Welcome to our April 27th, 2026 meeting of the City of Tuscaloosa Zoning Board of Adjustments.

Any renting comments sent to the staff were forwarded to the board directly.

Now at this time, I'd like to introduce the staff and members.

Hudson Cheshire, Associate City Attorney.

Zach Pons, Director of Planning.

Josh McKinney, zoning administrator.

I asked the board members to introduce themselves, starting to my left.

Joe Robinson.

Tim Gillam.

Michelle Coley, Chair.

Paul Rollins Jr.

Robert Bill.

Marty Hamner.

Now the purpose of the zoning board of adjustments by virtue of state law and city ordinance.

The purpose of the zoning board of adjustments is as follows.

Here is appeals from zoning officers' decisions.

Grant special exceptions to the zoning code in accordance with the terms as established by the city council.

We grant variances from the zoning code when strict enforcement creates unnecessary hardship.

Circumstances that are not hardships include those that are number one, self-inflicted or self-created.

Number two, inconvenient and are personal.

Now the zoning board of adjustments does not interpret or enforce subdivision covenants or HOA rules.

Those matters are not relevant areas of inquiry by the board on any petition.

Now there were signup sheets located outside for public comment.

Four speakers are allowed to speak in favor of a petition, and four speakers are allowed to speak in opposition of a petition.

Now all speakers will have a maximum of five minutes unless the board votes to allow a longer time.

Now the board will take up items in the order of our final agenda.

The board will initially receive a presentation from the staff as to the details of the agenda item.

After the staff's presentation, I will call upon the petitioner to present their case.

Now the petitioner will have a maximum of 10 minutes unless the board votes to allow a longer time.

Now at the conclusion of the petitioner's remarks, I will call on any party in order of sign-up who desires to support the petition.

Thereafter, I will call on any party in order of sign-up, those who oppose the petition.

Now when it's your term for comment, please introduce yourself, stating your name and address to the board.

To provide your remarks, any written comments have been included into the record.

Now, after receiving the remarks of those who oppose the petition, the petitioner will have the opportunity to respond to those objections.

Now any rebuttal will be limited to two minutes unless the board allows longer time.

Now if the petitioner presents any new information in response to the objections, the board will allow those who oppose the petition the opportunity to respond to the new information only.

Now any response will be limited to two minutes unless the board votes to allow a longer time.

Now during the course of the presentation, you may be interrupted by any member of the board for clarification or additional information.

Now such interruptions will not reduce your allowed time limit.

Now once the board members are satisfied that they have received all relevant information.

Now after the vote, you are free to leave.

Now these proceedings are video recorded and broadcast live.

All in-person public comments should be made at the podium and into the microphone.

Any party agreed by any final judgment or decision of such zoning board of adjustments may within 15 days thereafter appeal therefrom to the circuit court by filing with such board a written notice of appeal specifying the George the judgment or decision from which the appeal is taken.

Now do any board members have any conflicts of interest as to any agenda matters?

If so, please state the same for the record.

It has.

Okay.

Uh, we move to staff presentations.

Okay.

So here we have uh cases requesting to withdraw.

ZBA 2226, Amber Walker petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1267 38th Avenue East, zoned SFR 1 in the Council District 5.

So we need a motion to have it withdrawn.

So this was withdrawn prior to the meeting, so you don't need a you don't need to vote on it.

It's just letting you know.

Okay.

Do we have an update on our law, any of our cases or anything?

Do we have an update?

Not at this time, no.

Okay.

Cases to be heard.

First, we have ZBA 15-26.

Michael Grunder petitions for a special exception to operate a light vehicle repair shop at the property located at 4201 Greensboro Avenue, Zone GC, Council District 7.

Here's a vicinity map.

You can see it's just north of Skyland Boulevard and north of uh Academy Sports and Outdoors.

Here's a closer aerial view of the proposed repair shop.

And then here's the uh front uh elevation of the uh building that he's proposing to use.

Then we have the rear garage area.

Here's a rear fence.

And then we have the rear lot that was previously used as um place to keep customer vehicles.

Here's the front of the rear lot.

So the request is special exception to allow the use of a light vehicle repair shop.

The property is currently vacant and was previously used as an auto repair shop.

The repair shop will operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.

to 5 p.m.

Customer vehicles will be serviced within a week.

Collision repair or body work will not be provided service, and the applicant has stated that a wrecked or dismantled vehicle will not be stored on the property.

Overnight vehicles will be parked within the fenced area for security with 20 vehicles maximum with this area at any given time.

Then here's our standard specific to light vehicle repair shop.

Okay, I know to go back to that, Josh.

I noticed that it says here um area is shelving screened from view from all public right-of-ways.

So that the fencing right now doesn't have anything on it.

Uh that is correct.

Okay.

Go ahead.

And then here's a regulations for special exception use permit.

Any questions for staff?

I don't have thank you so much.

Mr.

Grinder.

Good evening.

Oh, sorry.

All right, uh, I'm Michael Grunder.

I'm petitioning for obviously 4201 Greensboro Avenue.

It was originally Horton's Garage Service and Wrecker Service.

