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

With any written comments sent to staff, we're forwarded to the board directly.

At this time, I'd like to introduce staff and members of the board.

Megan Smalley, Assistant City Attorney.

Hudson Cheshire, Associate City Attorney.

Zach Pons, Director of Planning.

Lim O'Leary, planner, and ask that the board introduce themselves, starting on my left.

Rodney Pillt.

Mary Catherine Holt.

Tim Gillum.

Michelle Coley, Chair.

Paul Rollins Jr.

Joe Robinson.

Now, by virtue of state law and city ordinances, the purpose of the zoning board of adjustments is as follows.

Here's appeals from zoning officer decisions, grant special exceptions to the zoning code in accordance with the terms as established by the city council.

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

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

Number two, inconvenient and or number three, personal.

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 sign-up 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.

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.

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

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 who those who oppose the petition.

Now when it's your turn for comment, please introduce yourself, starting with 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 just two minutes unless the board votes to allow a 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 any of 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 this 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 to speak.

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 the 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 judgment or decision from which the appeal is taken.

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

If so, please state the same for the record.

No.

Okay.

Now I would like to ask the staff to confirm on the record that proper notice has been given to all parties in interest as required by law as to all matters before the board tonight.

Yes, it has.

Okay.

With that, I will begin with the approval of minutes as the board of adjustments has received the synopsis for the March, April, May, and June meetings.

I move that we dispense with the reading of the minutes of the same unless there are any deletions, additions, or corrections.

Okay.

Need a motion and a second to approve synopsis.

So move.

Second.

Okay.

Voting.

Aye.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

They're approved.

All right.

We'll move to staff presentations at this time.

Good afternoon, board.

We do have two cases requesting to continue tonight.

ZBA 44 and ZBA 5926.

Um, same applicant, same property.

They were not able to attend the night.

Um, and they need more time to work on their application.

They did request this continuance in writing.

Um, if we could have a vote for both, please.

Okay.

Do we need to do them separately?

We can do them again.

Yes, ma'am.

It was separate.

Yes, please.

Okay, so I need a motion for the first one to be continued.

So move.

Second.

Okay, voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay, approved.

Need a motion and a second.

So move.

Second.

Okay, voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Moving on to our first case tonight, ZBA 4226, Calvin Fikes petitions for variance from the general standards for accessory uses and structures to allow a shed to be located closer to the street than the principal structure.

And to allow a shed exceeding 120 square feet in size to be clad in metal siding on the property located at 4612 Bass Drive.

Zon to SFR1 Council District 6.

Here we have the zoning of the property to south of Skyline Boulevard.

And an aerial view.

And a closer image of that shed.

Petitioners requesting a variance to allow the shed to be located closer to the street than the principal structure and to allow the shed exceeding 120 square feet in size to be clad in metal siding.

The shed was placed on the property in 2022 without a permit.

Excuse me, Section G, if they exceed 120 square feet, uh they shall not be clad in metal.

And then in uh E1 should not be located closer to the street than the principal structure.

We did not receive any written comment.

Do you have any questions for staff?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Feites.

Good evening, board.

How are you guys?

All right.

All right.

Um my name is Calvin Fikes and my wife is Leah.

We have three children.

We live at 4612 Bass Drive.

Uh in spring in the Spring Hill Lake resident.

Uh here with me is my son, one of my sons.

Uh, we uh been there for about 20 years.

Um, we thank you for allowing us this opportunity to uh speak today considering the request.

Um respectfully asking the board to approve my variants request that I may keep the structure on my property.

When I purchased my home, I was a first-time homeowner.

So I didn't know about the ordinances, and I did purchase the building from a business in this city, and so I know it's my responsibility to uh to keep up with the zoning and so on and so forth.

But I thought maybe they would have gave me some guidance in that area because I I didn't know.

And so after purchasing the property, I made improvements to it in about three years ago.

Uh the building that sits there was purchased.

Uh I wasn't aware that the city codes and ordinance at that time.

I wasn't still aware of that.

Um, my intention was to improve the and maintain my property in a responsible manner.

Uh not to violate the city ordinance.

That was not my intentions at all.

The structure had been on my property for a little over three years and has become a part of of the way I use and maintain my property.

Uh, it has not uh created problems for my neighbors uh um or interfere with the public safety or change the character of the neighborhood, and I have some uh petitions from my neighbors that uh support what I'm saying there.

Um of the reasons I'm requesting this variance is that there's no other practical location on my property that I can move it.

Uh the my backyard and I have pictures to to show that my backyard is not large enough for the the for the the building to be moved or the side of my home.

The problem with the side of my home is that the utilities that are there, the plumbing and the the power.

So if I put it right there, if I needed some plumbing or something done, uh I wouldn't be able to get the people wouldn't be able to come in and and do the the work there.

And um, but I don't have the asset, the property, uh I won't have uh the space.

I don't have the space allowed it on the on the left side to put it or the right side or either in the backyard.

Now I'm willing to make some kind of changes.

I'm willing to put siding or have it bricked, or whatever I can do to accommodate uh um uh the ordinance, but at the time I didn't do this uh uh blatant against the city, is what I'm saying.

I had uh I didn't know anything about it being a first-time homeowner.

So the that that is uh uh and then moving the structure to another area of the property as I addressed is it I I don't have anywhere else to put it.

So the my my last option would be able to uh would be to remove it, and that's what the city is requesting, but I respect respectfully asked the board to consider these circumstances and allow the structure to remain where current where it's currently located.

Uh I didn't um uh uh I I heard something about the vehicle, but that wasn't a reason.

I I'm a school teacher, my wife's a school teacher, and so we have you know how teachers have all kinds of stuff.

My kids got bikes, and I have a lawnmower, and uh all these things in my garage space is already occupied with a vehicle and so on.

So I was running out of space to occupy things, and so I purchased it to kind of store those items as well.

So it's not uh putting the vehicle in it is just an added bonus, but that was not my the intention for uh putting it there, if that makes sense.

Uh so I'm just asking uh that you guys uh kind of hear my plea here tonight, and um I respect the city ordinance and uh and the work that each of you do in our community, and so whatever the decision is, I you know I will honor what you guys say, but I'm asking uh that you guys would uh just consider the ordinance.

Any questions?

Thank you.

All right, if you want to see the petitions from my neighbors, I have those as well.

Can I see the petitions and those, please?

I asked the city, so we have a couple of things going on.

The first is that it's a metal building, so that's the the biggest so there's two issues.

The first is that it's located closer to the street than the principal structure, and second that it is a metal clad building larger than 120 square feet.

He could be required to put some other approved facing on it, that part.

That would solve the second issue.

What about the square footage?

If if if an accessory structure is larger than 120 square feet, it can't be clad in aluminum or metal siding.

If they were to side it, that would meet our requirements.

Okay, so this if we got it sided, that would meet that requirement.

And on the other side of the house, is that a retaining wall?

Is the white with the white part is yes, that's a retaining wall.

So you sit down from another properties.

Yes, so it's kind of and is this a cul de sac?

Yes, it's a culture tag.

Okay.

Okay.

You you said that in order for him to meet the variance or whatever, he would have to you say siding or brick that building in order to meet standard?

That would be one way to solve the requirement without a variance.

Okay.

All right.

So your hardship is where to put it, where else would you put it?

Yes, I don't have any other space uh that will occupy the you know the the size of so you don't have any space in the backyard to put a shed for lawnmowers and small tools like that.

Uh uh, no, sir.

My I'll give you pictures of my backyard.

It's really, really small.

And these are all the neighbors in this little cul-de-sac.

Uh that I have four neighbors in the cul-de-sac, and then above the culture sack are are are those neighbors as well.

And so all of them signed.

Yes, yes.

Today they did that today.

Yes, ma'am.

He had to go get the signatures.

They wouldn't come to the meeting, so I have to uh those are pictures you can.

Okay.

So is this fence your lot line?

Yes, sir.

That's the side of it.

That's the side that the property is on.

And then if you go through it, I have uh I'll show you the bat.

If you hold it up, I I got I have the power uh a PowerPoint if you need to, if you guys have access to do that, I can show you better.

Give me one second.

What's that?

So I have do you have uh where I can put the pictures up?

You don't know.

Unfortunately.

So I have those.

Sorry.

When you get to the pictures in the backyard, you'll see the decks.

That's the backyard.

So when you see the decks, there's a backyard, two decks, and then you'll see the fence stand porch.

So it looks like your terrain, you have a retainable wall in your backyard.

No, I have uh where your deck is.

Like it's like it just drops off.

Yeah, it's just it drops off.

So I um uh yes, it drops off.

But the lake is the overall looks like you have a pretty large lot line, but I'm looking at the terrain here, and it looks like it falls off pretty yeah, it falls off pretty deep down there, and then the lake area is is down in that area.

I know where you live.

Yes, okay.

Um other questions?

Pictures y'all looked at those pictures on it.

Any other questions?

Um, I don't have a question for the petition.

This is more so for the city.

Um we've seen this a couple times before.

And um like Mr.

Fikes mentioned, of course, we know businesses are they're in business make money.

So if I come and say, I'll put like a shed that's 25 by 25, and I say put it in my front yard, and they just come and drop it off.

Is there something that can be done?

Because of course they're just gonna drop it, and they they know that some of the structures can't be um placed in certain areas.

Uh so that's that's one thing.

And the other thing is I know usually with this, it's one of those situations where we're concerned about the site line for cars coming in and out.

So would that be as bad or would this being in a cul-de-sac?

Because this is the end of a culture, correct?

Yes, I'm yes, I'm right.

Uh, when you come down, it's a house right there, house right there, third house, a house right in the cul-de-sac, and two houses on the other side.

Where's the driveway for the house where the two trash cans are?

Can they see when they're kept pulling out of their driveway?

That that those um that's the neighbors uh right next door.

Yes.

Is your driveway right there by the trash cans?

No, sir.

It's yes, sir.

It's over.

Yeah, and that tree that sits there, that's their tree that sits uh on their property and it hangs over right there.

Right.

To answer that question, I don't it wouldn't be an issue of you know, traffic being able to see cars pulling up because it's a cul-de-sac.

I don't think that would be an issue in in this situation.

Any other questions for this petitioner?

Great, thank you, Mr.

Fikes.

Thank you all.

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

Is there anybody in the audience that'd like to speak in favor?

Anybody in opposition?

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

We'll go to board comment, Mr.

Pelt.

No, no comment.

I I do not like these metal structures in the front front yard.

