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By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – The Alabaster City Council approved the rezoning of property for The Ledges at Grande View subdivision during a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Sept. 9.

After receiving feedback during a public hearing, the Council approved an ordinance to rezone property located east of County Road 17 and Butler Road, known as The Ledges at Grande View, from single family residential to planned development district for a 265 lot subdivision.

The Alabaster Planning and Zoning Commission previously held a public hearing about the property during a meeting on June 25 and chose to not recommend the rezoning. Afterward the owners of the property requested the City Council hear the petition with a revised version of the master plan which was considered during a public hearing.

During the hearing, James Cassidy, president of Insite Engineering which is involved in the project, spoke in favor of the rezoning and provided background on the changes made to the plan for the subdivision. The plan for the property was lowered from a 280 lot subdivision to a 265 lot subdivision.

When questioned by Councilmember Kerri Pate on if the project had a builder yet, Cassidy said he could not share the identity of the builder but explained that Insite Engineering has been working with a builder that is new to the Alabaster area.

Cassidy also shared that the single family residential zoning that the property was currently zoned for, presented difficulties in affordability which was one reasoning behind the change to planned development district.

Cameron Givianpour, the owner of the property in question, also spoke in favor of the development during the public hearing.

“We spent a lot of time putting this plan together,” Givianpour said. “(We) had several meetings with the Grandview community and have really good feedback from them. I think just the amount of people here tonight is a testament to how many people really like the plan that we presented to the planning and zoning (commission).”

Givianpour said that the new version of the master plan took into account the comments they had received from the planning and zoning commission.

After closing the public hearing, Mayor Scott Brakefield addressed the council on the subject of the development before they voted.

“I’m not speaking for our against it, this is a very challenging piece of property with an extensive history that goes back a number of years,” Brakefield said. “I applaud their efforts to change the plan (and) to try to make the plan as palpable as possible.”

Brakefield said that he was hesitant to agree with the idea that the community is reacting as passionately as Givianpour mentioned and shared that the density of the new plan is far less than the original master plan.

“We are tasked to always protect the best interest of our residents,” Brakefield said. “The thing that we struggle with, especially in this area, is County Road 12 (and) County Road 17 and the amount of traffic on both.”

Brakefield said that he liked the part of the plan that could potentially lead to a connection to Highway 17 being included from a public safety standpoint and its viability as an alternate route in the event of the railroad crossing being blocked.

“So, you’re going to be tasked with, whether it’s you or the Planning and Zoning Commission, trying to find the most palpable plan,” Brakefield said. “I think this is a step in the right direction. It isn’t my preferred plan, but again, this is your decision.”

Before the final vote, Pate spoke to the rest of the council and confirmed that the plan was changed from the version that went before the Planning and Zoning Commission and that with planned development district zoning there is more oversight.

After closing the public hearing, the Alabaster City Council unanimously approved the rezoning with the exception of Councilmember Stacy Rakestraw who was not present.

The revised master plan for the Ledges at Grand View features a total of 265 lots on 141.42 total acres with green spaces and common areas.

When asked by the Council for a hypothetical timeline for construction, Cassidy shared that the development could take seven years.