the building of a road and a park in South Huntsville.
The land will create an extension of the road from the new Grissom High School to Hobbs Road. There will be an adjacent park with paths for cyclists and pedestrians and to assure a greenspace area near the school. Ultimately, the path will connect the Grissom campus to Ditto Landing.
The transformation of the land should lead to greater residential and commercial growth in the area, said Jennie Robinson, the City Council member from District 3.
Economic Development
Council approved the administration’s request to proceed with the creation of a new Tax Increment Financing District (TIF 7) for 5,500 acres in the City’s western growth corridor. The area includes the 1,500 acre mega-site in newly annexed Limestone County. It is also adjacent to TIF 6, which includes the Polaris plant. “Having TIF 7 in place positions Huntsville and Limestone County to quickly and successfully toward a potential large-scale economic development project for the area,” according to Urban Development Director Shane Davis. He says the City is seeing an uptick in industrial prospects interested in the western corridor, and having a TIF in place allows the City and Limestone County to be more competitive. The TIF helps governments finance major infrastructure improvements in short order and pay back the debt through increased revenues generated by the district’s new economic development. Huntsville is now working more than 50 industrial projects with the Chamber of Commerce.
Zoning
Approval was given for amending the Zoning Ordinance for the Research Park District and Research Park West District. An addition of use from banks and credit unions within the former was approved as was relaxation of minimum yard space, density and height regulations for both. Height regulations would be based on adjacency to other structures and the acreage.
Board appointments
Linda Spalla was appointed to fill a position left vacant on the Industrial Development Board, for a term to expire May 27, 2019.
Freeman Holifield was appointed to the Solid Waste Disposal Authority, for a term to expire January 1, 2022.
Kerry St. John appointed to the Educational Building Authority of the City of Huntsville – Westminster, for a term to expire November 9, 2021.
Public works
Citizens were reminded of the change in garbage pickup because of the Christmas and New Year holidays. Service will be delayed a day from usual; Monday pickups will be on Tuesday, Tuesday on Wednesday, etc.
Christmas trees may be placed street side along with other yard debris and will be picked up by City crews as well. The 10-yard size limit for debris will be waived for the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Upcoming
The next City Council meeting will be on Thursday, January 11, 2018.
For more information, including hyperlinked contracts, visit Council Agendas and Minutes or view video recordings of past Council Meetings in the HSV TV video library .