Um, I there's a reason why we have this in our um ordinance, and but I also see the hardship on the the lot, the grade of the lot, um, with how narrow your um the area is beside your house.

Like I don't even know if you could get the equipment behind your house to level off a space for this.

Um it's been there three years and you're on a cul-de-sac.

Um I typically wouldn't be in favor of this, but I can get on board with it if we can clad it in something else and um make it look more similar to the existing facade of the house.

Um and I don't know if there's any stipulations we could add, but if the house ever changes ownership, I would love to see it come down before it ever changed ownership.

Yeah, I'm I'm struggling with this one a little bit myself.

Um I don't like these structures in the front of the house either.

But looking at the pictures uh and the terrain and and trying to get back there, like Catherine was saying to build something would be difficult um of a shed, and it has been there three years, so I'm leaning a little bit more seeing the hardship for this particular situation only.

I see the hardship, it being there three years is not the hardship.

So, you know, if it has to come down, it has to come down.

But I do feel like that it can be clad with something.

I don't think that it is blocking the sight line or anything like that.

Um the hardship that I see is the lot itself and the topography and causing it where you can't put anything and if you need it some more space.

So do we put a stick would we put a stipulation that it has to be re uh the clad.

Yeah, if the board were inclined to approve the variance, you could place a condition that a variance it does go away if it changes hands with that variance, it doesn't variance would stay with the property.

Okay when it changes hands.

Could we stipulate that it wouldn't stay?

We'd once we make it it stays.

Correct.

Okay, so that's one thing I would like to see a stipulation on the materials in the city would get with them on what materials could be used.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um if we were on on my side, I want to see that and getting with the city and taking care of that.

Um but I do see the hardship in terms of the topography of the lot and where else could you do it?

What else could be done and needing more space.

Oh, yeah, I'm um sorry, real quick, just to clarify.

So in essence, if this if you wanted it to be clad in something other than metal, if that was the um intent of y'all's vote, it would just be to approve the locate.

Yeah, approve the first part of the variance and deny the second, which would be the you know, have a shed the clad in metal in metal, and then that would just make him have to clad it in something different, and we would work with the applicant to do that.

Okay, so reading the petition, it would be if we were to approve it, allow the shed exceeding 120 feet in size.

No, allowing the principal structure in the front yard.

That's right, and then declining the okay.

I got you.

All right.

Yeah.

Um, yeah, I I have no issues with with this siding.

Uh Mr.

Fikes mentioned that he's willing to make those corrections.

So I I agree with that.

And again, like uh board chair mentioned.

With it being at the in a call to set, uh, is that interfering with the site line?

And I do see a variance where uh there's issues placing it in the backyard.

Uh again, just for the record, I wish it was something that we can do with these uh businesses that are selling these property these uh structures uh because they know the the uh stipulations better than pretty much anyone.

So instead of them just coming and dropping it off in someone's front yard, we need to find somewhere to hold them somewhat accountable.

Uh I have no other comments.

Okay, so to read this, we need to do it in separate pieces, vote on separate parts or you could do it that way.

Another way you could do it would be just to um make a motion to approve the second the first part and deny the second part if that makes sense.

Okay.

So that's something to read it.

And so when we say we say they're saying yes to the way I read it, that I'm gonna read it, is what they'll be saying yes to.

Is that okay with everybody?

Are we okay with approving the first part and denying the second?

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

So ZBA-42-26, Calvin Fike's petitions for a variance from the general standards for accessory uses and structures to allow a shed to be located closer to the street than the principal structure.

We're approving that, and to we are denying to allow a shed exceeding 120 square feet in size to be clad in metal siding on the property located at 4612 Base Drive Zone SFR 1, Council District 6 voting, Mr.

Pelt.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, yes.

Petition passes.

And Mr.

Fikes, you would just get with the city, and they will help you with what to c what is uh appropriate to clad it.

Yeah, all right.

Moving on to ZBA 4326, Irvin Bishop Jr.

requests variance from the MR1 rear setback requirements to allow the construction of a single family dwelling and a variance from the general parking and loading standards to permit more than 50% of the front yard to be surfaced for parking on the property located at 2112 Fifth Street East, zoned MR1, Council District 5.

Here we have the zoning of the property.

So just north of Dollar General, Alberta.

And an aerial view.

That structure is no longer exists today, as you can see here from the street view.

So this is the site plan that they're proposing.

I realize that's a little tough to see, so I'm gonna kind of zoom in as we go on.

But they were requesting a variance to allow the construction of a single family home.

The lot is 25 feet wide and about 110 feet deep.

The proposed structure will have two off-street parking spaces in the front yard.

In order to provide that required parking, the petitioner states that they'll have to pave greater than 50% of the front yard and locate the structure 15 feet away from the rear property line.

And I'll show you what I mean.

So zooming in, this is the front of the property, and you can see their parking pad.

So you can see along here.

Property is about 25 feet wide.

So in order to provide the required parking, parking generally for city standards is nine feet wide and 20 feet deep.

They would have to uh pave most of the front yard in order to park those vehicles there.

And moving into the interior of the structure, you can see it's pretty tight.

And this is the rear of the structure.

And then here you can see that they're locating that structure 15 feet away from the property line in order to provide that required depth for the front yard parking.

And as you can see here for regulations, the required setback for a single family dwelling in the rear is 20 feet.

And then here are a requirements stating that uh no more than 50% of the front yard may be surfaced.

And your decision making standards for variances.

So this property was platted like in the pretty old 50s.

Yeah.

Yeah, so um any other questions for the city?

Thank you.

Thanks.

Um, Mr.

Bishop.

Irving Bishop.

Uh Mr.

Bishop's not here.

He lives in Missouri.

Uh my name's Aaron Sincroft with Trick Construction, 1305 Twin Oaks Road, East Narcourt, Alabama.

And um, so Mr.

Bishop grew up in this neighborhood, and uh his grandparents lived in the neighborhood.

He's still got I think some an aunt and uncle, maybe some cousins that live there.

He's wanting to buy, he's bought two two lots.

He'd like to build this home on it, and he's got intentions of building some more and trying to make the neighborhood look really good.

Um, but to get any parking for anybody that would live there, we had to violate the or get an exception on the parking in the front.

So we tried to make uh they'd like three bedrooms, two baths, and to get side setbacks and front set back to work, we had to reduce the backyard.

So that's what he's asking to do.

Um so is there any questions that you have?

How long has the lot been vacant?

I don't know.

I'm not sure when he bought it or uh how long it's been vacant.

It was platted in 1914.

1914, a while.

Um other questions for this petitioner.

This is a question for the city.

How old was the picture that we showed it had a had a structure on it?

This one here.

This year.

Um oh I'm sorry.

Um I'll find out.

Does he own uh either piece of property on either side of this?

I don't think so.

Yeah.

I think he owns at the end of that street opposite side of the block.

So was this two pieces of property that he's putting together?

Is that what you're saying?

Or just no, it's just one lot.

I don't know.

For some reason, it was weird how the house was placed on there before, but it's one lot.

Looks like it was on two pieces of rock.

Yeah, likely a non-conforming structure um that was demolished.

Okay.

All right.

So the new the the new piece, the the new piece of property is fifteen feet wide.

You still have about 25 feet wide.

25 feet wide.

Ooh.

Okay.

Narrow.

Yeah.

Gotcha.

So this is in Alberta, right?

Correct.

All right.

So in 1914, uh 25 foot wide property was five.

And then after the tornado, this will be changed.

The requirements for the lot size.

What when did the requirements for the lot size change?

Right.

We've probably never had a lot size that would allow that.

It's crazy.

Okay.

Any other questions?

No.

All right, thank you.

Thanks.

Um to speak in favor.

Nobody signed up to speak in favor.

Is there anybody like to speak in favor?

Nobody's in a po opposition.

That was him.

Because you were Aaron Sincroft.

You came out.

Okay, so all right.

At this time we'll close public comment.

We'll go to board comment.

Mr.

Pelt.

Um wow, this is Yeah.

I ran through the same problem with another piece of property that I own.

Uh 1939, I think it was.

And the houses were built crossing each other property lines like this.

Well, I just don't see how you can even put a structure in a 25 foot wide lot.

Then set back with your whole front yard is concrete.

Um that's difficult.

That's difficult for me, but we'll see.

I don't see how you can build a modern home or structure on uh a property this size without encroaching on some of the setbacks.

And so the property size kind of is what it is.

Um I think in looking at the design of the home, it seems to have been designed with respect for the property size, and it's a modest home.

I have no issues.

Yeah, I don't I don't have an issue either.

I mean, based off the light lines, and uh seems like you've done all you can with your floor plan to make it fit.

So I definitely see the hardship and have no issue.

I agree with my fellow board members.

Um, I think we used to call them what shotgun houses that were built like this, and so um to be able to develop the property and his intentions to go and do this on other areas.

I think this is what we look at we're looking for affordable housing, so I'm in favor.

Okay, so we have a variance for the parking pad in the front and the rear setback.

What about the side setback?

Is that fine?

They're meeting all the other requirements for the zoning district.

Yeah, I'm I'm just gonna say no comment on this one.

All right, at this time we're close board comment.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-43-26.

Irvin Bishop Jr.

request a variance from the MR-1 rear setback requirements to allow the construction of a single family dwelling and a variance from the general parking and loading standards to permit more than 50% of the front yard to be surfaced for parking on the property located at 2112 Fifth Street East, zone MR-1 Council District 5.

Voting, Mr.

Pelt.

Yes.

Yes, yes, yes.

Yes, petition is approved.

All right, CBA 4526, Kristen Hargreaves petitions for a special exception to allow a home occupation for personal services at the property located at 641 Hartford Drive, zoned SFR4 Council District 3.

Here we have the zoning of the property, just south of TA.

And an aerial view.

And their parking.

Requesting a special exception to operate a home-based business for personal services.

The petitioner will perform color and style analysis in their home for clients.

To my understanding, this is where they'll look at your hair and your skin and make a determination on what color clothes and stuff like that.

And I'll let the applicant confirm that.

But no more than three clients will visit the property per day.

Uh typically appointments will be limited to one client at a time, but occasionally the petitioner will allow it to three clients at once, and all clients will park in the petitioner's driveway.

These are your standards for home occupations, and your special exception decision making standards.

Any questions for staff?

We did receive uh three written comments in opposition, one letter with 11 signatures.

Any questions for the study?

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Okay.

Um, Miss Kristen Hargrees.

Kristen Hargrave, 641 Hartford Drive.

Liam did a great job in trying to explain that.

