BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBMA) — The Birmingham City Council has approved a rezoning plan that will guide future development across several East Birmingham communities, including East Lake, Woodlawn, Airport Hills and East Birmingham.
The ordinance, approved Tuesday on a unanimous vote, amends the city’s zoning district map as part of the Eastern Framework Plan, a long-term planning initiative aimed at shaping land use and growth in historically underserved neighborhoods.
City leaders say zoning — which determines how land can be used for residential, commercial or industrial purposes — plays a critical role in how communities develop over time. The newly adopted plan emphasizes “downzoning” in many areas, reducing density and shifting some properties from heavier commercial or multifamily designations to lighter uses, including single-family housing…