Mountain Brook City Manager Sam Gaston Answers Readers' Questions

MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL — The Mountain Brook community has a bevy of issues to tackle, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, which affects schools and businesses in the community, and with economic concerns and an election year, residents of the city — like the rest of the country — have questions for their civic leaders.

This is why Patch meets with Mountain Brook City Manager Sam Gaston each month to relay questions readers have for him concerning Mountain Brook issues.

Here are readers' questions this month and Gaston's responses:

Is it legal for a Mountain Brook businesses to require its customers wear face masks?

Yes, it is legal and required. The Health Officer of Jefferson County has ordered that masks/face coverings be worn in businesses that are open to the public including those in Mountain Brook. The City has also adopted an ordinance that requires businesses that are open to the public to require its employees , patrons and guests to wear masks.

How will the mask ordinance be enforced?

Through our business license review process which is not a criminal process, but is a civil administrative process. Any enforcement action would involve a hearing before the City Council and would focus on whether the applicable business license could be retained. This also gives the business owner the ability to tell customers that if they don’t wear a mask when visiting their store/business that they could be in danger of losing their business license and ask them to comply with the Health Department order.

When will construction begin on the baseball fields at the athletic complex?

Work has started on Fields 3-7 at the Athletic Complex. The construction is scheduled to be finished in September.

Do I need a building permit to repave my driveway?

Yes, you need a permit to repave your driveway.

Is there any way to add more parking to Overton Park?

We have a lease with the Chabad of Alabama next door for overflow parking as well as some parallel parking along Overton Road besides the parking lot at the park. It would be difficult to add additional parking there unless additional green space was used to add parking. If we eventually build a new fire station at Locksley and Overton, we can see if additional parking can be added.