Uh and I I know that that was an issue that previously the location looked like a salvage yard.

Okay, they had a racker service, they were picking up drunk cars, they did collision repair there.

Uh vehicles in that industry oftentimes get totaled out by insurance companies, don't get addressed, and that's why they stack up.

Place looks like a junkyard.

Um, I've operated for two years uh at 375 Bear Creek Road.

It's just it's in the PJ just outside city limits.

Um I'm operating in what's called a flex space, if everybody's familiar with that.

Uh so I've got about 10 parking spots right now.

I've got a full-time mechanic on staff right now, and we just we have too much customers to support the parking space that we have.

Um given time, the average vehicle turnaround for me is less than a week.

Some of them take two weeks, some of them may take three.

That's gonna depend on parts availability, uh, whether the customers got the money to get the job done, so forth.

Uh I do not keep cars that aren't being serviced and aren't approved for work.

I don't keep them there.

And this is really because if a car is sitting there taking up space, it's not making me any money.

So if from a business aspect, I'm not keeping old junked cars there.

Uh I know that a concern is that the fence is not screeded from view.

Now it is y'all's ordinance, so all I know is that that specific section states that if there's wrecked or dismantled vehicles, they can't sit in a parking lot for more than two weeks.

If they are there for more than two weeks, they must be put in a fenced in area, and then it stipulates the requirements of said fence.

I'm not having wrecked or dismantled vehicles there.

I will have vehicles there stored, they'll be in a moving manner.

I can't say running because I'm a mechanic shop, uh, but they'll be in a manner where I can pull them into the shop, repair them, and get them out.

That fenced in area is planned to store customers' cars overnight uh as an aspect of security.

Uh so screening it, A hinders security of my lot, because how can patrolling policemen see in my lot to see if anybody's in there?

Uh and B, the cars parked in there would be similar to a used car lot uh parking their cars at night um visibly.

Um there will be no wrecked cars.

Twenty cars was an estimate.

Uh that's what I'm basing off of my current output uh that my shop has.

Um I'm planning to double the output parking spots I have, double that.

Uh it can't give and take.

I wouldn't like to say a maximum of 20 cars.

I don't want that on record, but I do estimate that's about where it should be.

Um that's that's really all I've got going there.

I do have uh a letter from my current landlord uh on record stating that I keep it clean outside.

Uh I understand the rest of the requirements in the light vehicle repair special exception.

I won't have any equipment outside, I won't store any tires outside or fluid waste deposits or the such.

Um if there's any questions.

Are you doing body work or just what do you what type work are you doing on the cars?

I do not do body work.

The most I'll do cosmetic-wise is maybe I'll add running boards or uh accessories, or if somebody busts a headlight or tail light, I'll change that, but I don't do any paint, I don't do any bondo, no sanding, no collision repair, uh, is what I do.

It's all mechanical.

My engine's making a noise, I have a noise going over a bump, cars running hot, leaking oil, whatnot.

Can you pull the ordinance back up?

Okay.

The fence.

Yeah, I'm looking at the fence, and I'm like, we don't think this is this needs to be removed.

I mean, I I don't have any issues.

I mean, it was a repair shop before.

I think the issue is is we've got to follow the zoning order um code here, and I'm and I'm I'm I believe you're you're gonna have to enclose it.

I mean, I I guess it'd be up to the staff, but but what type of closing screening that you can use?

It's needed, but you're gonna have to do something uh for a fence enclosure as far as screening.

If it's approved, are we right in that in that something has to be the screening has to be right?

Y'all can y'all can make that determination.

We don't define rector dismantled vehicle.

Um, but I think if you'll feel that it would be a rector dismantled vehicle that you would be working on.

Personally, I feel like if it's required to be closed in, it it almost sets a precedent that every MITIS or Pet Boys or dealership maintenance facility has to also meet those requirements.

It's kind of how I see it.

I don't if I gotta do the fence, I gotta do the fence.

I'd prefer not to just because there's so much else in that property that I'd like to update initially to facelift and improve appearance.

I do plan straightening it out and getting it in better order.

Um, but initially I just I wasn't working that in my budget off the get-go.

Um that's all.

So the ordinance says if it's a wreck or dismantle.

You're basically saying you're not doing body work, so it's gonna be correct.

The engine water pump or something.

Those are not mine, those are all supposed to be gone.

Yes.

But I guess my thought is if your business evolves and you start doing more work and growing and doing this, then what happens at that point?

Uh define evolve, you mean it evolves into doing body work?

I mean, you you start in one spot and you go to something next as your business grows.

I mean if my business grows to perform collision repair, it'll have to do it at a different location.

Um be honest, I don't intend to move that direction.

I don't enjoy that work.

Um, it's not what I'm good at.

And you know, of course, code enforcement will take care of that issue as well if we see that it's if it's evolving in that way.

Okay.

This also says all outdoor areas used for maneuvering vehicles shall be permanently surfaced.

Is that is that asphalted or concreted now?

Uh the parking lot, the front parking lot is if you're gonna use it for maneuvering vehicles.

