Alabaster mayor updates council on damaged roads

Published 10:14 pm Thursday, November 4, 2010

By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Alabaster is making progress on bringing many of the city’s damaged and worn neighborhood streets up to standard, Mayor David Frings told the City Council during its Nov. 4 meeting.

During the meeting, Frings told the council the developer for the Tanglewood by the Creek subdivision has paid the city the asphalt bond money the developer put up before beginning construction several years ago.

However, the bond payment will not cover the full cost of repaving the road, and Alabaster is seeking court action against the developer for the difference.

“We’ve gotten the bond payment from the developer of Tanglewood, and we are seeking judgment against the developer on the difference between the cost of repaving and the bond amount.”

The city has heard nothing from the developer of the Saginaw Commercial Complex, which contains many damaged roads, Frings said.

“We have had no indication from the developer, and we are tentatively set to go to court on December 1,” Frings said.

Alabaster officials have contacted the bond companies for the Grandeview Estates, Mountain Lake, Golden Meadows and Fox Valley subdivisions, and has heard back from the bond companies representing Fox Valley and Golden Meadows.

“The bonding company for Fox Valley and Golden Meadows has recently requested information, which is what happened before we were paid by the bond company for Tanglewood,” Frings said. “So they may be the next to pay.”

The city is also in contact with the attorney representing the new developer of Shelby Farms, and is working with the developer of Phase II of the Lacey’s Grove subdivision. The neighborhood’s previous developer already repaved the roads in Phase I of Lacey’s Grove, Frings said.

The Kent Farm commercial park has been closed until further notice and the developer of the Lake Ridge subdivision recently brought the roads up to city standards in the Lake Ridge subdivision, Frings said.

In other business, the council set a public hearing during the Dec. 16 council meeting to discuss rezoning about 47 acres off Alabama 119 for the new Alabaster branch of the YMCA to use for practice and playing fields.