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Hoover zoning board recommends changes in Trace Crossings, Blackridge development plans

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Map courtesy of city of Hoover

Map courtesy of city of Hoover

Map courtesy of city of Hoover

Map courtesy of city of Hoover

Map courtesy of city of Hoover

The Hoover Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday night recommended the Hoover City Council approve a plan that would shift 155 homes from Blackridge to Trace Crossings and have Signature Homes donate 158 acres for a potential new road out of the area.

The amendments to the Trace Crossings and Blackridge development plans recommended by the zoning board also spell out details and timelines for development of park land to be donated to the city.

The zoning amendments don’t increase the number of homes to be built in Trace Crossings and Blackridge but shift some from one community to another.

Signature Homes had planned to put 182 houses on a 158-acre parcel in Blackridge, but the topography is challenging and city officials say they greatly need that land for a potential new road between Shelby County 52 and South Shades Crest Road.

Such a road connection, still in the conceptual stage, would divert a significant amount of traffic off of Stadium Trace Parkway, which residents say already has too much traffic.

Hoover City Administrator Allan Rice, a member of the zoning board, said the proposed land donation might not be the final solution to the traffic issues in Trace Crossings, but it’s a major piece of the puzzle.

Belcher has committed to extending a road through Signature Homes property in a southwest direction all the way to Shelby County 52. It would be up to the city to extend that road northward on the donated property and farther on to South Shades Crest Road.

There already is a one-lane gated access road for use only by emergency vehicles that extends from South Shades Crest Road around the Brock’s Gap Training Center property and down to Blackridge, Rice said. There is some thought of obtaining additional right of way to expand that road, but the feasibility of that would depend on engineering studies and funding, Rice said.

But without the proposed land donation from Signature Homes, that road would not be an option, he said.

Map courtesy of city of Hoover

Of the 182 houses that had been planned on the 158-acre section of Blackridge, 155 houses would be shifted to add onto the new Green Trails subdivision in Trace Crossings and 27 houses would be shifted to another section of Blackridge.

As a result, the total number of houses in Green Trails would increase from 200 to 355, and the total number of houses in Blackridge would decrease from 1,009 to 854, Signature Homes President Jonathan Belcher said.

Blackridge also would gain 24 acres of property that was deannexed from Helena and that Signature Homes wants to annex into Hoover. Those 24 acres are cut off from the rest of Helena by the Cahaba River, and it makes more sense for them to be a part of Blackridge, Belcher said.

The zoning amendments also adjust the amount of park land that Signature Homes would donate to the city and set timelines for park improvements and donation.

The first phase is a 73-acre mountain bike park with almost 5 miles of trails, Belcher said. It is already about halfway built, and he has proposed a grand opening in mid-June.

Map courtesy of city of Hoover

The second phase would be part of a park along the Cahaba River from the point where Wilborn Lake drains into the Cahaba River and going northeast to a point near the Hoover school system’s bus maintenance facility. That phase would include a covered pavilion with benches capable of seating 60 to 80 people and restrooms, and would be completed by summer 2020.

The third phase, to be completed by 2021, would stretch out that park along the Cahaba River to the southwest to the railroad tracks just west of Lake Wilborn. That phase would include hiking and biking trails and a canoe launch for the river, Belcher said. Those two phases together would cover 125 acres, he said.

Several Trace Crossings residents on Monday night had questions about the 73-acre mountain bike park that is under construction, expressing concern about the impact on the enjoyment of their homes nearby.

Belcher said that area originally was slated for homes, but his company would have had to cut 100 to 120 feet off the elevation of the ridge there to build a street on top and they decided to protect that ridge instead.

Access to the mountain bike park will be off Stadium Trace Parkway, and it will have a gravel parking lot capable of handling 12 to 15 cars, he said. He does not envision the site becoming a place for mountain bike competitions, but his company won’t control the park once it is donated to the city, he said.

Most of the mountain bike park will not have a fence around it, but there will be a safety fence on the southwest border where there is a steep drop-off near a railroad track, he said.

The park will not be lit, and no motorized vehicles, including dirt bikes, will be allowed, he said. The park is being designed in such a way that no trees are being removed, he added.

Rice said the city is adding park rangers in this budget year who can help monitor the mountain bike park, and police patrol officers will help when park rangers are off duty.

Mark Puhnaty, a resident of the Willow Trace section of Trace Crossings, said he likes the idea of parks but doesn’t like the idea of opening up those parks to the general public because that will only invite more traffic on Stadium Trace Parkway. Ron Sappington, another Willow Trace resident, said the city needs to address the traffic problem first and then add the parks.

Councilman Mike Shaw, who also sits on the zoning board, said the plan proposed by Signature Homes is a direct result of the city’s comprehensive planning process. The developer saw what the city wants to accomplish and has proposed adjustments without adding any homes, he said. It’s a logical progression with the goal of reducing the overall traffic for Trace Crossings, he said.

Scott Willenbrock, a coach for the Hoover mountain bike team, said he and the kids on the team are excited about the new park. He thinks it’s a great amenity to have in Hoover and gives kids another reason to get off video games and get out to enjoy nature.

Planning Commissioner Sammy Harris said most parks have more traffic on the weekends, and the biggest issues with traffic in Trace Crossings is on the weekdays when people are going to and from work and school.

Harris abstained from the votes on the zoning amendments, but all eight of the other planning commissioners voted in favor of them. The amendments now go to the Hoover City Council for consideration.

In other business Monday night, the planning commission:

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