Uh I guess that would just be really I would consider it the storage of vehicles.

Uh sorry, I didn't hear you.

I I would consider it to be the storage of vehicles is what that area is for.

It's the the back is stone, right?

Gravel?

It's gravel, yes.

The front asphalt.

Yes.

And then the entryways into the garages are concrete as well as there's uh concrete pad inside of that fenced area.

So that's the front.

And you'll be I guess working inside the building or in the back.

I don't intend to work in the outdoor at all.

Uh I don't do it, I don't make my mechanics do it.

It's not in the area right here be what we're talking about needs to be asphalt and concrete as well if he's gonna have cars parked back there.

Right.

So that would be the area that you use for like commercial or for people to come in and out of the shop.

Um in front of the store and things like that.

This back area doesn't have to be.

Uh I will say so storage of vehicles, I think is how it was used previously, but I feel like the way that he's explaining his operation is they are customers' vehicles that he is parking back there.

Um that sounds like maneuvering vehicles.

Right, I think so.

Sounds like that would be asphalt and concrete if he's maneuvering vehicles back there, right?

Am I not saying so?

I don't I can't reference it, but I did read a lot of the ordinance before I came in, and there was a previous in the general definitions section uh I believe that spoke about the maneuvering of vehicles referenced to uh the public maneuvering their vehicles in and out of the business as a safety concern uh for personnel getting and out of their vehicle that are not staff members.

This is an area that only staff members will have access to.

I'm gonna let staff respond to that.

Right.

I I could see that this would be only used for the applicant and not customers pulling their cars in in that area.

Um yeah, maneuvering of vehicles, we would we would typically say that that would be where the customers are pulling up to get out of their vehicles to go into the shop to pull back to exit the parking lot, things like that.

Okay.

So I'm okay about that because I don't think your customers will be doing that, but the screening in the having the screening part, that's a concern right there.

Um in that area.

You talk about screening in the back.

Well, really, that front part coming across that front part, is that what we're talking about we're talking about that screening?

Right there.

Right there.

Yeah.

Can we go back to the ordinance, please?

The next page.

So with the the screening, I uh I thought I saw where it was it mentioned something about it being next or a residential neighborhood.

It's that letter B at the end there.

Shall we screen from you from all public rights away in adjacent residential uses?

Public right of ways and adjacent residential uses.

Okay.

And the um the overhead shows the the connected properties.

But the the zone it shows a zone to those properties.

Okay.

That's residential, in it.

And that entire east line does have a tree line running through it that's not you can't see through there's that entire east side of the lot, there's a tree line that runs there separating the two.

Uh and you can't see through it at all.

No side, that'll be right away.

Now do we acknowledge uh the natural buffers in place of the screen?

Did you say that consider the buffers as a screen?

He said they don't that they don't consider that.

Okay.

Anything else you want to say to us?

Uh no, I just want to reiterate.

I'm if if we do decide screening is required, I'll ask maybe we could put a timestamp on it so I can continue to move, grow the business, and renovate.

There's other spots that are in dire need of this property to make it appear better to the public eye that I think take precedent over that fence.

Um I think if anybody wanted to drive by, they'd they would agree that straightening the fence out and having some cars back there are not would not be the priority on that property.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

All right, thank you.

Uh no one signed up to speak for against.

Is there anybody in the audience like to speak for or against this petition?

Okay, at this time I'll close public comment and we'll go to board comment starting with Marty.

Yes.

Um, given that this was a light repair garage that is actually toning down from doing body work tonight.

I think it does have minimal impact on that.

The uh single family residence behind has been there for probably as long as the shop has been there.

So that it was purchased with knowledge that this was there.

So given that we're not storing wrecked vehicles and stacking them like they do at a shop like that, we just maybe put a fence uh some sort of cover on the front and then do the repair.

So I'm supportive of it.

Okay.

But just for uniformity of the ordinance, I would like to see the screening around the fence.

I know the petitioner mentioned like MITAS and different shops like that, but I don't recall any of those shops having a fence in the area behind is used as yes, open park line in the front, and maybe a bay in the back that you drive out or something like that.

But um I'm comfortable, comfortable with the use, uh, but I would like to see the uh screening.

I agree with my fellow board members.

I'm okay with the use, it's always been that type.

Um the screening and the appeal, and I understand doing business and how you want to be able to operate your business, but we also have ordinances for a reason um to keep up certain things, and so I am agreement with uh screens as required by the zoning.

Um you can get with the city and they can tell you what type of screening you need to have that will fit what we're asking for.

Um other than that, I'm okay with it.

Yeah, I'm in agreement as well.

I have no issue with the use, but I do believe we need to follow the zoning code for the screening as far as a time frame.

I mean, I don't have an issue you working with the staff on that and then working something out.

Um I do want it to be a reasonable time frame.

And I don't know if we need to put that in the vote or not, but I don't mind working with him on a short time frame.

Sure.

What type of like do we need to put Zach?

Do we need to put that in the ordinance if you a time frame?

Um I think if y'all are okay with the time frame, you can do that, or you can just tell them that he has to screen it if that's the route that you're going.