Personal services with all respect to my neighbors that are here did come across as a little odd.

So yes, it would be purchasing of a franchise where I'm certified to do color and style analysis on an individual basis.

So that car that was in the driveway was a guest, a family member, so we're parked in the drive and have the largest driveway in the neighborhood.

So we always can accommodate that.

It's by appointment only, so there's no drop-in, there's no retail, it is simply a one-on-one.

I have the opportunity in my certification to do small groups.

I may not do that.

It may just be that I choose to do one-on-one.

I have love our neighborhood.

Great respect for my neighbors that are here and have relationships with them, so I respect their opinion and glad they feel comfortable in coming.

But did you have any questions about how I would operate?

Yes, what is color?

Like what is what is Michelle would like to make an appointment?

Wait, maybe it wasn't color.

What it what are we what will you actually be doing and how long typically would someone be there?

Thank you.

Good question.

It's the franchise's house of color.

And so the sessions would be an hour and a half at most, and you choose you do some draping on people.

So I would have a chair with a mirror in front of it, and they're a set of drapes that we use to see if someone is cool or a warm, and then you drill it down to find the subset.

So it's a quick little 90-second makeup, and then choose uh what colors are best, and you leave with a little fan of your colors, and it's an hour and a half or less.

And so if you do three a day, it's like really just like a friend dropping in almost.

It's like somebody might drop over in the morning.

So nothing that's like all day long coming in and out.

Correct.

And I would really like to operate between nine and four, not outside of that, just for my own personal um choice.

And um any weekends or just during the week?

It's up to me.

Um, but if uh if I choose to uh it's up to me as far as the franchise goes, I can decide that, but I'd rather not work on weekends either.

Okay.

And would it be five days a week or just at most four?

Then we will do it down to four days, about three appointments, three and a half hours.

Okay, I guess it's a perfect work day.

Right.

Just something I got you.

Um there be any signage or anything at the home or no signage.

I read in the um, I think in the ordinances about it couldn't be uh more than three foot square and lay flat on the wall.

I have not been told that I would have to have anything, but the the consultants that I've seen had about a um one and a half that was against a flat wall not outstanding from the home, but I I haven't gotten confirmation of that.

Nothing in the yard, nothing on the exterior of the house.

Okay.

Um other questions for this petitioner.

No.

Okay, thank you.

All right, um, we have one person signed up.

Anybody to speak in favor?

Okay, have you come up?

I'm Chris Latham, 612 Hartford.

Um, Kristen and Daryl are fantastic neighbors and even better people.

They're the kind of people you want in your neighborhood.

It's just beyond me that they would do anything that would ever harm or damage our neighborhood.

Um, and with that being said, uh, I'd like to support them in this effort.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Anybody else like to speak in favor of this petition?

Okay.

Um, we have one signed up in opposition, Susan Holliday.

Madam Chair and members of the board, thank you for listening to me today.

My name is Susan Halliday, and I'm a resident at 600 Hartford Drive.

For two reasons, I am opposed to the zoning board's approval of the special exception for Kristen Hargraves Home Business or any other home business in Hartford neighborhood.

First and foremost, Hartford is a planned residential community.

Second, Hartford is geographically a small circle of 35 homes with around 50 children, and this will impact their safety.

I personally provide each neighbor with updated directory of residents, protective covenants and restrictions, articles of incorporation.

To allow this home to be used as a business Monday through Thursday, between the hours of nine and four, would set a precedent that we don't want.

What if the next neighbor wants to have a business, a franchise out of their home?

Well, I mean, I don't know what it would be.

What if it's a massage parlor or a haircut place or bathing your dogs or you know, who knows?

Clothes or whatever.

It is a precedent, and before you know it, our neighborhood has turned from completely residential to something else, residential and business.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak in opposition to this petition?

Yes, sir.

My name is my name is William Conn.

I live at 608 Hartford.

And um we purchased our house four years ago.

And the reason we purchased there is because it's a small community, it's enclosed, and uh it's a very nice place to live.

I have a problem with this because it is a residential community, and when you start opening the door for one business, then you've opened the gates for several, and I'm opposed to having a bunch of businesses in the neighborhood.

And once you control uh once you allow one to come in, then you've opened the door, and so I'm opposed to this completely.

Thank you, sir.

Thanks.

Is there anybody else to like to speak in opposition to this petition?

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

Pelt.

I have no comment.

Um I appreciate the concerns of the neighbors, um, but I don't have any issues with this special exception.

Um the homeowner has identified that there will be very few people there daily, and probably not every day, and that they will also be using the driveway to park, the driveway is very gracious.

Um, and so for those reasons, I don't have any um issues with this exception.

Yeah, I don't have any issues either.

Their house is on a corner lot, ample parking, everything's by appointment, um a few days a week, uh, everything's been outlined very detailed.

I mean, I see no issue.

I agree with my fellow board members, and also, you know, I I appreciate Ms.

Hargay's being upfront about this because it seems like she could have just did it and you wouldn't have known.

And to me, she opened up the door by being honest, and you know, I appreciate that, but one or two people you wouldn't have never known, you would have just thought she had friends coming over to do it.

So I think that she's being up front, she's telling you she doesn't sound like she's gonna be doing a whole lot of working hard, it's gonna be a little bit of you know, doing it.

And I understand, but you know, just it's like it's something uh something she wants to get started, and if it gets bigger, I feel like she'd want to move it from the home if it gets any more than that, or it gets to grow.

I don't think she wants to have a huge business at our home, so I don't really think that her intentions, her intentions don't seem to harm the neighborhood.

And I do understand about the gateway, and you start one business, but each business would have to come before us to get the special exception, and so you know you can kind of tell what's not gonna fit with uh with the within with the neighborhood.

Um I don't think the people that she's gonna be seeing are gonna be flying through the neighborhood.

They sound like they're gonna be people probably who have families who understand you know a neighborhood and how that works.

Um I just don't really see this being an issue with um, but it's like every anything else.

Once you get a business license, they can call and make complaints, and then when the license comes up for renewal, if there are complaints on it, usually then that is dealt with at that time.

So I encourage you to use 311, and if there is uh issues in the neighborhood with um speeding and traffic and all of that, report it, and then when it's time for the business license to come back up for renewal, that's an opportunity that it'll be addressed then at that time.

But I I I would be highly surprised if if that was the case.

I have no issues, I'm in favor.

Okay.

At this time, I'll close board comment.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-45-26.

Kristen Hargreaves petitions for a special exception to allow a home occupation for personal services at the property located at 641 Harford Drive, zone SFR for Council District 3 voting, Mr.

Pelt.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Moving on to our short-term rentals tonight.

ZBA 4626.

Chris and Olivia Panksner petitioned for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 13166 Bonehenge Drive, zoned LR Council District 3.

Here we have the zoning of the property.

And an aerial view.

Here is a picture of the house.

Treat house.

And some of the parking.

So they were approved in the uh June 2023 meeting, and there were some violations, which is why they're here today.

A complaint was submitted in March of 2026 about the property being advertised as an event space.

In May of 2026, another complaint was submitted about a large event hosted that exceeded the 10 adult 5 limit that was imposed on the June 26th meeting.

So here are some of those flyers that they had back in March that were advertising the property as an event space.

Moving on to their request, Tanner Ashcraft with a primary contact and available 24 hours a day.

Currently manages over 50 short-term rentals.

The house is equipped with keypad locks, cameras, fire/slash burglar alarms, and noise detectors.

It's a five-bedroom, three and a half bathroom house, petitioners requesting 10 adults and five vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends 10 and 5.

We received one written comment in support.

Do you have any questions for staff?

So it is it renewing with the same people that had the violation.

Same owners.

This is the same owners.

That's correct.

They had the violation?

Correct.

All right, thank you, Lim.

Was was the uh owner of the property managing the property in 2023, or was it Tanner then also?

I'll let Tanner confirm that.

All right, thank you.

Tanner Ashrow.

Hi there.

Um the Olivia and Chris Pansner, 13166 Bonehenge Drive.

Um you want me to first address the event?

Oh, and this is our property manager at Tanner Ashcraft for Tapaway Management.

We're here regarding um our request to renew our short-term rental.

Olivia grew up in Tuscaloosa.

We purchased the unique property in April 2023.

The house is composed of three 1800s era cabins that were dissembled and reassembled on the property at a cotton mill that from uh Demopolis that were also moved to the property and uh put on a nine-acre fairly heavily wooded parcel set off from the road by a good distance.

Um Olivia grew up in Tuscaloosa.

We purchased the unique property so we could spend more time with our family and friends who live nearby.

Uh our family and friends use the house when we're not here.

Um, and we didn't buy it as a primary primarily as a business investment.

This was not like a lot of Airbnb rentals where people are doing it for investment purposes.

Um in June 26 of 2023, as Liam said, the board granted a special exemption to operate a short-term rental.

In the three years since that approval, we've had uh we've rented the property occasionally when we were out of town.

We've done so in full compliance with the applicable regulations, and until the events of May 8th uh of this year, we received no complaints from neighbors or from the city.

Uh we've gone well beyond the city's minimum requirements.

We've installed multiple exterior and interior cameras, smart locks, noise detectors, uh, and other sensors.

Uh we monitor the property in real time when we're not present, and we've also engaged Tanner as a as a property manager uh because of his proximity to the house when we're out of town.

Uh yeah, we definitely don't want people messing up the house.

So we're really watching it.

So in April of this year, uh through Airbnb Tappaway rented the house to an older gentleman who together with his wife requested to rent the house for the weekend.

Uh, they were gonna have their grandson come over with two of his friends and celebrate his high school graduation.

Um Tanner verified his identity with a photo and his driver's license and provided access for him to have to access the house.

On Friday evening, May 8th, while Olivia and I were out of town, we received a text from a neighbor about a large number of cars parked on the road.

Tanner simultaneously received calls from the Baronos who live next door.

We'd bought the house from them a few years earlier, uh, as well as from Joe Lembaugh, who lives across the street.

Tanner immediately went to the property.

When we reviewed the camera feeds, we saw a large group of high school students, high school aged individuals in and around the house in the pool.

The front door camera had been deliberately smeared with petroleum jelly to obscure the view.

Well, and although it you it was somewhat obscured, it appeared to be somebody was collecting money at the front of the door from people coming into our house.

Tanner arrived to find at least a hundred teenagers on the property.

He immediately called the Tuscaloosa police department, and officers responded and cleared the property before 11 p.m.

that night.

Uh and our house rules.

Levia flew back the next morning and spoke to many of our neighbors.

