Council Highlights: May 12 Edition

The Birmingham City Council meeting on May 12 included several key procurement and budget-related decisions. The council approved a $250,000 grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to support CityWalk, a green space that will host the FIS World Series, an international extreme sports event expected to attract over 40,000 attendees. Additionally, the council ratified an agreement with the city of Trussville and Norfolk Southern Railway Company to advance rail safety improvements, with Birmingham and Trussville each contributing $250,000 toward the design and engineering phase of a major $150 million project involving underpasses and a bridge. The council also voted to rescind recent amendments to a public safety ordinance affecting nightlife establishments, returning the matter to committee for further discussion. Lastly, the council addressed zoning changes related to data centers, removing a special exception and instituting a public notice requirement for property owners within 500 feet of proposed hyperscale data center sites.