Plans for the revitalization of the vacated Butler Terrace Addition, which sits just west of Lowe Mill ARTS and Entertainment, are moving forward.

The Huntsville City Council approved a resolution authorizing Mayor Tommy Battle to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Huntsville Housing Authority (HHA) for the demolition of buildings at the site during the latest regular meeting.

The area is west of Seminole Drive between Clinton Avenue and Governors Drive. The city, in a joint partnership with the Huntsville Housing Authority, will pay $200,000 as part of “tipping fees’’ with this approval.

“This is the next step in the transformation of the project referred to as Mill Creek,’’ Huntsville City Community Planning Director Scott Erwin said. “That transformation will look like a mixture of different types of housing from the (HHA), workforce housing, senior housing and market rate housing and will ultimately create a pedestrian oriented shopping area.’’

Erwin said the makeover of that area – which includes Johnson Towers – will be an “extension of downtown.’’

“We’ll update the infrastructure as well as greenspace, a neighborhood park and the amenity of the creek that runs through it,’’ he said.

The Butler Terrace Addition, an affordable housing option for city residents operated by the HHA, was built in the mid-1950s and was deemed uninhabitable because of radon concerns. It has been empty for well over a year.

While then-residents were given vouchers for relocation, District 1 City Council Member Devyn Keith urged his colleagues to support the mayor and others involved to move quickly on the new project.

“What we’d love to do is move from demolition to shovel,’’ Keith said.

Keith gave an impassioned plea to the council to act swiftly on all matters that come before the body so former residents – more than 100 individuals and families were displaced – of the area can opt to move back if they wish with a chance to “enjoy the revitalization’’ of the neighborhood.

“It’s not right for us to keep telling the community to just wait on it,’’ he said.

Many details remain to be finalized, but designs for the officially-named Mill Creek Choice Neighborhoods Plan include:

A mix of market-rate, HHA, workforce and senior housing
Pedestrian-oriented shopping focused on the Governors Drive and Clinton Avenue corridors
Updates to infrastructure, including utilities and the street grid
Additions of green space, neighborhood park and the restoration of creek as a neighborhood amenity
Increasing density as an extension of downtown
More employment, training and educational opportunities

District 3 Councilman Bill Kling emphasized a need to look around the ever-growing city and identify affordable housing needs.

“We need to look at dispersal,’’ he said.

Vehicles, equipment to be auctioned

The City Council passed an ordinance allowing for the auction of surplus equipment by Fowler Auction in August.

“All of these vehicles and pieces of equipment have been evaluated by our fleet staff and have been deemed no longer useful or beneficial for city use,’’ Director of General Services and Fleet Services Ricky Wilkinson said. “Some of these are wrecked vehicles and some of these we have so far exceeded the repair costs to what the vehicle actually cost it just doesn’t make sense.’’

Wilkson added the fleet service kept the equipment as long as possible because of supply chain issues that arose during the pandemic.

“There is an additional layer of scrutiny with these vehicles,’’ he said. “It’s hard to get new vehicles. If there’s anything we can salvage off these things the guys are doing a great job of evaluating before we get rid of them. Kudos to the guys for that.

Northwest annex approved

Shane Davis, Director of Economic and Urban Development, asked and received approval from the council on the annexation of land on the north side of Oakwood Rd. and east of Research Park Blvd.

The 25.21 acres would be used for residential development and would receive city services.

“We have a lot of residential activity in this area’’ said Davis, filling in for City Manager and Planning Services Thomas Nunez.

The Huntsville City Council holds regular meetings the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 308 Fountain Circle.