Yeah, I think a time frame I don't want it to be next year and we're working on it.

Right.

I think a time frame could be a little hard to you know keep in check.

Sure.

In this situation, sure.

Okay.

Okay, I'm I'm in agreement also with the fellow board members.

Uh which includes the screening.

Uh we've got to um stay consistent with our ordinances that we that we have in place.

Okay.

All right, we'll close board comment.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-15-26.

Michael Runder petitions for a special exception to allow the use of a light vehicle repair shop at the property located at 4201 Greensboro Avenue, zone GC Council District 7 with the stipulation of screened as required by zoning.

We will vote with starting with Marty.

Yes.

Are we going to have a time for it?

No.

No.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Next we have ZBA 16-26.

Raven Howard petitions for a special exception to allow the use of a private event space located at 2711 Culver Road, zoned NC in the Council District 1.

Here's a vicinity map.

You can just see it's uh to the west of Oakdale Elementary School.

Here's a close little closer view.

And then here's just the front of the uh the building.

Uh currently it's a it's a double frontage store.

Um you see on the left side that there is a restaurant, and then the petitioners proposing to use the right side.

Here's the rear that they would like to use as a patio space.

Right now there's two accessory structures, and then here's the general location of where they would like the uh patio space.

Uh so this this is a special exception to allow the use of a private event space.

All events will be inside with an outside area available for patio space.

The inside space looks to be about 1,500 square feet in size.

The maximum number of guests will be less than a hundred.

Proposed operating hours will be 8 a.m.

to 11 p.m.

and events will be held year round.

Uh the petitioner did state that there will be no alcohol.

Here's the uh regulations regarding uh special exception decision making standards.

Any questions for staff?

No questions, thank you, Ms.

Howard.

I'm Raven Howard, uh 2711 Clover Road.

So this is a request to use a portion of this building looking at this building from Highway 11.

It's the portion that is to the right.

So not the KSV restaurant side of the building, but the other half as a small event space.

What's the other half gonna be?

Is this the restaurant still there?

Yes, the restaurant is still there.

So this property is already zone neighborhood commercial, and the original intent for this building was to give the restaurant tenant an option to use stock the entire building, but since that time we have decided to use the other portion, we've needed the other portion of the building for another purpose.

Explain about the patio in the back and how it will be used.

So that is um, so if we could go back to where the storage units are.

Yes.

So this is really just a spot to give individuals that smoke a place to stand in the backyard.

So there'll be a gate up against the um not the first storage unit, but the second storage unit.

So we are we just recently in reinstall that gate, so we're having the the fence, so we're having the rest reinstall currently.

So um it'll just be a space, not like to hold outside events or anything like that, just so if people need to smoke and they're utilizing that event space, they don't have to do it in front of the building, so we can protect the you know the character of that building.

Those units gonna be removed.

One belongs to the restaurant, the other one belongs to us, and we have thought about it.

It might be um, it's not anything.

We have another one not far from this.

So we are we're trying to decide if we need that one.

We just purchased another one.

This um uh it's out of view, but it's still not far.

But either way, if we use that back part of the backyard, the patrons won't be able to see that building.

Now, this is the backyard.

So are the is there a fence behind these accessories?

So there is a buffer because this is already zone neighborhood commercial, so there's a fence all the way around that property.

So we're adding something additional, a gate right there.

So like if you're if you're standing from this part and you're looking, you would actually see a gate.

So that if someone was in their backyard, they couldn't see on the other side.

Okay.

Any more questions for Ms.

Howard?

Okay, thank you.

Okay, thank you.

We don't have anyone signed up to speak for or against this petition.

Is there anyone in the audience that like to speak for or against this petition?

Okay, we'll close public comment and we'll go with Mr.

Hamner for a board comment.

Yes.

Um, given that this is technically been a restaurant, the neighborhood around it's used for people pulling in.

I would be a little concerned about you know late nights, 1011.

I don't know who's behind the house that may have something to say, but just the general use of the space.

I'm very supportive of that.

Yeah, I have no issues.

I'm in favor.

I have no issues either.

Umly thing would be the parking and making sure how parking is handled with number of people making sure that they stay on the gravel, that kind of thing.

Other than that, that would be uh my only concerns.

Um I have no issue with this petition.

I have no issues either.

Is it do you do your parents live in the house at the corner?

I'm sorry, sir.

Do your parents live at the house in the corner?

Yes, so that they live next kind of next door to this.

Okay.

I have no issues.

Sorry.

So yes, my parents are right next door, so I really don't expect for there to be any late night situations, no parties.

It's kind of an extension of our church, you know, like just for small things.

Um, so not too late.

Okay.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Okay.

All right.

We'll close board comment.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-16-26.

Raven Howard petitions for a special exception to allow the use of a of a private event space at the property located at 2711 Culver Road, Zone NC, Council District 1 voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Next we have ZBA 17-26.

Victoria Howard petitions for a special exception for a home-based business to allow the operation of a hair salon at the property located at 1990 Woodridge Road, zone SFR 1, Council District 3.

Here's a vicinity map.

You see just uh north of Highway 82.