Uh many have been sympathetic and understanding.

In fact, all of them Olivia spoke to have been sympathetic and understanding.

Uh still, we want to use this form to publicly apologize for what happened.

It was beyond our control, uh, but we do apologize for the inconvenience and disruption from this illegal and improper use of our home.

No one's more upset by what happened than we are, as Olivia just said.

Despite having exceeded city requirements and maintaining a clean record for three years, we've already suffered thousands of dollars in damage and now face a possible loss of our ability to rent it to other visitors who come for football games, graduations, and local events.

We respectfully ask the board not to punish us further for the action of a renter who violated the terms of the rental in our house rules.

I do want Olivia to speak to the issue of the flyer that we had prepared, which we'd given to friends and family to help, you know, make it make it known that we were renting the space.

Yeah, um, my background is in events.

I do massive events all over the place in the work that I do.

And so I made this flyer, and I understood when I made this flyer by putting events on there, you can actually call the city at any point.

Anybody can call the city and ask for a special permit for an event.

So that being a possibility, I didn't see it as an issue.

I even called somebody in the office just to confirm that that was okay.

Anyway, um we've taken away all of these flyers and taking that information off the website.

I didn't know it was going to be an issue.

Um, but at the time when I looked into it, it was something that was possible through asking for special permits.

And if somebody wanted to have a 20, 30 person small wedding at the time, I thought that would be fine, but that definitely is not the case now.

So we have sorted that situation out.

Yeah.

And um was it because of this flyer?

Yeah, I the this issue came up not because of the flyer.

It came up because of the party and the hundreds of the many cars that were parked on Sharps Lake Road in front of our house that alerted the neighbors to an event, something going on.

Um this came up secondarily.

Uh we have never had an event at our house uh put on by anybody other than us.

The only thing we've had there is a memorial service for Boni Barano, the guy who built the house uh and whose family lives next door to us.

Other than that, the house has not been used for any events.

Um so we'd respectfully ask that uh this board consider reinstating our short-term rental uh permit.

Um be happy to answer any questions.

Was there a second event?

Was this in was there one in May and another one?

No, it was just the one in May, one in March.

We were never alerted.

Oh May was the event.

Yeah, that somebody reached out to me from the office, and I was like, Great, mom, please don't pass out the flyers anymore.

And let's pick them back up from where we got them in.

I took it immediately off the website.

Tanner, were you managing you were managing it at the time of the violation?

Yes.

And did you manage it since they had their license in 2030 and and I was kind of saying I can confirm that the party that happened May 8th was they had no idea about the flyer.

That that was not because of the flyer.

That was an Airbnb booking.

Um, and like all of them, we we require them the upload ID.

We make sure they're not using burner phones, you know, real emails.

We we verify that the actual But y'all knew it was a high school person involved.

It was not a high school person that booked it.

It was a man born in the 50s uh that lives south of town.

And yeah, he gave up his above and beyond with all of our rentals to do a background check or ask for a picture with the man with his license.

Holding his license with it, yeah.

This person handed the keys over knowingly.

So it's like a parent gave the keys to their high school.

Yeah.

So a grandparent booked it and then turned around and gave the keys to their own.

The grandparents booked it, checked in, left, and said, Hey, 18 year olds, have fun.

Again, he heighted.

Yeah, if if they were even 18.

He um, you know, when he booked it, I thought it was straight, you know.

We we look at these bookings.

I've been fighting against situations like this for years now, you know, and and we've done a great job avoiding it.

When he booked this, I I recognized a local number in a local, you know, we look at their IDs, it's a local person, so I'm like, what are you doing?

You know, that's all that's always a red flag.

This is I was telling them earlier, this is a unique property, as unique of one that you can find.

Everybody likes to say this is my property's one of a kind, this is truly one.

So when this grandfather tells me, hey, um, my grandson's graduated high school, we want to use literally word for word, we'd love to use y'all's fabulous kitchen to cook a nice dinner.

Um, my grandson and two of his friends, he literally said two are gonna come over, they're gonna um enjoy the swimming pool while my wife and I cook a dinner.

I'm like, wow, perfect.

You know, that's that's what this place is for for a family to come in and have a good time.

Um so anyway, so fast forward into that night.

Um, yeah, I'm getting a call from Bear Nose at 10 o'clock laying in bed.

I'm like, what are the bear notes calling me for?

And they call and say, Tanner, here's a heck of a party.

What was really strange is we have multiple, this is a large house, so we have multiple noise monitors throughout the house, and they weren't going off.

I'm driving as fast as I can to the house and alerting them, and they're getting called as well, and I'm already on the way, pull up, and it's literally my nightmare.

I mean, there's cars everywhere.

Yeah, and we're freaking out watching the cameras as you high school kids are you know running rampant house.

So Joe Limbaugh is across the street, he's out in the front yard.

He had called me as well, and you know I couldn't even get down the driveway.

I'm waiting on the police to show up and my skin's crawling because I know I mean, then the blue lights appear, we're getting everybody out of the house.

Um, you know, and this was I got there just after 10, you know, and it took a few minutes for the police to get there to get everybody out.

So yeah, I mean, while I was sitting here waiting to come up here, I was looking back at my phone at pictures, um trying to look at the time frame.

So, yeah, I mean, I was in the house taking a picture of the pool at like 11 o'clock, right at 11 05.

So that means once I walked in, it was cleared.

So anyway, we so why didn't the noise monitoring sustainable?

That's where I'm sorry, that's where I was getting to with that.

So once I got in the house and realized they had set up um music outside by the pool.

So there, I guess their plan was to party around the pool.

So if music was playing around the pool, my noise monitors were inside.

So they weren't going off.

They started going off once I was actually already outside the house, parked on the side of Sharps Lake Road at Joe Limbaugh's on the side of the street in front of his house.

And that's when the noise monitors and the the crowd control and everything, because that's when enough people were inside the house.

From my understanding, they were walking through the house to get to the backyard, and that's where the congregation was.

So you feel like effort was made to deceive you with this, like that they I don't feel like it.

I know effort was made.

I called the the guy that booked the house um that next Monday, and because I mean I had his phone number.

I thought identity was stolen.

And I didn't know how they pulled it off because I have a picture of the man holding his license.

So that was pretty tough to pull off, but it wasn't stolen.

He booked it, and he booked it for his his grandson.

But when you reached out to him, did he have any remorse?

Oh no, they said oh, because I told him I said there's been damage around the pool.

I know all the neighbors are mad, like this is ruining our reputation.

We would, you know, the reputation of the homeowners that depend on this income.

I knew what was coming.

I knew that I was gonna get called from the city on Monday.

I and they literally said, Well, we didn't stay on Saturday night because you kicked us out.

You could use that money we didn't use, and that you cannot return it costs.

We've had to engage a lawyer.

We got an insurance claim filed, and we may have to file a civil suit to recover.

So my question is can you put the flyer back up there?

My question is Is this 10,000 square feet?

Is that the house or different cabins on the house?

It's like 9500 square feet.

So it's is the house is the the log cabin itself, that's the house.

The the cabins he described, they were bit brought together to build and made one.

Okay, okay.

So went in all over Alabama, deconstructed cabins, brought them over, reconstructed them, and then built a house around.

It was really important.

The next question I had was the town of what assurances do you have in place that this won't happen again?

That's a great question.

The person actually booking is the one booking it.

I told them earlier, you know, with this particular house.

Somebody playing a party this big is probably not gonna book the condo downtown.

But this is truly private.

I think that private word um, you know, it maybe is the reason they they they pick this, but you know, if if if it if it takes us being there when they check in to shake hands, you know, Airbnb and Verbo and the these platforms.

We have smart locks, it's a it's a a touchless check-in, if you will.

Um so for this particular property, we're willing to be there upon check-in.

Um but it wouldn't have mattered if you were there on check-in.

You would have agreed to them, shook their hand because they checked in, you shook their hand, they would have smiled, and you would have left.

That's right.

And this still would have happened, and so we're adding cameras.

Yeah, we're we're adding more cameras.

I can put noise monitors outside.

I've done it at one of the other houses on the lake.

Yeah, that was gonna be one of my requests.

Could you put one somewhere outside?

We've got two outside, one at the back porch.

We're gonna put one down on the dock, and uh, we've got one in the garage pointing out through the garage door.

It's almost like you have to have a deposit that's so high that hey, if something happens, you don't get this back.

It's like you know, a mountain.

The the the grandfather and his wife that booked it, you know, told me that they didn't know that he was gonna do it.

He probably didn't know it.

It's probably just went out.

It's still irresponsible.

It's against our house rules for the booker not to be there.

And you've got to be of certain age to book this property.

We definitely don't book the 18-year-olds.

Um it seemed more more planned than that because we had somebody at the door, they smeared the camera.

They had parking, somebody securing parking.

I mean, this was a this was a well or when I pulled up, there was a per there was a young man at the um entrance to Bonehenge, which is their private driveway, basically.

Basically asking if I'm wanting to park.

I'm like, you need to tell whoever's in here to get out.

So yeah, it's just lucky you didn't get charged.

I can tell Tanner was upset.

I can sell it now.

Yeah, it was our worst nightmare, but but now we've lost the ability to do what we were doing in terms of short-term.

Are you going to rent to grandpa again?

That grandpa has been cut off of our list, that's for sure.

Okay, any more questions.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Um, do we have anybody speaking in favor of this petition?

Okay.

Do we have we have two people sign up?

Cam Parsons to speak in opposition.

Cam Parsons, 2909 7th Street.

I'm an attorney.

I've been here for several times.

It's the first time I've ever spoken before this group opposing uh a short-term rental application.

I'm a big big advocate of those, but I'm also a big advocate of following the rules.

Uh we have rules.

Um, I'm big on the rule of law, and uh I'm I'm concerned.

I'm I'm very familiar with this property.

Dr.

Barano was one of my closest friends.

My friend David Bell, who's sitting back here with the petitioners, did a lot of this amazing stonework that you can see in here.

It took him forever to do it.

Uh Dr.

Barno was probably the best uh host of parties that I've ever gone to, and talking about the pool area and all that.

We would have live, he would have live entertainment.

Some of our friends from college would come back 10, 15, 20 years later and play.

This is absolutely a unique property.

Uh I'm very thankful that uh that these people bought it.

I I don't uh know Olivia, I know her parents, they're very uh nice people, well respected people, but that's not what this is about.

This is about the rules, and um I'm not sure when uh the short-term right uh rental license expired.

The thing that really bothers me is the nature of the property.

