Alabaster leaders move forward with updating the city’s comprehensive plan.
After the passage of the Alabaster Fast Forward plan in 2023, which increased city sales tax by one penny to fund significant capital projects in Alabaster, city leaders decided an update was needed to the city’s Comprehensive Plan that was adopted in 2016 (comprehensive plans are typically updated every five to 10 years to reflect community changes and priorities). Since 2016, Alabaster has experienced substantial growth, with its population reaching almost 34,000 and the number of housing units expanding to over 12,000. This growth is expected to continue, so the comprehensive plan will act as a policy guide and create a unifying vision for the city’s future, laying the foundation for policy, infrastructure, and planning decisions for years to come.
“The old plan was a real roadmap for the things we’ve accomplished, including the overlay districts for the Medical Mile and 119,” says City Administrator Brian Binzer. “We’re at a juncture now that we need a new plan to look forward to the next 20 years with good growth and good development.
To tackle updating the comprehensive plan, Alabaster partnered with the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham (RPCGB). Since implementing the 2016 Alabaster Forward Comprehensive Plan, many of the recommendations have become reality—such as the vision for Siluria Mill to become a civic complex with an amphitheater (with construction started in February). While city leaders want to sustain ongoing growth, they also want to promote a smart-growth approach so that development aligns with infrastructure. Linking land use with transportation investments is a key to making that happen—ensuring that infrastructure is in place to accommodate new development. So, Blueprint Alabaster will put a major emphasis on transportation, mobility, and connectivity. Kimley-Horn will assist with identifying current deficiencies, developing roadway and intersection upgrade recommendations, and helping the city establish priorities for future transportation investment decisions.
Lindsay Puckett, RPC Principal Planner, will be leading the yearlong project. “This month, Alabaster began the process of developing the next citywide Comprehensive Plan,” Puckett says. “A Comprehensive Plan assists cities in guiding future growth and development over the next five to 10 years and addresses issues such as residential development, parks and recreation, land use, transportation and mobility, natural resources, economic development, quality of life, and public facilities.”
The RPCGB will develop a “Visioning Survey” to obtain input about residents’ perceptions regarding current issues and future needs on a range of topics such as public services, infrastructure, transportation, safety, parks and open space, businesses, growth and development, code enforcement, and government services. Two rounds of public meetings will inform the public about the purpose of the Comprehensive Plan Update and present an overview of the key elements and recommendations in the Draft Comprehensive Plan Update, followed by a 30-day public comment period.
To kick off the project, an Open House is scheduled for March 5 at Alabaster City Hall from 5:30-7 p.m., and an online survey is available on the dedicated project website BlueprintAlabaster.com. “We aim to reach 10 percent of the population through our various opportunities for public participation,” Puckett says. “This includes attendance at in-person open houses and giving feedback online though a community survey and an interactive mapping activity.” For Alabaster, reaching this goal would equate to reaching over 3,000 people. “Public participation is essential in the development and success of this new plan.”
