The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday declared a local emergency due to heavy rainfall in the hopes that city officials can get more overgrown lots cut.

According to city staff, the ordinance will allow the administration to hire additional contractors to cut abandoned lots for 45 days.

Mayor Randall Woodfin told the council that it has rained 41 of the past 61 days, significantly hampering the city’s efforts to trim overgrown properties.

According to the National Weather Service, the Birmingham area experienced 11.29 inches of rainfall in May and 7.08 in June. Each month normally has about 5 inches of precipitation.

As of Tuesday, 1,691 privately owned lots had been cut by the city this year, according to city staff. However, there are currently 14,820 tax delinquent properties in the city.

“It is not possible financially. It’s not realistic” for the city to maintain these properties for absentee owners, Woodfin said. He added it would take roughly four years to cut this amount of lots one time with the city’s current personnel.

Weed abatement and blighted properties have been a major policy priority for city leaders. Residents have often cited it as a top issue at town halls and public hearings.

“This is a silent killer of our neighborhoods,” Councilor Carol Clarke said of overgrown properties. “It erodes property values and wealth, especially in historically underserved neighborhoods. I think it is at crisis levels. It’s obvious if you drive through some of these neighborhoods. Beyond this declaration, we need to take a serious look into creating a formal process for community land stewardship, to help deal with some of these lots.”

Council Closes Intersection to Traffic Due to Car Wash 

The council on Tuesday also approved the installation of a metal gate to prevent vehicular traffic at the intersection of 20th Avenue South and Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard.

The measure’s approval was met by applause from several in the audience, who said the gate will keep traffic from a planned car wash business away from their properties.

According to city staff, even after the changes, there will be a side path for pedestrian traffic and the road will still be accessible for emergency vehicles.

“I want to thank everyone for coming today. This is a much-needed effort, and your input has been crucial in getting this passed. This is a big deal to not have all this traffic coming down that street, especially during the ongoing construction,” Councilor Valerie Abbott said.

The council’s decision comes as the city remains under a moratorium concerning new automated car wash businesses. The council approved the measure last year and has voted to extend it multiple times.

City officials say the traffic brought in by such businesses can have negative effects on public safety, property and the overall transportation system.