On the Agenda: Sidewalk Project, Outdoor Dining Rules at Social Kitchen

The Birmingham City Commission will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall.

Announcements:

• The city will introduce and swear in a new police officer.

Appointments:

• John Henke and Darlene Gehringer will interview for two spots on the Design Review Board and Historic District Commission. Both would serve terms to expire in September 2015.

Consent Agenda:

All items listed on the consent agenda are considering to be routine and will be enacted by one motion and approved by a roll call vote. There will be no separate discussion of the items unless a commissioner or citizen so requests.

• Resolution approving the purchase of a 35-foot-tall Giant Everest tree for $29,223.78 to serve as the city's Christmas tree in Shain Park.
• Resolution accepting the bid from R.S. Contracting, Inc. to paint the centerline striping during the spring 2013 construction season. The total contract will cost $8,800.
• Resolution awarding the contract for 2012-13 pavement marking handwork to Hart Pavement Striping Corporation for $57,000.
• Resolution approving the three-year MIDEAL contract for telecommunication services with AT&T.
• Resolution setting a public hearing on the necessity of renewing the Principal Shopping District's special assessment. The public hearing would be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29. A public hearing of confirmation would be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12.
• Resolution authorinzing the city manager to cast a ballot on behalf of the city for the MML Liability and Property Pool Board of Directors.
• Resolution settinga public hearing to consider various changes to the city's zoning ordinance. Amendments include establishing regulations for public and private alleys and passages, as well as adding definitions for active vias, connecting vias, destination vias and vias. The public hearing would be held on Oct. 15.
• Ordinance amendment to add a new article to the Consumers Energy Compaby Gas Franchise Ordinance.
• Resolution waiving the normal bidding requirements and authorizing the purchase of two pay station shelters from Ensei for a total cost of $25,576. The shelters would be placed in the Pierce and North Old Woodward parking structures. 
• Resolution setting a public hearing on Oct. 15 to consider the proposed subdivision of the lot at 2159 E. Lincoln. The lot, currently owned by Birmingham Public Schools, would be divided in the interests of two potential buyers.

New Business:

Pierce, Merrill sidewalk replacement project: The city commission will hold a public hearing of necessity for the sidewalk replacement and streetscaping project adjacent to all properties on Pierce, from Maple to Merrill, and on Merrill, from Pierce to South Old Woodward. Should necessity be declared, the commission will then move immediately into a public hearing of confirmation for the project.

Also on Monday night, the commission will look to confirm Special Assessment Roll No. 849, which will defray the cost of the sidwalk enhancements by imposing some of those costs on adjacent property owners.

Also concerning the sidewalk project, the city commission will hold a separate public hearing regarding the direction of the project's design. Commissioners will have several options in front of them:

• Do nothing: Reconstruct Pierce Street to match current conditions.
• Crosswalk: Add a new crosswalk at the south side of the intersection of Pierce and Martin.
• Angled parking: Add new angled parking on the west side of Pierce Street, between Martin and Merrill.
• Crosswalk and angled parking: Add a new crosswalk at the south side of the Pierce and Martin intersection, and add new angled parking on the west side of the street. 

Parking lot repairs: The city commission will consider repairs at the parking lot located between 33600 and 33692 Woodward Ave.

Zoning amendments: Commissioners will consider an amendment to Chapter 126 of the city's zoning ordinance, adding setbacks where underground rear utilities are present.

Vacation of an alley: On the agenda is a public hearing to consider whether to vacate the 20-foot-wide alley between 651 Harmon and 648 Dewey St.

Outdoor enclosure at Social Kitchen: Commissioners will decide whether Social Kitchen and Bar will be allowed to enclose their outdoor dining space with Isinglass, the material used at the outdoor dining space at Cafe Via.

Should commissioners decide that they did not intend to approve the use of Isinglass at Social Kitchen's original approval (held Jan. 9), they may direct Social Kitchen to amend their Special Land Use Permit.

Cafe Via's use of Isinglass will also be called into question Monday night, as commissioners decide whether the restaurant was approved to use the material during their approval in September 2007.