Then here's a closer aerial view.

And then here's the primary residence.

And the petitioner proposes to operate the hair salon on a separate um, well, inside the home, but in a separate location from the residential use.

So this is a special exception request for a home-based business to allow the operation of a hair salon.

The salon will be located solely within the basement of the residence and take up 300 square feet of the 3200 square foot home.

The salon will be appointment only and up to two customers at a time.

Customers will enter the salon through a pro separate exterior entrance without accessing the main residence.

Proposed hours of operation are from 9 a.m.

to 6 p.m.

three days a week.

Then here's the regulations for special exceptions.

Any questions for staff?

No questions.

Thank you.

Ms.

Howard.

Good evening to the board.

My name is Victoria Howard at 1990 Woodridge Road.

Um, I am proposing to move my hair salon studio from an outside rental experience to the basement of my home.

The the basement has been completely renovated and is completely separate.

There is a separate entrance and exit.

Um also it does meet all of the Alabama Board of Cosmetology regulations, um, separate entrance and exit.

And as he stated, there will only be one max two clients at a time.

So there will not be any parking on the street or any sort of added traffic to that sort of situation.

Um I have been self-employed for 12 years.

Nine of those I have been with the city of Tuscaloosa the last two and a half years.

Um there is no changes to the outside appearance to my knowledge.

There is no issues with the HOA.

I also do not have any other employees, it is just me.

And how will they access the separate exit?

Well, so that was something that I had spoken with with Mr.

McKinney.

There is, if you look at the picture, there is a separate drive that was there when we bought the home that has that pulls right up to where the separate entrance and exit is as far as the basement entrance.

Um it was already there.

I thought that you know that was gonna be a perfect way to be able to access that.

If that would be an issue for any reason, they would be able to park obviously in the main driveway and then be able to walk down and enter through that same.

Do we have a better look at that drive?

Is that the only picture we have?

It is, yeah.

But um looking at it, yeah, it was added without approval.

So we talked to the applicant about removing that gravel.

Oh, the gr well the gravel had been there.

My husband, we used to use that for personal use.

He would park his work truck down there because the drive was already there when we bought the home, so it would kept from there being traffic in the driveway.

But we did add two five-gallon buckets of gravel for personal use when he was parking down there so that mud wouldn't be an issue.

Um, but I wasn't aware that that was an issue and it can't be removed if it needs to be.

So if the gravels remove, it's got to be put concrete down.

Like, no, not necessarily.

It's just you can't expand a gravel driveway.

Um in photo street view that we've seen in the past, this was not an approved driveway.

And so because of that, it cannot be used in that way, essentially.

There's no there's no curb cut there or anything like that.

So you cannot use this driveway.

Right.

That was kind of under my that yeah, that was the original idea, but that's when I ended up sending them the measurements for the actual can use this driveway at the top of the hill.

That's right.

And so then for a separate entrance, they will walk down to that, or how will they but that didn't have anything to do with us?

We just she can have the operation of the special exception to allow it.

I think she'll need to answer that question of how customers will be getting to that.

Yeah, I mean, now that we have discovered that the first idea was not not gonna happen.

Um, we talked about possibly building some sort of walkway, like a you know, stone walkway or something, as long as it would meet requirements um for it to make sense, the easy access as far as where you come in and where you don't.

Okay.

Any more questions?

Just a quick question on this isn't a cul-de-sac, your street end.

It's like a dead end, yes, sir.

Maybe a ditch or something goes in the back of the church parking lot.

Yeah, it's like a yeah, it's like a little creek back behind my house.

No, it's a dead end.

So is it allowed in home based businesses to park on the street in the cul de sac with the no, it has to be off the street.

Okay, so it's gonna have to go on a drive.

Just one so the parking's gotta be in the only driveway.

In the main drive, yeah, in the yeah, yes, sir.

Do we have to stipulate that or anything?

You do not, and ma'am.

Okay.

And no, we don't have to stipulate about off-street parking or anything.

No, ma'am, as part of the regulations.

Okay.

All right.

Anything else for Ms.

Howard?

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

We don't have we have no one signed up to speak for and against.

So anybody in the audience like to speak for against this petition?

At this time, we'll close board comment.

I mean, close public comment and go to board comment, Mr.

Hammonder.

I'm supportive of the business.

Yeah, I have no issues.

I'm in favor.

I'm in favor as well.

You have no issues either.

I don't have any issues with it either.

Okay, we'll close board comment.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-17-26.

Victoria Howard petitions for a special exception for home-based business to allow the operation of a hair salon at the property located at 1990 Wood Ridge Road, zone SFR-3, Council District 3 voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Here we have ZBA 1826.

James Walters petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1616 12th Street East Zone SFR2 and Council District 5.

Here's a vicinity map of the proposed location.

You just see a south of uh Bryce Hospital.

And here's a closer view of it.

And then here's the uh map showing uh short-term rentals in the vicinity.

Could you back up one for a minute?

Thank you.

Yeah.

And then here's the uh primary residence where they would want to do the short-term rental.

So the request is um the house has uh three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The house is owner occupied.

