Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting – June 10, 2025
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Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting – June 10, 2025
The Birmingham City Council held its regular meeting on June 10, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in the City Council Chambers. The meeting included a Mayor's report, presentations, consent agenda approvals, public hearings, and discussion of several resolutions. Key actions included extending the moratorium on automated car washes, deferring a business license revocation hearing, approving an agreement for the 2025 World Police and Fire Games, and setting public hearings for zoning amendments. The Mayor reported a 48% reduction in homicides and an 80% clearance rate, and noted that 84 roadways had been cleared from the previous weekend's storm.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the consent agenda, including resolutions for abatement of inoperable motor vehicles, contracts for services (e.g., City Center District Management Corporation, High 5 Birmingham, Iron Hills Productions for Magic City Flow Festival), grant acceptances, bid awards, and expense accounts. All consent items passed unanimously with 7 ayes. Items 8 (school athletic court agreement) and 10 (Cincinnati Sportscapes contract) were withdrawn by the Mayor's office. Item 9 (World Police and Fire Games) and item 14 (Jefferson County grant) were removed for discussion.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Automated car wash moratorium: John Godby (South Side Neighborhood Association) and John Barney Castle spoke in favor of extending the moratorium, citing traffic safety concerns and lack of transparency at a specific site. Both urged the Council to continue the moratorium until regulations are in place.
- Public speaker Artis Murphy delivered a spiritual message of encouragement to the Council, emphasizing the importance of their leadership and faith.
Discussion Items
- Mayor's Report: Mayor Woodfin provided updates on storm cleanup (84 roadways cleared), upcoming community meetings (Sustainability Plan public input on June 12 at the CrossPlex; Civil Rights Crossroads kickoff on June 10 at Legion Field), and public safety statistics (homicides down 48%, clearance rate 80%).
- McWane Science Center: Retiring CEO Amy Templeton introduced new CEO Brandon Landman, who expressed commitment to partnership with the city.
- BJCTA Transit Update: Director Charlotte Shaw presented the 7030 plan, highlighting a 61% increase in microtransit ridership (20,000 rides in May 2025), a 31% increase in BRT ridership, and improvements in on-time performance from 58% to 69%. Councillor Williams expressed concern about microtransit not crossing municipal lines, limiting access to jobs. Councillors Moore, Tate, and Smitherman advocated for better communication, bus rides for council members, and regional cooperation. The discussion noted the lack of state funding for transit.
- Wildflower Alliance: Founder Latoya Mims presented the organization's work supporting families of children with disabilities, including upcoming events (Come Roll With Me wheelchair basketball clinic on June 25, assistive technology conference in Birmingham). Councillors commended the initiative.
- World Police and Fire Games (Item 9): Resolution to authorize an agreement with the Birmingham Host Committee, providing up to $58,500 in incentives. Chief Mitchell reported 7,500 registered athletes, with 400 from Alabama. The event is free and open to the public. Councillors expressed support. The item passed unanimously.
- Grant for Arlington Antebellum Home (Item 14): Resolution to accept a $10,000 grant from Jefferson County Community Service Fund for enrichment activities. Passed with Councillor Smitherman abstaining.
- Appointments: Virnetta Woodbury appointed to the Design Review Committee (term expiring July 30, 2027); Darryl Varner appointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustments (term expiring November 25, 2026). Both passed unanimously.
- Zoning Public Hearings (Items 37 & 38): Resolutions setting public hearings for July 15, 2025, on a zoning map amendment (CR-4A to MU-L at 1201 16th Street North) and a text amendment adding definitions (alley, lot, public building). Both passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Ordinance 25-63: Extended the moratorium on automated car washes for 90 days (with possibility of one 90-day extension), passed unanimously.
- Item 2 (Happy Hour Hangout): Show cause hearing deferred four weeks to July 8, 2025, by motion.
- Item 9 (World Police and Fire Games): Approved unanimously, authorizing up to $58,500 in incentives.
- Item 14 (Grant): Approved with one abstention.
- Items 18 & 19 (Appointments): Approved unanimously.
- Items 37 & 38 (Zoning hearings): Approved unanimously, setting public hearings for July 15, 2025.
Meeting Transcript
I don't know if this is a big gentleman. Yeah, right. Yeah. Oh, it's hard on Saturday. So that's like another one. So you know what it's called. So it's not because it's a little bit still right. So I just want to do that. Yeah, I think I would like to actually have a short now. We have changed. I have to like store something like that. So I'm not sure. Okay. All right. Oh, cancel it. Okay. So I think it's not a good thing. I just think that I would have to have it, but I think that's a good thing. And then they don't have to make a lot of people. We're ready. Good morning. This is the regular meeting of the Birmingham City Council. Today is Tuesday, July, June 10th, 2025. This morning our invocation will be delivered by Lee Wendell Loader Senior, pastor of Gifted City Church. And our Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Councillor Clark. If you're willing and able, please stand. Good morning, Council, Mr. President, Madam Pro Tim, City Council, and the mayor and his staff. Let us pray. God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us this far along the way and to this very moment in time. The God who declared the government will be on his shoulder. The same God who lifted the burden of bondage off the backs of the Israelite nation. The same God who released Birmingham from the grip of segregation and the stronghold of nullification. If God can do that, then God can shield this city from the tyranny of a jealous and vindictive state government, which seeks to reverse the gains of the Birmingham movement and usher in a new era of Jim Crow. Birmingham has been a good steward over the resources you have given her the privilege to govern, constantly extending an olive branch of cooperation to share those resources with her sister cities, delivering water to her surrounding comrades, almost as pristine as it was when you showered it down to the earth as rain and filtered it through the land that you scooped out to form the rivers and the lakes of Jones Valley. Encourage and inspire and build up its leaders and citizens. Guide these municipal diplomats and leaders, this city, its citizens to the still waters of light and the flaming sword of justice. This is my prayer. Amen. Councilmember Abbott. Present. Councilmember Clark. Councilmember Moore. Good morning. Good morning. Councilmember Smithman. Good morning. Councilmember Tate. Good morning. Council Member Williams.
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