Hoover planning board OKs 1st phase of Smith Farm community in Bluff Park

The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday night approved preliminary plans for 23 houses in the first phase of a new residential subdivision on part of the former Smith dairy farm property in Bluff Park.

Developer Lance Kitchens in March was unsuccessful in trying to get the Hoover City Council to rezone 5.7 acres of his 26.4-acre property to allow him to build 47 new homes in addition to one already there.

So now Kitchens is proceeding with plans to build under the current zoning, which includes a mix of R-1 residential zoning (minimum 15,000-square-foot lots), agricultural zoning and E-2 estate zoning (minimum 20,000-square-foot lots).

Kitchens on Monday night was successful in getting the planning commission to break off an existing house on 2.5 acres at 2431 Savoy Street into a separate parcel so he can sell it. Maps submitted to the city indicated he plans to put 44 houses on the rest of the property.

However, the preliminary plans approved Monday night were only for the first phase of the development, which is slated to include 23 houses on R-1 lots spread over 12.5 acres at 2429 Savoy Street, Acting City Engineer Chris Reeves said.

A later phase two would include four houses on agricultural land on the eastern side of the property and 17 houses on land zoned for agricultural and R-1 use on the northern part of the property closer to South Sherrlyn Drive, according to maps submitted to the city. But those plans have not officially come to the planning commission yet.

In other business Monday night, the planning commission:

• Approved preliminary plans for 60 residential lots on 31 acres on the west end of Trip Run in the eighth sector of the Lake Wilborn section of the Trace Crossings community.
• Approved final plans for 33 residential lots and six common area lots off Flemming Parkway in phase one of Abingdon by the River, formerly known as the third phase of Flemming Farms, in the Trace Crossings community.
• Approved preliminary plans for 47 residential lots on 21.1 acres at the south end of Flemming Parkway in the fifth phase of Flemming Farms.
• Approved an amenity center that will include a swimming pool and clubhouse for the Abingdon by the River community.
• Delayed consideration of final plans for 68 residential lots at the end of Coates Pass in Phase 6B of the Lake Wilborn community until June 8.
• Delayed consideration of preliminary plans for a 96-room hotel and 5,000-square-foot office building on 6.4 acres just west of the UAB Medical West emergency room off John Hawkins Parkway until June 8. The plan also includes a road that would connect to a 264-unit apartment complex and 180-bed assisted living facility in unincorporated Jefferson County. The proposal first came before the planning commission in February but was tabled while the developer worked to address city officials’ concerns about the traffic plan for the development.