The petitioner will stay with friends and family locally when the house is being rented.

The house is equipped with exterior cameras and keep key locks.

Uh Mr.

Walters will be the primary contact and will be available 24 hours a day.

Petitioner has experience managing long-term rentals.

The petitioner is requesting 10 adults, four vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends six adults and three vehicles.

All right, thank you so much.

Uh Mr.

Walters.

Yes, James Walters.

James Kent Walters, actually.

Not to be confused with just James Walker.

I've been in the house uh since 2016.

The house was actually the original house is blown away 15 years from today.

Is this your address?

Excuse me.

Is this your home that you live in?

It's my home.

Okay, just say your one my original home in 2011, but I bought the house and it was built in 2014.

And I've been in a state your address, you didn't state your address for the record.

Uh 1616, 12th Street East.

Okay.

Tuscaloosa, 35404.

Um, I've been in the house since 2016.

And I sold my business uh in January here in Tuscaloosa, so I have the ability to go visit family and friends, and um I have an elderly father in Mississippi.

I'll probably spend a lot of time with him, but yeah, we'd like to to get a short-term exception for a short-term lease.

Do you have any experience with short-term rental?

I'm sorry.

Do you have any previous experience with short-term rental?

Not short-term rentals, long-term.

Um, I have owned uh self-service launder mats for the last 13 years, 24-7.

As a lot goes on.

So I've with that experience.

I mean, managing this shouldn't be much, you know, over and above what what I've been through there.

Okay.

All right.

Any questions for Mr.

Okay.

All right, thank you so much.

Thank you.

We don't have anybody signed up to speak for against this petition.

Is there anybody in the audience that'd like to speak for against this petition?

Okay, we'll go to board comment.

Um generally supportive, I do want to go with staff recommendations placed on the driveway and the parking spaces over what we're doing space.

Supported.

I have no issues.

I'm in favor of staff recommendations.

I agree with my fellow board members.

I'm in uh favor of staff recommendations of six um six adults in three vehicles.

I'm agreeance as well in favor of six and three.

I believe the uh driveway would accommodate the three vehicles.

I'm in agreement with staff.

Okay, we'll close board comments.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-18-26, James Walters, James Kent Walters petitions for a special exception to allow a short-term rental of a property located at 1616 12th Street East Zone SFR-2 for 30 nights, one year 30 night probation, six vehicle six adults and three vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, yes, yes.

Petition is approved.

Next we have ZBA 1926.

Matthew Gibson petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1732 12th Avenue, zone MR2 and the Council District 2.

Here's a vicinity map.

You can just see it's just west of Central High School.

And then here's the uh close closer aerial view of the proposed location.

And then here's short-term rentals in the vicinity.

And then here's where they would like to have the short-term rental.

For some reason, I thought it was more in that.

Look at we've done all of them so far.

And then showing more short-term rentals down the street.

Or excuse me, townhomes down the street.

Then here's the rear parking area.

So the this house has three bedrooms and three and a half baths.

The house will not be owner occupied and will remain vacant.

The house is equipped with a ring camera and dead bolts.

Matthew Gibson will be the primary contact and will be available 24 hours a day.

The petitioner has stated that they manage around 50 short-term rental properties in Tuscaloosa.

The petitioner is requesting six adults and three vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends six adults and three vehicles.

Any questions?

Thank you.

Matthew Gibson.

Hey, how's it going?

My name is Matthew Gibson.

I live at 1211 17th Avenue East Tuscaloosa.

Uh this is a three-bed uh three and a half bath location with a two-car garage and additional parking in the back.

I work for a game day vacay.

I'm the property manager.

We have about 50 properties here in Tuscaloosa that we manage, and this is one that we'd like to add.

Okay.

Are the adjoining units also short term?

Uh many of them are, yes, sir.

I'm sorry.

I said many of them are, yes, sir.

Okay.

Okay.

Any other questions for Matthew?

All right, thank you.

We have no one signed up to speak for or against this petition.

Is there anybody in the audience that'd like to speak for or against this petition?

At this time, we'll close public comment and go to board comment.

Yes.

Uh given the layout, the adequate parking and the fact that the other units similar to this are just uh scheduled short term, but I have those issues.

Yeah, I have no issues as well.

I'm in favor of staff recommendations.

I agree with my fellow board members.

I'm in favor as well.

I'm in favor as well.

I don't have any problems with this either.

Okay.

At this time we'll close board comments.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-19-26.

Matthew Gibson petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1732 12th Avenue, zone MR-2, Council District 2.

One year probation, 30 nights, six adults, three vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Josh slow poking around.

Next we have ZBA 20-26.

Amanda Anderson petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1020 Wakefield zoned SFR 1 and the Council District 2.

Here's a vicinity map of the proposed location just uh north of Cedar Oak Memorial Park.

Then here's a closer view.

And then here's a well, this is the only uh short-term rental in the location.

And then here's the uh residence.

There's a driveway.

Uh this house has three bedrooms and three and a half bath.

The house will not be owner-occupied and will remain vacant.

The house is equipped with ring camera and dead bolts.

