Alabaster pushing developers to repair damaged neighborhood roads

Published 8:10 pm Monday, January 4, 2010

Alabaster officials are making a push to force some housing developers in the city to comply with city subdivision ordinances, Mayor David Frings said during a brief Jan. 4 City Council meeting.

The council previously authorized Frings to take legal action against several developers whose subdivision streets have fallen into disrepair, including the owners of Lacey’s Grove off Shelby County 17 and Tanglewood by the Creek off Shelby County 12.

Although crews have completed repairs on the sub-base of some roads in the Lacey’s Grove subdivision, cold weather is preventing them from repaving the rough, pothole-filled roads, Frings said.

“They have done a lot of repair of the sub-base, but the roads are still in terrible condition,” Frings told the council.

“They said they have to wait until the cold weather holds off to repave the roads, and I believe that,” Frings added. “You can’t lay asphalt when it’s this cold outside.”

The mayor said the owners of both subdivisions have “indicated everything will get done,” but the city will continue to take any legal action necessary to bring the neighborhood roads to compliance.

“We will continue to proceed with what we need to get these (roads) done,” Frings said. “We are not getting anywhere quick, but it is not because of a lack of effort on our part.

“We are not going to give up. We will keep trying,” Frings added.