The Planning Commission discussed a request to rezone two properties on Montgomery Street from a neighborhood shopping district to a central business district so a local fitness studio could move into a larger space. There was discussion about parking and noise, with a nearby property owner raising concerns about overflow parking and loud music. The applicant explained that parking would meet requirements with about 21 spaces and that the business operates by appointment, limiting traffic. They also shared plans to add soundproofing to reduce noise. The owner agreed to restrict certain uses on the property, including no drive-throughs, gas stations, liquor stores, smoke shops, auto parts stores, or theaters. The Planning Commission approved the rezoning with conditions tied to the site plan, parking, and use restrictions, and it will now move to City Council with a positive recommendation Agenda: https://bit.ly/3PQ7et2

As part of spring cleaning across Homewood, crews have been replacing old and aging street signs. So far, about 547 of the city’s roughly 572 signs have been updated, with the remaining to be finished by the end of May. They are made in house by our Traffic Department, led by Randy Hambly. His team designs, produces, and installs them. This includes street name signs, parking signs, speed limit signs, and warning signs like school crossings, pedestrian crossings, dead end signs, and stop ahead signs. Producing these in house saves money each year and allows crews to respond faster by designing, making, and installing signs without waiting on outside vendors. On average, the city makes about 250 to 300 signs each year. Materials are sourced from trusted suppliers, including one based in West Homewood, which allows for quick turnaround on orders and keeps the process moving efficiently. This is one of many ways the Traffic Department works each day to serve our residents and keep things running smoothly across the city.