Will be the primary contact and will be available 24 hours a day.

Petitioner stated that they currently manage short-term rentals in the in Tuscosa area.

Petitioner is requesting six adults and three vehicles.

If approved, staff remember recommends six adults and three vehicles.

The petitioner was approved to operate a short-term rental at the January 27th, 2025 ZBA meeting when the petitioner applied for renewal of their business license.

It was noted that the property had been rented for 73 nights in 2025 during the 30-night probationary period.

On this property?

Yes.

That's great.

So I'm always understanding this petitioner had a approval on this particular property.

It came to all for the renewal.

Why are they coming back to us?

Because of this.

Because it is 73 nights.

Yeah.

So the special exception is considered null and uh void.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you, Josh.

Ms.

Anderson.

Hello.

I'm Kelvin Robertson.

Um, um, we would like to continue with the short-term rental.

We did exceed our time frame uh last year.

That was our first time utilizing the short-term rental.

So I do apologize for that, but we would like to proceed this year um with their short-term rental permit.

So y'all didn't just exceed it, you know, y'all went way over.

That was 43 nights more than 30 nights.

So what happened?

So honestly, we it we forgot about the 30 night rule.

And so we had some crew, we had a crew come in to rent, and then when we did the renewal, we we read back over the exceptions that we forgot about the 30 day rule.

So that would be a good thing.

It was uh someone rented for two weeks.

It was a couple crews came in at different times and rented for two weeks at a time.

Any questions?

You say it was a construction crew again.

Yes.

And it actually caused issues, so we won't have that anymore.

Not in the community, let me clarify.

Didn't cause issues in the community just as far as the maintenance of the the home.

So we won't utilize that anymore.

So the short-term rentals that you did that were going over, they were two weeks at a time.

Was it like a people doing the construction or nursing work?

What was the yes?

They were doing their two weeks at a time.

I'm sorry.

What was the reason for the two weeks at the time?

They were doing construction in the area, and so they just uh looked up the home and rented the home um for two weeks at a time, and so that's how we went over.

Any more questions?

And you just forgot about the uh time limit, the 30-day time limit.

Yes, sir.

That was our that was our first year, so I did, but we like I said, we won't utilize, we won't do the the longer rentals anymore.

We're sticking to the two two to three day uh rentals moving forward.

Any more questions?

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

We don't have anybody speak for or against.

Is there anybody in the audience that like to speak for or against so at this time we'll close uh public comment and we'll go to board comment?

Yeah, given that it was short-term rental report, premise of doing that, I don't have an issue with that.

I don't I don't know how the city handles when people break the rule on the short-term report.

We don't enforce anything here, we just approve it.

So that would just be my concern that we're not holding people accountable to the rule.

Okay, so we had one similar to this what last month, a month before so this is a difficult one because we understand with short-term rentals is primarily for uh game days, graduations, things like that.

And the long-term rentals has to be 30 days.

But if we have a situation like this where the individual is renting out to travel nurses or construction crews, and that's sort of that right in between.

How can we go about addressing that?

That's the only issue I have.

I know the previous one, it was just almost 200 days worth of short-term rentals.

Um that's that's my only issue.

Um like Martin mentioned, I have no issue with it being a short-term rental, and actually, I think there is a short-term rental in Moore Shop is on the far back end from a couple years ago.

This on the very back end because they have to use a different entrance that we had a meeting about that one, but I don't I don't know.

Um let me ask a quick question of staff.

Are you allowed to do short-term rental and long-term rental at the same property at the same time?

You are, yes, sir.

How do you how does the staff place that?

How do you place the fact self-report?

So with this situation, you are very nice and kind, and I do understand all of that.

But the fact is you get a 30-day probation.

It's 30 days, one year probation, and you doubled the number.

It wasn't like 35, 36, it was 73.

And you forgot it's not a good enough explanation for what happened.

The last guy came, he had different numbers, and it was he he made a mistake he didn't know, he didn't realize.

And so I felt it was egregious then, it's egregious now.

And so I can't, I'm not that type of person.

It was I didn't like it when he did it, I don't like it now.

And so what we did last time is that he had to wait the six months to come back to us and ask for it again as kind of like hey, because if that's the case, everybody can come in and go, Oh, I forgot, and then do what they want to do, and oh, I forgot.

You can't do that.

It's 30 days.

I mean, everybody would want to do that's a lot of money that was made if you did 73 days.

That's like double the money, you know.

Um so we have to be firm on that.

Because if not, everybody could just do it.

You know what I mean?

It's just if it was 35, 36, and I could be like, You forgot, don't do that again.

But 73, it went a little bit longer than forgot.

It that's you know, you can't you can't do that.

Um you just I just don't I don't agree with that.

And as as we see this, I think we have to one thing I pride us about is being consistent so that anybody coming knowing that this is a situation, then you know, I want us to be consistent in how we handle it.

That we understand that you know you have to wait, you know.

I don't me person, I'm not speaking for anybody else, but I'm I'm an I'm not in favor of approving it.

Yeah, I and I totally agree with everything she said.

I'm not in favor either, because I mean you over doubled what your probational period and being your first time.