It is set up for parties, it just is in a large family.

Boney liked to have a good time.

He had a large family, uh a lot of aquatic activities there.

There's a dock.

Um and back when uh the days when I was going out there a lot, it was probably the only developed house out there.

Uh there was an attorney that had one a little bit uh down the street.

I failed to mention that I'm here speaking on the behalf of one of his neighbors who um had difficulty right at driving up the road to go to his house on the this particular occasion where you know it's unfortunate for these people, but you know, as a property owner, you're responsible uh to the use of your property and how it affects your neighbors.

So I'm here to speak on behalf of Kenneth Randall.

His address, and I will read it from my notes because I don't remember it, is 13529 Sharps Landing Road.

Um as property owners goes, he's uh three driveways down.

Um he's was very upset about that occasion, and he was up, he's upset about uh the advertising of the property as a uh bone hinge retreat.

Um the brochure advertised it as being perfect for game day weekends, which is good, right?

As long as there's a license for it.

Um as long as the occupants and the cars don't exceed the number that you guys permit them to have.

Uh family reunions, small weddings, rehearsal dinners, church retreats, graduation parties that we just heard about, general events and celebrations.

Um Mr.

Randall asked me to express his opposition to this and ask you to deny this application.

Of course, the petitioners can come back in six months, but I think the fact that um that they've it's my understanding, and I don't have the ability like I would in a courtroom or something like that.

But it seems to me that I've been told that it's been rented out beyond the lapse of the existing license.

Can you tell me, Lim, when when the license lapsed?

The license was not renewed for 2025.

Um they would need to come today regardless of the violation to renew their business license.

Um because there wasn't.

So they haven't been renting it since 2025.

They have not renewed their business license since 2025.

So when the violation happened?

2020.

You didn't have a license?

They did not have a license for 2026.

They've been renting it for two years basically without a license.

And you know, we all make mistakes, but I think that's a serious problem.

And uh I mean, like Kim's here with 10 applications tonight for people that are uh you know want to get licenses for their rentals.

So um you can't do it.

And I hate to use the word punishment, but I think when people ignore the rules and the regulations of this board, then the board should take that into consideration in determining whether or not they're going to grant them their license this time.

But once again, Mr.

Parsons, attorney Parsons, that's your time.

I'm done.

Thank you so much.

No, you did your job, you presented your case.

We have Lynn Moore scheduled in opposition.

Hello, board members.

Uh, I'm Lynn Moore.

I live at 13387, North River Farm Drive.

I'm about five houses down up the hill around the corner uh from this property.

I'm familiar with the property, been in the property, been on the property.

Um I have a large property.

I have over seven acres out there with a huge field out front.

I could do the same thing.

But I moved out there and put a considerable amount of money into my home in order to get away from these things, to have a bucolic, nice, pleasant uh property to live on with some space between neighbors, and not have a lot of density.

Okay.

So did the people around me.

All the lots out there are sizable.

Okay, we could all do this stuff.

But it's obvious to me, and and I don't know the petitioners themselves, I know the families, but I I was told that hey, they bought a house to be closer to their family to spend time here, and it's a second home.

They're absentee owners.

They're not they don't live here.

All right.

Um it's obvious that a business is being set up.

The petitioners in the business of putting on events, to me, my opinion, they bought it for that.

They didn't buy it as a place just for them to have.

They bought it as an investment in homes or investment, but not to build the equity in your home like most homeowners do.

They bought it to have events.

So I'm vehemently against this.

Um the density is a problem.

We also have lake access.

I'm in a slough right there, and people love to swim, uh, get in the water, hang out right there.

We've already got enough, you know, problems with sharks landing being there and bass boats flying around and everything uh coming in there.

Who's to say that one of these these folks renting this thing aren't gonna bring their own ski boat and back it down and pull it right in there?

I think we're going down a real slippery slope here with this.

Um I I think there's a lot of uh liability implications here if this is approved.

Um, and I don't think it's going to enhance my property value at all to have events there.

There are plenty of other places to do this, but but not in a neighborhood.

These are these are neighbors with their homes.

So uh absentee ownership already got a pretty bad track record of having not followed the rules, as Mr.

Parsons said.

Um, we've already had the one problem with the police having to come and no license.

So uh I'm asking the board to to not approve this, and I appreciate it and to help us as homeowners in the area uh to know that we're doing the right thing and support our values.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anybody else who'd like to speak in opposition?

Chairperson Pulley, can you respond to the absolutely you're in you're out?

You can come back and respond.

Container Ashcraft, 1120, Queen City Avenue.

Um I don't know what the deal is with the license, but we we have renewed, we we have a license ever since 2023.

Um you do have a license that has Liam We reached out to revenue the revenue division because they obviously hold the business licenses and they had stated that the license wasn't active.

So we're just going off of what they had stated.

So that to us.

So when you first were approved for the for the year, that was in 2023.

So then in 24, you went and got a license.

The your renewal.

Yeah, you have to for three years.

And then you you go every year and get the business license renewed.

Send in your audit form and get a renewal, yes, ma'am.

You Leah, you remember sitting in the office with um, I forget the lady's office.

I do, and I believe if remind me if I'm wrong, but at the time of the violation, there was not an active business license.

Is that correct?

We submitted all of our renewal paperwork and hadn't received it.

Yes.

We that we Luanna vouched for it.

Okay.

So all we're going off of is what our revenue office told us.

Uh not Luanna in particular.

Correct.

Well, I don't I don't I don't know what else to say.

Well, we've we've done what we're supposed to do.

And uh, I mean, we can prove it, not tonight, but I can prove it.

Yeah, we got recurrent confirmation that there was no issue for that business license.

We've paid the fee for business license every year.

I can't.

Can you speak of this?

Tanner's Tanner's been responsible for filing that application, but we've been paying the fee every year.

So if there's a problem with the record, it's not that the fee wasn't paid.

Right.

And then second so do they send you, do they give you the business license, the actual piece of paper that we get that says 2025?

So y'all have it.

Yeah, I have I absolutely have 2025 because it's sitting in a pile for filing in the house.

Okay, do you have 26, 2026?

I don't, I don't have any of the licenses with me.

No, no, I'm just saying you have one for 2026.

Yeah, I assume we've submitted every one and they're delayed.

I mean, we submitted back January, I think they're late February February 15th or so.

But yes, I mean, and the license number don't um change every year, but yes, we submitted all of our renewals first of the year, like we do every time.

But the question was do you have the 2026 paper?

Uh I'm sure it's at our office.

If if it yes, I mean we got an email confirmation from the team from the city planning planners that that that was on them and not our when we first when we first got this complaint.

I went to go sit down in revenue office to explain what happened and you know what are we up against.

And that day with me, you, Luanna, and the other um lady that we're sitting in her office, she vouched for it, saying that they do have a license.

So I think I we can't answer this question here.

I don't know.

Well, I think that this is a very important question because it them not having a license at the time the incident happens changes the whole thing for me.

Right.

So I don't think we'll be able to answer that question, unfortunately.

So I don't know.

Can we continue this?

Yeah, we wouldn't have to continue that because that's just gonna say that to make sure we're back in town for that.

That is that is huge.

Tanner can Tanner can Tanner can speak.

Tanner can speak, and we've met you guys, and we've so I feel like Tanner can speak.

Um, because if the license for me is the license is not was not valid, and this happened, then it it makes it you know a lot bigger situation.

Um we've worked really hard to make sure we comply with all the requirements for this.

Sure, sure.

We would not operate it without a business license.

And the idea that we're somehow operating uh a business I'm sorry, the idea that we're somehow operating a business out of this house, you know, for financial gain for financial gain with all the money we put in this house, it's just inaccurate.

That's we we wouldn't do it for that purpose.

I appreciate that this this pamphlet does say graduation parties and other things, but we've never had any of those things, and if somebody ever wanted to do that, we'd look pretty hard at that, especially after this.

Well, it doesn't say graduation parties for 200 people.

No, you can have a graduation party for you can have a rehearsal dinner for 10 people.

I I'm not a fan of the pamphlet, and I'm glad you've gotten rid of it.

I did check your website, and and none of this information is on their website, so that has been pulled.

But the the business license is a big deal for me too.

And so if if we need some clarification on that, then I would like to continue.

Um I have an email chain I can forward you with Leanne that clears it up.

Can we forward the can you forward it from your phone?

Um, yeah, probably can we forward the phone?

Can we take a second to see if you can do that and we can look through that?

Um, what's the okay?

If we continue it, what what would happen?

They would come back.

Yeah.

They would come back next month.

So what we want to see is their light, we would like to see their license.

What else do we want to the email chain?

Um, so we like to so we need to make a motion and do that, continue it.

All right, get a motion.

So move second.

All right, voting, Mr.

Pelt.

Yes.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, to continue.

Yes, the petition will be continued.

So they'll move you off to the the next one.

Thank you.

All right.

Lynn, we're going to move to our next feature.

Oh, also we'd like to know how many times has been rented.

Each year, how many nights that you did each year?

You can do it for you can bring that back next time.

How many each year, how many nights, like 30, 30 nights, 40?

That'd be fine.

Um you want to make the motion.

You ready to continue, board?

Yes.

Okay.

ZBA 4726.

John and Amy Quit petition for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 32 Wood Manor, zoned SFR1, Council District 2.

Here we have the zoning of the property.

And an aerial view.

And short-term rentals in the area.

Here's a view of the property from the street.

And the driveway.

John Quitt will be the primary contact.

We'll be available 24 hours a day in case of an emergency.

Petitioner does not have experience managing short-term rentals, but does with long-term rentals.

The house is equipped with keypad locks and cameras.

House is owner occupied when written when rented, the petitioner will stay with their in-laws.

The house has five bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Petitioners requesting 10 adults and three to four vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends six adults and three vehicles.

We received two written comments in opposition.

Any questions for staff?

No.

Thank you.

John and Amy.

Hi, my name is John Quitt.

Um 32 Wood Manor.

Thank you, Mr.

O'Leary.

That was really helpful.

Um I think it's pretty straightforward.

We've got uh large driveway enough for five cars.

We also have two uh uh a garage for two extra cars, uh ten occupants uh in the house.

I've also got a uh document for you guys if you you want it with um lots of details.

I wouldn't expect you to read all of it tonight, but I think it has information you're looking for like emergency contact where we're gonna be staying during the rental process.

We'll be staying over the river with our in-laws 15 minutes away.

Um quiet hours, things like that.

Um and then equally important.

This document, at least in some form, will be posted on the uh short-term rental website, and then clearly displayed in our house.

