SILVERHILL, Alabama — The town of Silverhill is looking to maintain its small-town appeal while planning for the potential of future growth and hopes changes made to the town’s Zoning Ordinance will do just that.
“This is something that has been in the planning stages for over a year,” said Mayor Jared Lyles following the town council meeting Monday, July 15, “and I want to thank (Town Clerk) Nikki (Haigler), the staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission for all of their hard work in making this happen.”
The council voted unanimously to accept proposed changes to the city’s Zoning Ordinance at its meeting July 15. Council members Wayne Gruenloh and Bert Jones were not present for the meeting.
According to the ordinance, the changes include:
• Amending section 4.2.11 Home Occupation to read, “Any occupation or activity carried on within a dwelling by a member of the family residing on the premises, and which use is clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the dwelling unit.
• Amending section 5.1 Use Districts to change the name of the B-1 district, change the name and description of the B-2 district, and the addition of a B-3 General Business District and an IM Industrial/Manufacturing District.
• Amending Table 8.4 Table of Permitted Uses and Conditions.
• Amending section 10.3 Advertising Signs and Structures to include, “Any sign, whether electronically lit or not, with scrolling, moving or flashing features, shall not be permitted in any zoning district.
“By making these changes, we’re hoping to better plan for the potential of future growth should the town want to expand outside the square-mile that we currently encompass,” Lyles said. “The Table of Permitted Uses hasn’t been updated in a while. That and other changes will allow us to be prepared should any larger industries be looking to come here that could be located outside the town’s limits, while maintaining the integrity of what we already have within the town’s limits.”
In other business, the council announced that a reception for former mayor Tim Wilson will be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 29 at the Silverhill Community Center.
Wilson resigned his position as mayor in April after serving as a council member for the town for 15 years, the last 12 as mayor.
A life-long resident of Silverhill, Wilson served as mayor pro-tem before being appointed to fill the vacant mayoral seat in 2007. He was elected to his first full term as mayor in 2008, retaining his seat unopposed in 2012.
At its meeting July 1, the council discussed making an honorarium to Wilson, but wanted the honorarium to be a surprise for Wilson and his family.
The public is invited to attend the reception.
An update to the town’s water system upgrade was also given. Bids for the project are scheduled to be opened in August.
The council also voted to pay for Haigler and an assistant to attend a clerk’s conference in August.
