Tuscaloosa City Council Regular Meeting – August 19, 2025

The Tuscaloosa City Council met on August 19, 2025, at 6:32 PM CT to consider property rehabilitation cases, zoning text amendments, special retail licenses for football and alumni events, and a large consent agenda of routine approvals. The meeting concluded with a motion to enter executive session for legal and security discussions. No public comments were recorded.

Consent Calendar

• Real estate purchase: Authorized the mayor to execute a contract with Graham and Emily Limbaugh for 641 Stone River Road at a total not to exceed $425,000 for neighborhood drainage mitigation (discussed in projects meeting on the 5th).
• Audit services: Selected Warren Averett for professional audit of the internal audit of the PL 31-13-2 fund, total not to exceed $25,000 (finance meeting).
• Stop‑loss health insurance: Obtained coverage from HIMARC for fiscal year 2026 (finance meeting).
• Savings Center project amendments: Authorized Amendment No. 2 with Davis Architects (projects meeting).
• Construction observation: Contract with Duncan Coker for the Savings Center, total not to exceed $66,186 (projects meeting).
• Minor public works contracts:
  • Amazon Associates: $48,900
  • PCI Technologies: $12,719
  • Browning Masonry Company: $3,000
  • Building Specialties Company: $12,524.50
  • Druid Glass Construction: $1,505 (All discussed in projects meeting.)
• Professional services for Savings Center: Contracts with 1228 Exhibits ($19,683,408) and Turner Townsend Heary ($50,000) (projects meeting).
• Memorandum of understanding: With TCC Acquisition Partners, LLC.
• Helicopter insurance: Extension of city’s helicopter insurance coverage with Westchester Fire Insurance Company (finance meeting).
• Bid law exemption: Contract with Electric Motor Sales and Service for water and sewer department (water and sewer department).
• River Walk and River Market license: Renewal of license agreement with U.S. Department of the Army for $1,500 (projects meeting).
• Patent‑Late Park project: Authorized acquisition by condemnation proceedings.
• Water and sewer budget: Amendment No. 7 to the water and sewer reserve for future improvements fund budget (finance meeting on the 12th).
• General fund budget: Amendment No. 15 to fiscal year 2025 general fund budget (finance meeting).
• Municipal code: Added Section 10‑13 to the Code of Tuscaloosa (public safety meeting).
• Bond issuance: Authorized issuance of $73,965,000 in general obligation warrants, Series 2025B (bond process started in June).

Discussion Items

• Property rehabilitation cases (presented by Virgil):
  • 3209 7th Street (District 1): Owner is living in the house, has added shingles and begun painting. Virgil recommended a 90‑day extension to complete repairs. The council accepted the recommendation.
  • 2646 25th Street: Originally a voluntary combination, now siblings are attempting to save the house. Some siding installed incorrectly; minor improvements made. Virgil recommended 90 days for further work.
  • 2531 26th Street: Owner intends to start repairs and was expected to appear before the council. Virgil presented the case; the council awaited her presentation.
• Zoning text amendments (presented by Zach): Proposed changes to townhouse regulations, primarily replacing the word “lot” with “unit” in the requirement that a townhouse unit be at least one‑third as wide as it is deep. Also added cementitious (Hardie‑board) siding as a primary material and corrected missing footnotes in the MRU (Mixed Residential University) district. Zach noted these are cleanup items from the previous code update; the Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval in June. Council members discussed the rationale for the “unit” vs. “lot” language. The council approved the amendments.
• Special retail licenses (presented by Honey): Four applications for temporary (less than 7 days) alcohol sales:
  • Levy Premium Full Services: for all home football games at Bryant‑Denny Stadium.
  • Downtown Entertainment LLC: multiple events at SAE Alumni House and other locations (SAE Mama’s Weekend, ATO Alumni Game Day, Sig EP Alumni Game Day, Sigma Nu Alumni Game Day, Five Capstone Alumni Game Day, TKE 50th Anniversary, Southbound at Joe Malachon Parkway, Ryan Maries at Joe Malachon Parkway, Days of Confuse at Joe Malishon Parkway, Kappa Sigma Alumni Game Day Bar at 282 University Boulevard).
  • Party Down LLC: for Kappa Sigma Alumni Tailgate at 282 University Boulevard. The council approved all applications.
• Executive session items (presented by Mathematics): No public items; four items for executive session were noted.

Key Outcomes

• All consent calendar items were approved as presented.
• The council granted a 90‑day extension for the property at 3209 7th Street and recommended 90‑day extensions for 2646 25th Street and 2531 26th Street (owner’s presentation awaited).
• The zoning text amendments were approved, returning townhouse ratio language to its original intent and adding cementitious siding and missing footnotes.
• The special retail liquor licenses for multiple football and alumni events were approved.
• The council moved into executive session to discuss pending litigation, security measures, and preliminary trade negotiations, as certified by the city attorney.

Note: The transcript does not record individual roll‑call votes; actions are inferred from the meeting’s progression and lack of opposition.