So we you know the renters will be have clear expectations rules, and then uh equally important.

We we want to be good neighbors.

Um so that's all I've got.

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to try to answer those.

Any questions for Mr.

Quitt?

All right, thank you so much.

Thank you.

If I can clarify, board, we did not receive written comment in opposition for this case.

Okay, for this there was no written comment.

All right, we don't have any opposition or anyone signed up to speak in favor.

Is there anybody who'd like to speak in favor for this petition or in opposition?

We'll close public comment.

We'll go to board comment.

Uh no, no comment.

I have no issues with this.

Seems pretty straightforward.

I'm in favor of staff recommendations of six and three.

Yeah, I'm in favor of staff recommendation as well of six and three.

I agree.

My fellow board members six and three.

I have no issues, I'm in favor.

Okay, closing board comment, reading the petition.

ZBA-47-26.

John and Amy Quitt.

Petition for a special exception to allow a short-term rental of a property located at 32 Wood Manor, zone SFR-1, Council District 2.

30 uh one year probation, 30 nights, six adult, uh six adults and three vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition approved.

ZBA 4826, Dave Donaldson.

Petitions for special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 32 Brookhaven.

Zoned SFR2, Council District 6.

Here we have the zoning of the property just south of Snow Hinton Park.

And an aerial view.

These are short-term rentals in the area.

View of the property from the street.

Tanner Ashcraft with the primary contact and available 24 hours a day.

Petitioner property, petitioners, property manager has over 20 years of experience managing short-term rentals.

Houses equipped with keypad locks, cameras, and a noise detection system.

House is not owner-occupied when not rented.

The petitioner's family and friends will use the property.

House has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Petitioners requesting six adults and three vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends four and two.

This was previously approved in June of 2023 for four and two.

They're here today because of a change in ownership.

We did receive two written comments in opposition for this case.

Any questions for staff?

Did the uh when they were previously approved?

Was there any issues?

Or is it none?

Okay.

Any questions?

Okay.

All right.

Tanner.

Tanner Ashcraft, 1120, Queen City.

Um, yeah, so I was sitting beside um one of the owners of the house.

Uh I reviewed the schedule earlier with the forms and realized that six and three.

Now, you know, now the petitioner, which is typically the owner, fills it out online.

I used to always handwrite them and send it to them to sign, but anyway, I'm aware of the driveway single lane.

And so I I knew before we came up here that it'd be four and two, which is acceptable.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you, Tanny.

No one is signed up to speak for or against this petition.

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

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

So it was approved in 2023.

Did we rent it back in the issue we had before?

Uh do we have any is no incidents?

But did we rented 24, 25?

Yeah.

Yeah, license.

We good on audit.

No issues.

No issues for me.

I have uh no issues.

I'm in favor of staff recommendations six and three.

Or sorry, four and two.

I have no issue with the four and two.

I agree.

Um, I have no issue with four and two.

I have no issues, I'm in favor.

All right, closing board comment.

I'll read the petition.

CBA-48-26.

Dave Donaldson petitions for a special exception to allow a short-term rental of a property located at 32 Brookhaven, zone SFR-2, Council District 6 for one year probation, 30 nights, four adults and two vehicles.

Voting?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Moving to ZBA 4926, Sterling Hinton Jr.

petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 3013 Fifth Street.

Zoned MR1 Council District 1.

Here we have the zoning of the property.

And an aerial view.

And the front yard.

And the driveway.

I'll get to that in a minute.

So the petitioner is planning to pave more of the property.

See the driveways here.

This has already been approved by our office of city engineer.

The petitioner's just working on getting it started.

Sterling Hinton Jr.

will be the primary contact.

It will be available 24 hours a day.

He does not have experience with short-term rentals, but has 25 years of experience with long-term rentals.

The house is equipped with cameras and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

It is not on your owner occupied.

When not rented, it will remain vacant.

House has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Petitioners requesting eight adults in three vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends six adults in three physics once the new driveway has been installed.

We did not receive any written comment.

Any questions for staff?

How are you?

How are you going to ensure that um if it's approved today?

Is it gonna approve to go forward today and they can start tomorrow?

They're gonna have to wait until the driveway is putting.

Staff will hold the business license until the driveway will do an inspection and then issue it at that point.

Yeah, it's approved.

Any other questions for C by needs wrong?

All right, uh, Mr.

Sterling Hinton.

Hello, good evening, everyone.

My name is Sterling Hinton Jr.

Um, my wife, Valerie and Hinton.

We live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama 545, Garden Hill Drive.

Uh we petitioned to get long short-term rental.

I retired from the BA hospital uh in 2019, seven years ago, and um I'm a 22-year educator.

I'll be eligible to retire in about three years, and we're wanting to turn our long-term rental into short-term rental to supplement our uh retirement income.

Okay.

I um worked at the Tuscaloose V8, like I said.

I worked the um, I went to school for carpentry, industrial electricity, and uh brick masonry five and a half years.

Um in the daytime where I went to school worked evenings for five and a half years.

Then I went to midnight shift and worked midnight shift, and I worked on these houses in the daytime.

Clawed, scrapped, um, we was able to accommodate uh accomplish 10 rental properties.

We've been managing them ourselves, and um now we're requesting uh short-term rental.

Uh a little nervous.

And I did leave my glasses in the vehicle if I came back.

Well, I'll help you out, Mr.

Hinton.

You said that you guys have experience with long-term rental.

You like to move into short-term rental to accommodate to uh supplement your retirement.

Right.

And so you understand that you need to have rules posted.

Will you all be the contacts if something happened with a short-term rental?

Yes, I'm retired and I'm off.

You know, okay.

So you'll be the person that they'll call if there's a problem.

Okay.

And so y'all know about the no locks and and the the noise cancel and all that.

Okay.

All right.

I think that's everything.

Any questions for them?

I don't know it's 30, 30.

Go ahead.

It's 30 nights.

It's only 30 nights your first year, and then after that, it's 40.

If you get renewed, it's 45 nights.

But initially, the first year is 30 nights, and we're strict on that.

That means that no more than 30 nights can be rented.

Short-term rental.

Now we're gonna work.

We're gonna try to do whatever we can do to make it work.

We want to beautify the area.

And no parking on the street.

Okay.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you guys.

Thank you much.

All right.

Thank you.

Is there anybody?

Uh there's nobody signed up to speak for or against.

Is there anybody on this like to speak for or against this petition?

Okay, we'll close public comment.

We'll go to board comment.

Oh, I have no issues.

I have no issues with staff recommendations.

Was it six and three?

Right.

Yeah.

I'm in agreement for staff's recommendation of six and three.

I agree as well.

I have no issues.

At this time, we'll close board comment and read the petition.

ZBA-49-26, Sterling Hinton Jr.

Petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 3013 Fifth Street, zone MR-1, Council District 1.

30 one year probation, 30 nights, 6 adult and three vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

All right, Joe.

Okay.

Yeah, that's one moment.

All right, Lim.

Moving to ZBA 5026.

Drew Topham petitions for a special exception to allow the short term rental of a property located at 2007.

Maxi Thomas Way, zone D H E H.

Council District 4.

Here we have the zoning of the property.

And an aerial view.

And short term rentals in the area.

Here's a view of that property from the street.

That's been approved before.

It might look familiar.

We saw this last month.

Um and it's a change in ownership.

Okay.

So Parker Culsar will be the primary contact.

Petitioner does not have experience with short-term rentals, but does with long-term rentals.

The house is equipped with keypad locks and cameras.

It is not owner occupied.

When not rented, it will be used by the petitioner's family.

House has four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

The petitioner is requesting eight adults and two vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends four adults and two vehicles.

This was previously approved in the May 2026 meeting for four and two.

They're here tonight for change in ownership.

Any questions for staff?

No questions.

Thank you.

All right, Drew.

I guess it's new ownership.

Good evening.

I'm Christy Lee.

I'm here in representation of Dre.

Okay.

Give us your address, Christy.

And my personal address, 4805 Saratoga Estates in Northport.

Okay.

And so will you be managing the property for I will not?

I will be emergency contact and support a parker.

Okay.

The Parker will be the first line of correct.

All right.

So is does he go by Parker?

Is it the female?

Oh, oh, she goes by Parker.

Okay.

All right.

And any other questions?

All right.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

No one signed up to speak for or against.

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

We'll close public comment.

I'll go to board comment.

I have no issues.

Uh no issues with um I'm in favor of the staff recommendations of four and two.

I'm in favor as well.

I agree with staff recommendations of four two.

I have no issues.

I'm in favor.

Okay, we're closing board comment reading the petition.

ZBA-50-26.

Drew Topham uh petitions for a special exception to allow short-term rental on a property located at 2007, Maxi Thomas Way, Zone D H E H.

Council District 4, one year probation, 30 nights for adults to vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

I'm going to present these next two cases together.

They're right next door.

Same petitioner.

CBA 5126.

Kim Roberts petitions for special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 2825, 17th Street, zoned MR1, Council District 1.

Here we have the zoning of the property, just east of Central Elementary.

And an aerial view.

Here's short-term rentals in the area.

And a view of that property from the street and its driveway.

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

Petitioner has over 25 years of experience managing short-term rentals.

It's equipped with keypad locks, cameras, and a noise detection system.

Is not owner occupied when not rented, it'll be used for extended stays or remain vacant.

It's a three-bedroom, two-bath house.

Petitioners requesting six adults and three vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends four and two.

We receive two written comments in opposition.

Any questions before I move on?

No.

ZBA 5226, Kimberly Roberts petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1701 29th Avenue, zone MR1, Council District 1.

Here's a uh the zoning of that property.

So you can see it's right next door to the previous case.

And an aerial view.

Here's short-term rentals in the area.

And a view of the driveway front.

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

Petitioner has over 25 years of experience with short-term rentals.

Houses equipped with keypad locks, cameras, and a noise detection system.

Is not owner occupied when not rented, it'll be used for extended stays or remained vacant.

It's a two-bedroom, one bathroom house.

Petitioners requesting four and two.

If approved, staff recommends four adults and two vehicles.

We receive two written comments in opposition.

Any questions on either one of those?

No questions.

Thank you.

Hello, Kim Roberts, uh 46 Sherwood Drive, 35401.

Um, are we doing the first house?

Um it is a three-bedroom, it's under construction right now.

They're doing a complete remodeling job in there, so it's a three-bedroom.

I think there might have been a mistake in there because they I think they recommended three cars.

