Council approves rezoning to allow BJCTA compressed natural‑gas fueling site on Forestdale Boulevard

The Birmingham City Council voted April 7 to rezone a 14.1‑acre property at 943 Forestdale Boulevard from C‑2 general commercial to I‑1 light manufacturing so the Birmingham‑Jefferson County Transit Authority can operate a compressed natural gas fueling station for its bus fleet.

Kim Spurl, zoning administrator for the Department of Planning, Engineering and Permits, told the council the change is prompted by the need to permit bus fueling and ‘‘top off’’ operations, which the current C‑2 zoning does not allow. Spurl said the site abuts residential districts and will therefore require a C‑landscape buffer along the eastern edge and a B‑buffer on the western portion of the site, and that standard stormwater and construction permits will apply.

The Planning and Zoning Committee recommended approval with a set of prohibited I‑1 uses — including funeral homes, mini‑storage warehouses, payday loan businesses, cannabis operations, animal boarding and several other uses — to limit impacts on neighboring properties.

An applicant representative said the proposal is limited to a fueling station with a small operations building and that long‑term use as a maintenance facility is not planned at this time. The council voted to adopt the rezoning ordinance after the public hearing and staff presentation.

Next steps: The applicant may proceed with site‑specific permitting, and required landscape buffers and stormwater controls will be enforced during permitting and construction.