OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/Tuscaloosa, Alabama/City Council Meetings
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Tuscaloosa City Council Meeting - July 28, 2026

City Council Meetings — Tuesday, July 28, 2026
BodyTuscaloosa, Alabama
SessionCity Council Meetings
DateTuesday, July 28, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 16:58

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:35

There's been a lot of trying to sell it by multiple people.

0:39

There's been three or four different people called me up and said they were buying it, paid cash for it, but it's never withdrew.

0:45

So I'm not going to do that.

0:52

Well, they want they want to foreclose it before we condemn it.

0:56

They're wanting because they're wanting to the bank is wanting to re restore it.

1:01

Well, as you know, I've gotten more than three or four calls on that house.

1:05

So no, that they don't need they want to they're wanting to foreclose on it, get it back and then make the repairs to the house and reset it.

1:15

It could be a nice house.

1:16

It could be a nice house.

1:19

The owner is from somewhere in North Carolina.

1:21

Um like I said, he's I was told today that there's possibility he may have to mention or something because he's tried to sell it for different people at the same time.

1:32

I had a wholesaler try to sell it to me.

1:34

I walked well.

1:35

Yeah, it's a bunch of work, but I mean it is salvageable.

1:39

Yeah.

1:40

So I mean, like I said, the logger is supposed to be here.

1:43

I'm sorry.

1:44

I'm sorry, Virgil.

1:45

5244 over Brook Road.

1:48

Well, where did you hit the first circle and hit over Brook Road?

1:52

How far after that first circle?

1:54

About maybe halfway down on the left, it's up on the hill.

1:58

Okay.

2:01

So there's another one.

2:02

Exact same house.

2:03

It's the green model look great.

2:05

Yeah.

2:06

So isn't there another house?

2:08

I've gotten phone calls on the code.

2:09

There's another one down the street that we've been dealing with as well.

2:13

Yeah.

2:14

Different owner.

2:16

Yes.

2:17

So I said the log is supposed to be here to represent for the bank.

2:23

Mr.

2:24

Bell, what do you want to do?

2:26

I want to let the bank have it.

2:28

If they'll fix it up.

2:30

I mean, that that won't cost us anything.

2:32

Just a just, I mean, I don't know.

2:35

We'll have to have, I mean, I guess they'll have to tell you how long the foreclosure proceeds.

2:39

Well, yeah, I mean, we need to give them I guess it would probably take 90 days, and I don't have a problem with that.

2:44

Well, it's been there a long time.

2:45

Yeah.

2:46

But they'll have a right in their mortgage to secure it and protect their investment, even before foreclosure.

2:55

All right, so the second one we got is 17 record.

2:59

Uh the gentleman is going to be here tonight.

3:02

He has pulled a permit, but has done no work to this house.

3:06

Um today.

3:09

So I cleaned up some of the bushes.

3:12

Right, probably.

3:15

Uh you can see there's some structural failures, a lot of a lot of issues going on with this house.

3:20

Uh on our radar for quite some time.

3:22

We tried to get it into property maintenance and new courts.

3:25

Never could get the person to serve there's nobody's living.

3:32

Actually, the gentleman that's going to be here, I think does live in it.

3:38

Um say it's condemned, no.

3:41

Does it have power and water?

3:43

It does have power and water, yes.

3:46

Um until y'all deem it uh condemned, they can still live there because we've just posted it for condemnation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████████████████████54%
Zoning And Land Use████████████████████24%
Code Enforcement███████████████18%
Annexation███4%
Summary of Proceedings

Tuscaloosa City Council Meeting - July 28, 2026

The Tuscaloosa City Council met on July 28, 2026 at 6:33 PM. The meeting covered property condemnation cases, two rezoning requests, and numerous contract and budget approvals. Staff presented items, and council discussed the need for clearer explanations on purchasing requests.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were recorded. The owner of the property at 17 Record (identified as the son of the legal owner) was present but did not speak during the transcript.