Um we would like to ask for six adults there, two per bedroom and uh three vehicles.

Well, which one is that 51 uh 26?

The for engineering 825.

What is engineering recommend?

Is this it right?

Is this the one that's still for the first one?

This is um engineering's recommendation.

This is the first one correct.

ZBA 51.

The first one was the um 2825.

That's right.

And it's a three-bedroom, so we would like to request.

I think the engineering is going by the parking parking determinants, not the bedrooms.

Well, it has um a big you can't see it right now in that picture.

There's a big dumpster right there, but it does have parking there and behind the house as well.

There's an alley behind that um that runs behind there.

You saying park in the alley.

Uh no, but uh, I think it see the street there behind it.

That's a little alley.

And so they will have um parking back there when they finish the construction on the house.

We would have to hold a business license until the construction and we'll find yeah, we're not it's not going to be available for uh several more months.

Could we do that?

Like we are engineering and saying too.

Uh I mean engineering engineering made that recommendation.

So if y'all feel comfortable with that, or if you feel comfortable with Miss Roberts.

Was that additional parking put in the schematic or the diagram of what they submitted?

We haven't seen any site plans or diagrams.

We don't have no assurance that it's gonna be done.

If we approve it.

Right?

I think 4-2 will be fine.

Yeah.

Uh Ms.

Roberts said it'll be several months before before it's completed anyway.

So I mean, we'll be looking at maybe six months to rent it before she has a comeback for it, no the logs.

As always, the petitioner can come back to request more adults and more vehicles with with added information.

So if you need to do the four adults for now, that's fine, and we can circle around.

All right.

Yeah, the next one uh is ready at the construction is finished on that one.

So uh it's a two-bedroom, one bath, so we just had requested the four adults and uh two cars.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Don't go far.

All right.

Um, we don't have anybody, we have one person to speak in opposition of the first one 2825 17th Street.

Sandra Moses.

Yes.

Sorry.

Haven't done public speaking before.

My name is Sondra Moses and I reside at 5421, New Watermelon Road in Lake Ridge Subdivision.

I have lived in my home there since January of 1979.

I will probably be the most negatively affected by short-term rentals at 5501, which is very closely adjacent to my house.

Ma'am, ma'am, excuse me.

I believe you're here for are you here for 5501 watermelon?

Yeah, she called my name, so I was wondering if you signed up person.

Yeah, you signed up on the one, so that's why I called you.

So did I do 532?

We'll call you back up.

We'll call you back up.

Sorry.

That's okay.

All right.

Anyone else to speak for or against all right?

At this time, we'll close public comment and go with Warrit comment.

I have no issues.

I have no issues with staff recommendations of four and two on either of the properties.

Yeah, I'm an agreement four and two staff recommendation.

Okay, I agree as well with the staff recommendations.

I have no issues.

All right, so I'm gonna close board comment and I'm gonna read the first one, then we'll vote, then I'll read the second one and we'll vote.

ZBA-51-26, Kimberly Roberts petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 2825 17th Street, zone MR-1, Council District 1, one year probation, 30 nights for adults to vehicles voting.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Petition is approved.

ZBA-52-26, Kimberly Roberts, excuse me.

Petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1701 29th Avenue, zone MR-1, Council District 1.

Uh one year probation, 30 nights, four adults, two vehicles voting.

Sorry, yes.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Petition is approved.

Moving to ZBA 5326, Kimberly Roberts petitions for special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 5501, New Watermelon Road, zone SFR1, Council District 3.

Here we have the zoning of the property.

An aerial view.

And short-term rentals in the area.

Here's a view of that property from the street.

And the driveway.

Houses equipped with keypad locks, cameras, and a noise detection system.

It is not owner-occupied when not rented, it'll be used for extended stays or remained vacant.

House has four bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Petitioners requesting eight adults and four vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends eight adults and four vehicles.

The gravel driveway is Five.

The gravel driveway you was asked.

Yeah, the gravel driveway existed prior to the ordinance.

Okay.

Okay.

Kim Roberts, 46 Sherwood Drive, 35401.

This house sits on a very large lot, very private lot, and faces onto Watermelon Road.

So there's plenty of room for the vehicles to park and plenty of barriers around the property, a lot of woods and everything else.

So I think it'll be fine.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, Miss Sondra Moses.

Now you time.

Well, as you know, I miss Sondra Moses.

And I lived at 5421 New Watermelon Road in Lake Ridge.

As I said before, I've lived there since January of 1979.

Lakeridge is a very unique neighborhood.

It's all cul-de-sacks.

I think there are three cul-de-sacks.

There are no through roads even in between our cul-de-sacks anywhere else.

You can see the curve, which is very pronounced, and that is one of my issues.

They've asked for eight persons, four vehicles.

I'm just afraid, especially after listening to one of the ones before where they had the big party, that this could easily morph into a large party's venue on game day nights.

Is find my notes.

So you know who the target audience is, who they're looking for for their rentals.

So I'm very afraid that this is not a good fit for our neighborhood, which is made up of a lot of long-term residents like myself, many elderly.

If they're out there partying.

Maybe.

So the front of their house is actually in my backyard, like aligned with my backyard.

So I am very close in proximity.

I have put up a fence and did that when it was built.

So there is some block there, but I do worry about noise.

Possibly partying young people, possibly intoxicated young people on this roadway.

Again, you can see the curves.

No injuries in the house.

Second one was two luxury vehicles, a BMW SUV and a Mercedes Benz SUV.

A lot of safeguards are built into those kinds of vehicles.

But again, head-on collision.

The BMW managed to stay upright and off the road, but upright.

Rolled and tumbled and killed that driver.

Another driver ran off into the ravine that is just past 5501.

That is an empty lot that goes one past them.

So it is a very dangerous intersection or roadway, the whole curve is.

Maybe late at night, maybe after a game, maybe after drinking, and making bad decisions in this rather dangerous roadway.

Oh we were the first ones out there, y'all.

We built in the woods.

That's who we are.

And the most that's your time.

Thank you so much for your comment.

It's okay.

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

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

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

I have no issues with staff recommendation.

I appreciate the concern about New Watermelon Road.

I live not far from here.

Um your concerns are valid.

Um none of the accidents on that road mentioned were uh result of somebody pulling in and out of the driveway, or at least that I know, for short-term people that were staying in a short-term rental.

And so I I don't the eight and four concerns me a little bit just because eight and four always concerns me, but Kim has a lot of um experience, and if the engineering department is fine with that, then I'm I'm good with it.

Um I have no issues.

I do appreciate your concerns.

I know the area very well the curve.

I do know Rodgers Ferry is taking a lot of traffic off that road uh as well.

Um so I I am concerned about the eight and four.

I'm especially here in the other case earlier tonight.

I think I'm gonna be more out for six and three.

I agree.

Um, I'm six and three.

I just that we always we always used to say that's a party, it's been proven now that that's a party.

And so um, at this point, I'm just really especially when you're in a neighborhood and you have neighbors who are already concerned.

Let's start with six and three, see how that goes.

And perhaps upon renewal, if there are no issues, then we can look at moving up to eight and four.

But for the first year, I'm I'm in favor of six and three.

I have no issues, I'm in favor.

Okay, at this time we'll close.

Are you all I'm done with six and three?

Yeah.

Oh, you okay at this time?

I'll close board comment.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-53-26.

Kimberly Roberts petitions for a special exception to allow short-term rental of a property located at 5501 New Watermelon Road, zone SFR-1, Council District 3, one-year probation, six adults, three vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Moving to ZBA 5426, Kimberly Roberts petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 2913 narrow lane road, zoned SFR1, Council District 7.

Here we have the zoning of the property.

And an aerial view.

And a view of the front yard.

The petitioner has over 25 years of experience managing short-term rentals.

The house is equipped with keypad locks, cameras, and a noise detection system.

House is not underoccupied when not rented, it will be used for extended stays remained vacant.

House has two bedrooms and one bathroom.

Petitioners requesting four adults and two vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends four and two.

Thank you.

Miss Roberts.

Kim Roberts, 46 Sherwood Drive 35401.

Uh, this is a very small house, so we are going with just the four adults and two vehicles.

Um, they will be refreshing the driveway there.

The gravel is kind of getting worn out, but it will easily hold two cars.

Okay.

Any questions?

That's it.

Thank you.

There's no one signed to speak for or against, and there's is there anybody in the audience like to speak for and against this petition?

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

No issues with four and two.

No issues.

No issues.

I agree with my fellow board members.

Have no issues.

At this time, I'll close board comment and read the petition.

ZBA-54-26.

Kimberly Roberts petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 29 2913, narrow lane road, zone SFR-1, Council District 7, one year probation, 30 nights for adult to vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

Moving to ZBA 5526.

Matthew Gibson petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1359 Southern Gardens Drive.

Zone GPD, Council District 5.

Here we have the zoning of the property.

This is just east of the Aldi.

And then the overhead view.

And short-term rentals in the area.

Here's a view of the property from the street.

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

Petitioner manages over 50 short-term rentals.

House is equipped with dead deadbolt locks and cameras.

Is not owner occupied.

When not rented, it'll be used as a second home.

House has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Petitioner is requesting four adults and two vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends four and two.

We did not receive any written comment.

Questions for staff?

No questions.

Thank you.

Matthew.

Matthew Gibson, 1211, 17th Avenue East Tuscaloosa.

This is a great little two-by-uh or two-bed, two bath.

Um it's kind of tucked away there in Southern Gardens.

Uh we're just requesting four adults, two vehicles.

Um questions.

No, 50 properties, Matthew.

That's good.

We're doing well.

All right.

Any questions for Matthew?

All right, thank you.

There's no one signed to speak for or against.

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

At this time, we'll close public comment.

Go to board comment.

No issues with board recommendations.

No issues.

No issue.

No issues.

All right, we'll close board comment.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-55-26.

Matthew Gibson petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1359 Southern Gardens Drive, Zone GPD, Council District 5.

Voting?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

You're welcome.

ZBA 5626 Alistair Wiggins Allen petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 44 Woodbine Road, zoned SFR1, Council District 7.

Here we have the zoning of the property just south of Skyland Elementary.

In an aerial view.

And a view of the property from the street.

And it's parking.

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

Petitioner has past experience managing one short-term rental.

House is equipped with smart keypad locks and cameras.

It is not owner occupied.

When not rented, it will be used by the petitioner's mother.

House has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Petitioner is requesting six adults and three vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends six adults and three vehicles.

We did not receive any written comment.

Questions for staff.

