Birmingham City Council Regular Meeting – September 8, 2026

The Birmingham City Council met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 9:37 a.m. (agenda listed 9:30 a.m.) in the Council Chambers. The meeting began with an invocation by Shepherdess Betty Byrd and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Council Pro-Tem LaTonya A. Tate. The council approved numerous consent items, heard presentations on sickle cell awareness and a community opera event, debated a key zoning hearing date, and handled several development and funding resolutions. Public comment featured one speaker requesting a public dialogue with the mayor.

Consent Calendar

• Items 2–8, 10–35, and 37 were approved en bloc by one motion. These included routine permits, contracts, grants, settlements, bid awards, and expense accounts. (Item 9 was removed from consent for separate discussion.)

Presentations

• Sickle Cell Awareness Month Proclamation: Mayor Randall L. Woodfin, joined by Councilor Sonia Smith and Dr. Jeffrey Lebensburger (co-director of the Lifespan Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center), proclaimed September 2026 as Sickle Cell Awareness Month in Birmingham. Speakers included Adrienne Pickett (parent advocate), Johnny Thornton (stepfather of a sickle cell warrior), and Anika Mason (executive director of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Central Alabama). They highlighted that sickle cell disease affects over 100,000 Americans, 5,000 in Alabama, and 877 in Jefferson County, with 309 children under 19. The proclamation recognized ongoing research and community support.
• Opera Reimagined Presentation: Elias Hendrix, creator of Classical Soul, and Natalie Vergerman, executive director of Opera Birmingham, presented a new community event, "Opera Reimagined," scheduled for November 6–7, 2026, at Sloss Furnace. The production fuses Verdi’s Rigoletto with gospel, spoken word, rap, and R&B to make opera more accessible. Sponsorship levels were described, with tickets designated for community distribution.

Discussion Items

• Item 1 – Donation of Ford Explorer: A resolution authorizing acceptance of a donated 2015 Ford Explorer from the Birmingham Emergency Communication District (BECD), deferred from August 25, 2026, was approved after the council confirmed the 911 Commission’s approval. The vehicle will serve the Equipment Management Department.
• Item 4 – Park Street Housing Development (First Reading): An ordinance approving the transfer of the former Hill School lot (507 3rd St. N.) to Park Street Housing and Community Solutions Corporation for $1.00. Park Street will develop 31 single-family homes: 11 affordable at 80% AMI and 20 at up to 120% AMI. City assistance totals $1,128,393.00, including $633,393 (lump sum) and $495,000 (HOME Program loan). The item passed unanimously.
• Item 9 – Southern Research Institute Amendment: Removed from consent at Councilor Smithman’s request, this resolution extends the expenditure deadline for a $5,000,000 public health data system project to November 1, 2026. The project is expected to create over 50 jobs over five years. Council confirmed the change was a simple date extension and approved the item.
• Item 36 – Southern Area Framework Plan Public Hearing: A resolution to set a public hearing on October 20, 2026, for zone district boundary changes affecting the Crestline, Crestwood, and Red Mountain communities. Councilors Williams and O’Quinn expressed concerns about a height ordinance that could affect the plan and initially voted down the resolution. After discussion and a motion to reconsider, the council voted to set the hearing date for October 20, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Walter Faulkner Floyd (3416 7th Avenue South) requested a public one-on-one political discussion with Mayor Woodfin regarding his leadership, expressing dissatisfaction and calling for an open public meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved all listed items (2–8, 10–35, 37) by a single vote.
• Item 1 (Ford Explorer Donation): Passed.
• Item 4 (Park Street Housing): Passed (first reading).
• Item 9 (Southern Research Institute Amendment): Passed after removal from consent.
• Item 36 (Southern Area Framework Plan Hearing): Initially failed, then reconsidered and passed, setting the public hearing for October 20, 2026.
• District Announcements: Numerous neighborhood meetings and events were announced, including a gun safety event on September 13, a mental health clinic, and a safe summer concert series.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned after public comments.

Dates & Statistics

• Meeting date: September 8, 2026 (9:37 a.m. – adjourned before 11 a.m.).
• Sickle cell disease: affects >100,000 Americans, 5,000 in Alabama, 877 in Jefferson County (309 children under 19).
• Park Street Housing: 31 homes (11 at 80% AMI, 20 at 120% AMI); city assistance $1,128,393.
• Southern Research Institute: $5,000,000 project, >50 new jobs, deadline extended to November 1, 2026.
• Public hearing set: October 20, 2026 (Southern Area Framework Plan).
• Consent items approved: 34 items (excluding item 9).