Discussion Items

  • Property Condemnation – 5244 Overbrook Road: The property has been subject to multiple sales attempts but never withdrawn. A bank representative (Mr. Bell) was expected to attend but did not appear. Virgil (likely a council member or staff) indicated the bank wants to foreclose and renovate. The council expressed willingness to allow 90 days for the bank to proceed.
  • Property Condemnation – 17 Record: This property has been on code enforcement’s radar for 5–6 years. A permit was pulled but no work done. The occupant (son of the owner) was present. The property has power and water; it was posted for condemnation on April 2, 2026. Council considered giving 90 days, with one member stating “I wouldn’t go any further than that.”
  • Rezoning Request – 7150 Commerce Drive: The property is currently zoned IP (Institutional Public) and requested rezoning to IH (Industrial Heavy). Staff noted it conforms to the framework plan. No specific intended use was provided. The Planning Commission recommended approval.
  • Rezoning Request – 704 Page Parkway (Highway 69 South): This property is outside city limits and will be annexed and pre-zoned to HC (Highway Commercial). Potential uses include a coffee shop, oil change service, and fast food restaurants (chicken fingers). The Planning Commission recommended approval unanimously.
  • Contract and Budget Approvals (Pages 13–38): Staff reviewed numerous items including funding reduction for the Tuscaloosa Housing Authority’s Home Investment Partnership Program, a HUD grant application for homeless management information systems, the FY2026 CDBG action plan, a sewer agreement with Cold Water Authority, multiple minor public works contracts, a software contract with Civics Plus LLC ($116,134.13), engineering services for Riverwalk CCTV and lighting upgrades ($158,000), and a consulting agreement for fire department promotional processes ($203,425).
  • Discussion on Purchasing Item Explanations: A council member requested more detailed descriptions for purchasing items (airport security upgrades and tennis center equipment) that did not go through committee. Staff agreed to provide a memo in the future.

Key Outcomes

  • The council appeared to approve all property condemnation timelines (90 days for both properties) and rezoning requests, though explicit votes were not recorded in the transcript.
  • All contract and budget items listed were presented for approval; no objections were noted.
  • A public hearing for the zoning amendment (916 22nd Ave East, rezone from GC to GMR2) was set for August 25, 2026.
  • The meeting adjourned with a motion and second.

Meeting Transcript

There's been a lot of trying to sell it by multiple people. There's been three or four different people called me up and said they were buying it, paid cash for it, but it's never withdrew. So I'm not going to do that. Well, they want they want to foreclose it before we condemn it. They're wanting because they're wanting to the bank is wanting to re restore it. Well, as you know, I've gotten more than three or four calls on that house. So no, that they don't need they want to they're wanting to foreclose on it, get it back and then make the repairs to the house and reset it. It could be a nice house. It could be a nice house. The owner is from somewhere in North Carolina. Um like I said, he's I was told today that there's possibility he may have to mention or something because he's tried to sell it for different people at the same time. I had a wholesaler try to sell it to me. I walked well. Yeah, it's a bunch of work, but I mean it is salvageable. Yeah. So I mean, like I said, the logger is supposed to be here. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Virgil. 5244 over Brook Road. Well, where did you hit the first circle and hit over Brook Road? How far after that first circle? About maybe halfway down on the left, it's up on the hill. Okay. So there's another one. Exact same house. It's the green model look great. Yeah. So isn't there another house? I've gotten phone calls on the code. There's another one down the street that we've been dealing with as well. Yeah. Different owner. Yes. So I said the log is supposed to be here to represent for the bank. Mr. Bell, what do you want to do? I want to let the bank have it. If they'll fix it up. I mean, that that won't cost us anything. Just a just, I mean, I don't know. We'll have to have, I mean, I guess they'll have to tell you how long the foreclosure proceeds. Well, yeah, I mean, we need to give them I guess it would probably take 90 days, and I don't have a problem with that. Well, it's been there a long time. Yeah. But they'll have a right in their mortgage to secure it and protect their investment, even before foreclosure. All right, so the second one we got is 17 record. Uh the gentleman is going to be here tonight. He has pulled a permit, but has done no work to this house. Um today. So I cleaned up some of the bushes.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com