I'm gonna let the applicant confirm what that looks like.

All right.

Thank you.

Mr.

Wiggins Allen.

Um hello y'all.

So my name is Alester Allen.

I grew up in Tuscaloosa.

Um basically the tornado took away the house I grew up in, and so since then I've been um you know looking for a house for my mom, and she's approaching 70.

Um I left Paul W.

Brent High School, went to Stanford.

I'm still kind of figuring out my career.

I'm applying to faculty positions.

Maybe there'll be a position at the UA this fall.

If not, um I'll end up where I end up.

But basically, um that's what's going on.

I was uh basically looking to find a place that can um support my mom, but also uh cover the mortgage, and so that's why we were looking at doing a short-term rental so that she can uh she worked nights my entire life, and um I'm trying to make it so that she doesn't have to continue to struggle.

Where will she stay when it's being rented?

So um the amendment there is that uh we would like two bedrooms, two baths, um, and one of the bedrooms would be uh locked, and that would be hers.

But she can't stay in the house.

Oh, oh sorry, during the rental, yeah.

My aunt lives uh still lives on one drive, and so she would just stay with my aunt.

Okay, sorry about that.

So you only want four bedrooms and two baths.

It's three bedrooms, two bed baths, but one of those bedrooms would be uh hers.

So it'll just be four adults then.

Um yeah, that's fine with us.

If there's three bedrooms, one's gonna be locked off.

That'll lead you to two bedrooms.

We'll have to go four and two.

Yeah, four and two.

Okay.

All right.

But your mother, your mother will not stay there while it's being no, she will not.

Sorry to confirm that she will not.

She stays with my aunt right now, and she's kind of still like but you'll be the point of contact if something happens and take care of it.

Okay, all right.

All right.

Thanks.

Thank you.

There's no one signed up to speak for or against.

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

Okay.

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

I'm in favor with the four adults and two vehicles.

Okay.

I'm I I agree.

Four and two.

Yeah, I'm good with four and two.

All right, four and two as requested.

I have no issues.

Okay, at this time I'll close board comment and read the petition.

ZBA-56-26.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

ZBA 5726.

Dave Donaldson petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 15 Cedar Null, zoned SFR2, Council District 6.

Here we have the zoning of the property again just south of Snow Hinton.

And an aerial view.

Short-term rentals in the area.

A view of the property from the street.

And it's parking.

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

Petitioner has experience managing one short-term rental.

House is equipped with keypad locks and cameras.

It is not owner-occupied.

When not rented, it will be used by the petitioner's son.

And again, I'll let them confirm what that looks like.

The house has two bedrooms and one bathroom.

Petitioner is requesting four adults and two vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends four and two.

We received one written comment in opposition.

Any questions for staff?

Is this the same petitioner did 4826?

That's right.

Okay.

But Tanner stood in for him.

Correct.

Okay.

All right.

Maybe you could get your answers.

Hi, good evening.

Uh I'm Dave Donaldson.

I live at 2916 Northampton Drive in Tuscaloosa 35406.

And um this home has been in our family for about four years now.

My daughter, uh, she lived there before she got married, and then now my son, after he's graduated from Alabama, works at BF Goodrich.

And so when if um approved, he will uh stay with us during any short-term rental.

Is Tanner managing your properties?

He is managing the other one.

He's not man, he's not managed for me before.

Uh the one that I manage was in Academy Drive uh probably three or four years ago before we moved.

But he's managing 4820, the other property, not this property.

Yes, sir.

That's correct.

Okay.

All right.

Thank you so much.

There's no one signed up to speak for or against.

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

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

No comment in favor with staff recommendations.

Four and two.

I have no issues.

I have no issues.

I agree with my fellow board members.

No issues.

At this time, we'll close board comment.

I'll read the petition.

ZBA-57-26.

Dave Donaldson petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 15 C to Null, zone SFR-2, Council District 6, one year probation, 30 nights for adults, two vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Petition is approved.

And then there was one.

Final case tonight.

ZBA 5826.

Darcy Shane Miller petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of the property located at 1745 25th Street East.

So on SFR2, Council District 6.

Here we have the zoning of the property, just north of Bowers Park.

And an aerial view.

And view that property from the street.

Darcy Shane Miller will be the primary contact and available 24 hours a day.

Petitioner does not have experience managing short-term rentals, is equipped with keypad locks and ring cameras.

The house is owner occupied.

When rented, the petitioner will stay in with friends in town.

House has two bedrooms and one bathroom.

Petitioner is requesting four adults and two vehicles.

If approved, staff recommends four and two.

We receive two written comments in opposition and one in support.

Any questions for staff?

No.

Thank you.

All right, Darcy.

Hi, I'm Darcy Shane Miller.

I live at 1745.

I'm the owner.

Um, I'm a faculty member at the university.

I teach a Monday, Wednesday schedule, and I thought this would be a great opportunity to rent for game day weekends and graduations to help offset the cost of a mortgage.

Um I think that's all I got.

Two bedrooms.

It's exactly what I'm looking for.

So I'm happy to answer any questions.

No question zoner occupied.

Do you have some place to go when it's been yeah?

I've got friends in town, Starkville, Oxford, Birmingham.

If you're you're in Oxford or one of those other places, you'll have to have some.

I mean, you know, local for emergency contact.

Yeah, I understand.

All right, thank you.

But have anybody signed up to speak for or against.

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

Hi.

I do not want renters.

The people that spoke earlier that had that rental that had the horrible experience with those teenagers, that was my reality before Shane moved in.

We had college renters in the neighborhood, and that was what we experienced five days a week.

The police were out in our neighborhood continuously.

They parked in the street, they littered the neighborhood.

It was horrible.

My power and uh phone lines come off of a power pole from his property.

They literally pulled power lines and stuff off of my house because they were parked in the street and the utility vehicles could not go down the streets because the streets were so narrow.

They tried to take the chains off of my gates to get in my backyard.

They cussed me out on a daily basis for me telling them to get out of my yard.

These are my these were long-term renters, right?

Well, they were college, they stayed there like four months.

But they killed my cats.

That's considered a long-term renter.

That anything over 30 days.

In fact, the only reason Shane was able to buy the property is the people who flipped the house was going to put the same type of people back in there, and the whole neighborhood literally read them the riot act, and they turned it into a property to sale and sold it to Shane.

Oh we are terrified of having anybody coming in the neighborhood that's there to celebrate ball games or anything because we're afraid of cars in the street, loud parties, uh, college kids littering the neighborhood.

Um it was a nightmare.

It was a nightmare.

The police were out there four and five days a week, all hours of the night.

So the reason why I bring that up is when this long-term renters, that is something that we can't regulate, but short-term rentals are more regulated.

Number one, they can't park on the street.

They have to park in the driveway.

That's two cars, they must be in the driveway.

If there is an incident and you call 311 or call 911, like you saw the other petitioner, the fact that they have something against them and they're trying to be renewed, that that that could be a chance for us to non-renew them because of you called in and said, hey, they had a party or they did this.

That's why they were so upset or nervous because they don't know if we're gonna re uh give them permission to have their um license again for short-term controlled, it's absolutely more controlled.

So a call in from you saying that they had a party or anything like that could mean that he couldn't renew his license.

Okay.

So you have a lot more like with the long-term rental, all you can do is call the police, and if they're not breaking any violations, they can have as many people over, they can park on the street, they can do anything they want to do.

So with Yeah, because when the police would come and of course they were all underage drinkers, so they would scatter.

Police would leave and 20 minutes later, twice as many come back.

And so that's you see what I'm saying, but with short-term rentals, something like that.

If you call that in and it's documented on them that they had that happen, that that's a strike against them, and they can lose their license.

So y'all get that information.

They the city gets it and they give it to us when it's time for their renewal.

Just like you saw that case where they said this date, March 8th, they showed us what they were advertised and then they showed us May, the party happened.

So we get that information at the time of their renewal, and then that's when we don't renew.

You know, we could no longer have the police are called out.

Yeah, when the reports are generated, it goes to y'all.

It goes to the city.

Okay.

Yes.

So you are this is much more regulated.

You have much more control and much more your work, your say is heard more.

Like you didn't have anybody to tell that story to in terms of the long-term rental.

There's nobody to oh with oversight over it.

No.

So no, because I mean, we could try talking to council people, the police.

We actually have a police officer that lives in the neighborhood, and he couldn't do anything with them.

So, but this is different.

So I'm not trying to push it any of the way, but I'm just uh letting you know how short-term rental is different from long-term rental.

Okay.

I hope that eases your mind some.

It does some.

But like I said, we're just shell shots.

Yeah.

I mean, extreme to the extreme, because these people were horrible.

And it wasn't just the house that Shane lives in, it was the house behind me.

It was the house that the city tore down where they built the fire station.

There was like three, four houses, and they kind of just got together.

They would walk to each other's houses, and it was just horrible.

So, yeah, it was bad.

We appreciate it.

And until you have them in your neighborhood, I can tell you how bad it was, but you can't fathom how bad until you lived it.

I understand.

Well, we thank you for being here today and sharing your story with them.

Well, thank you for putting it in.

We're taking it.

No, no, we take it into consideration.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anybody else that'd like to speak for against this petition?

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

Uh I just want to say, ma'am, your your your concerns are valid and and noted.

And I think um Mr.

Miller will uh do what he needs to do appropriately to um make sure this don't happen again to you.

And and if like Miss Uh Coley said, you do have um options, you do have avenues to make sure that this does not happen again, call 311, call 911, and those records will come back to us when it's time for renewal.

We'll make sure we do what we got to do.

But uh I'm in favor with staff recommendations four and two.

Um I agree with the comments, and I'm in favor of four and two.

I'm in favor of four and two as well.

And so, Mr.

Miller, please note the concerns of the community, and um, I'm in favor of the four and two and be aware that don't rent to what can happen, what potentially can happen.

Um, those are my comments.

Yeah, I have no issues.

I just want to uh say again on the record for Mr.

Miller just to make sure you have someone that's local when you're renting the the the house, uh just like the other petitioner where something happened and turned it was able to be there within 10 to 15 minutes, just in case something were to happen, but I have no issues, I'm in favor.

At this time, I'd like to close board comment.

I'd read the petition.

ZBA-58-26, Darcy Shane Miller petitions for a special exception to allow the short-term rental of a property located at 1745 25th Street East, zone SFR-2, Council District 6, um, one year probation, 30 nights, four vehicles, four adults and two vehicles voting.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, yes, yes.

Petition is approved.

We are now adjourned.