I would have you know, you would think you would really watch that and know hey, that this is my 30 days for that first year, so I'm I'm not gonna be in a favor of this one at this time.

I also agree with with y'all.

Okay, we'll close board comment at this time.

I'll read the petition.

Um ZBA-20-26, Amanda Anderson petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1020 Wakefield Drive Zone SFR-1, Council District 2 voting.

No, no.

No, no, no.

Petition is denied.

Next we have ZBA-21-26.

Kimberly Roberts petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1506 13th Street, zone SFR uh three.

It is in the historic district and is council district four.

Here's a vicinity map of where it's located.

You see, it's just uh south of Brian Denny Stabi stadium.

Here's a closer view of it.

And then here's short-term rentals in the vicinity.

And then here's the primary residential.

Is the property line down the uh driveway down the center of the driveway?

That is a shared access drivement driveway.

Um I believe the the property line would it's a shared one.

Is that house that it shares with uh to the term rental?

Let's see.

Looks like it does appear that is a short-term rental.

Then here's the rear parking area.

And this is provided um she has been working with staff to uh replace uh gravel and the in the parking area.

What was the staff's recommendation on this?

Uh staff recommendation was six three.

Uh the petitioner was requesting uh I believe eight adults for vehicles.

And she um they can put gravel down, they can put gravel down because there was gravel before, so they can replace the gravel that was there at one time.

Right.

That's right.

And also um, just to clarify, so when we receive this picture from the applicant with the gravel placed, we asked Office of the City Engineer what their recommendation was based off of this, and they said eight and four would be okay with them.

Oh, eight and four is okay.

It's okay with OCE.

Okay.

So the house has four bedrooms, three bathrooms.

The house will not be owner occupied and will remain vacant.

The house is equipped with security cameras, keypad, lockboxes, and noise detection systems.

Uh Bama Vacation Rentals will be the primary contact and will be available 24 hours a day.

The petitioner stated that they currently manage over 20 short-term rentals in Tuscaloosa.

The applicant is in the process of reapplying gravel in the backyard that has been overgrown to clearly identify the parking area.

Uh, like we just showed you though, um, the petitioner did um apply the gravel.

Uh petitioners requesting eight adults for vehicles, if approved, staff recommends six adults, three vehicles.

But OCE did state um they're fine with eight.

Okay.

Is the same owner of the house next door where they share the driveway, do they own this house too?

We can let the applicant answer that question.

We can let the applicant answer that question.

And also uh the city engineer's office did take that into account when making their recommendation.

The shared path, the shared drive.

Well, an adjourn to me.

Well, so that's the same, it's not the same owner.

Okay.

Hi, I'm Kim Roberts.

Um vacation rentals.

We manage over a hundred rentals.

That was a mistake.

I was thinking, Kim, I was like, uh oh, what happened?

Over a hundred, yes.

We manage the property that's on the left.

This uh property was sold to new owners, and um it was a student rental before, so there's a large parking area behind.

I had sent in a picture two weeks ago with four vehicles parked back there, uh, and explained that they were re-graveling, and so you can very easily they've always had uh three or four students living in there.

It very easily parks four cars.

The house that we manage next door has their own parking area.

We don't allow guests that the driveway is a drive-thru.

You know, they're not allowed to park in the driveway, and all the communications with these guests remind them as we have with multiple of our other properties in the historic district.

Uh so we would like that's why we requested it's a four-bedroom, three bath house.

It can easily accommodate eight adults, and it very easily accommodates four cars on its own, parked behind the house.

What's the one next door?

What is one next door?

It's a three-bedroom.

Okay.

And this is a four-bedroom, right?

Correct.

Okay.

All right.

Any other questions for Ms.

Roberts?

And there's legal agreements between the two parties.

It's a shared access.

You know, there the owners on the left.

There, that was a huge battle with the ones that used to own the house on the right.

And we couldn't get it licensed because he was refusing to allow access to the driveway.

So that has all been straightened out with attorneys.

The house has equal access, both houses on that driveway, uh, but it can only be to drive through, and the parking has to be behind both houses.

Any other questions?

Okay, thank you, Ms.

Robert.

Welcome.

Okay, we have one written comment that we have in record, right?

It's been put in the record.

We don't have anybody signed up to speak for against.

Is there anybody in the audience that likes to speak for or against this petition?

Okay, at this time we'll close public comment and we'll go to board comment.

Yes, I'm supportive of the short-term rental.

It's been like that before.

With the driveway resolved.

Okay.

Yeah, I have no issues.

I'm in favor of staff recommendations of the uh eight adults for vehicles.

I usually am not for eight of four, but this one it passed the test, so I'm okay.

I'm okay with that.

I have no issue either.

I'm satisfied with the driveway concerns that I had, and I have no issues.

Okay.

We'll close board comment.

We'll read the petition.

I ZBA 21 26.

Kimberly Roberts petitions for a special exception to allow the short term rental of a property located at 1506 13th Street, zone S FR 3H, Council District 4 for 30 one year probation, 30 nights.

Eight adults and four vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Is that all for us tonight?