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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Alabaster City Council passed an amendment to the zoning ordinance to include community living facilities, approved the purchase of surveillance drones for the Alabaster Police Department and approved the disposal of the old police department during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, April 8.

After hearing no public comment during a public hearing, the Alabaster City Council approved an ordinance at the request of the planning and zoning board to amend the zoning ordinance of the city to include community living facilities.

Jeff Brumlow, the city attorney for Alabaster, said the change to the ordinance was a matter of public safety.

“We really don’t need single family residential facilities being used by multiple families at the same time or at least being claimed to be used by multiple families at the same time,” he said. “And it’s a safety issue for the families if there’s a fire or tornado or a natural disaster comes through. We don’t know how many people are actually there and it could be more people than could get out.”

The zoning ordinance change makes it so that there cannot be more than one lease on a property and places such as assisted living facilities, nursing homes, apartment complexes and hotels are all exempted from the change.

During the meeting, the City Council also approved a resolution authorizing the Alabaster Police Department to purchase surveillance drones from Adorama through The Interlocal Purchasing System purchasing cooperative in the amount of $56,258.80.

“We continue to evolve in ways to support our police officers and give them the tools necessary to keep them as safe as possible, this is just another step in that direction,” Alabaster Mayor Scott Brakefield said.

The Council approved the purchase after an in-depth presentation given by the APD during the previous work session on April 4.

“To see that presentation the other night and to see how drones are being incorporated into law enforcement, it really gives our officers another tool to allow them to be a little bit safe at what they do,” Brakefield said. “We’re super excited to support it.”

The Alabaster City Council also approved an ordinance to dispose of two parcels at 102 First Street N. in Alabaster where city hall and the police department were formerly located.

“We’re (in) the process of selling (two) old parcels, the old police department and what used to be city hall, so in order to do that, we have to dispose of it and that was passed as well tonight in order for the city to go ahead and sell that property,” Councilmember Greg Farrell said.

During. the meeting, the Council approved a resolution authorizing an amendment to an agreement with CMH for the Alabaster Rec Center and library relating to asbestos survey, civil demolition services and additional A/E demolition services in the amount of $101,231.

“What this allows them to do is to begin the preliminary testing and studies before demolition takes place,” Farrell said. “A lot of this (involves) environmental issues that have to be addressed before we demolish the old facility going forward.”

In other news, the Alabaster City Council approved the following:

• An ordinance to pre zone property at 840 Highway 24 prior to annexation to A, agricultural
• Continued a public hearing to Monday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m. to alter and rearrange the corporate limits of Alabaster by annexing 840 Highway 24 at the request of Camden Spinks and Mitchell Wolfe
• An ordinance to rezone property of Daisy Conrad and Sandra Collins located at 45 and 95 Daisy Lane from R-3, single family residential, to B-3, community business district
• A resolution declaring items within various departments as surplus, including multiple vehicles
• A resolution authorizing a mid-year budget adjustment as requested by various departments

The City Council also rescinded the temporary moratorium on blasting within the city of Alabaster.

The next city council work session will take place on Thursday, April 18 at 5 p.m.