Fairhope Planning Commission Meeting – January 6, 2025
Waffle House Planned for Encounter Commercial Retail Center
The Fairhope Planning Commission approved the site plan for a new Waffle House to be located on Lot 10 of the Encounter Commercial Retail Center northeast of the intersection of Hwy. 181 and Hwy. 104. A 1,913 square foot Waffle House restaurant is planned for the 1.1-acre property that is zoned B-2.
Baldwin County Commission Meeting – January 7, 2025
County Commission Passes Subdivision Regulation Amendments
The Baldwin County Commission voted to approve amendments to the Baldwin County Subdivision Regulations that will address a variety of factors in the development and subdivision of property located in the County. In October of 2024 a public hearing was held on the first draft of the amendments. During the public hearing there were multiple requests from citizens and stakeholders to have further review of the proposed amendments. The proposals were tabled, and a public comment period was extended. Based on comments received, a second draft of the proposed amendments was published and presented at a November 14th work session. The updated amendments were given final approval at the January 7th County Commission meeting. A summary of the comments and changes that were addressed is contained HERE.
Orange Beach City Council Meeting – January 7, 2025
Roscoe Road Townhouses Approved
The Orange Beach City Council approved the Roscoe Road Townhouse PUD. The approval will convert 8.5 acre zoned RM-1 into a PUD for a townhouse development with 60 units. The Planning Commission had previously approved a site plan in 2023. Now, the property is under new ownership that desires a townhouse development with fee simple ownership of lots. The PUD zoning will allow individual fee simple lots. There are 10 buildings with 60 units and a clubhouse planned for the west side of Roscoe Rd., just north of the intersection of Roscoe Rd. and the Beach Express. The development will include 190 parking spaces with three vehicular turnouts onto Roscoe Rd.
Baldwin County Planning Commission Meeting – January 9, 2025
Thirteen-Lot Subdivision Approved for Elberta Area
The Baldwin County Planning Commission approved the subdivision of 11.7 acres. The property is located west of County Road 91, just north of Hwy. 98 between Elberta and Lillian. There are 13 single family lots being created from the subdivision zoned RSF-1.
Re-Zoning Recommended Near Foley Beach Express
The Baldwin County Planning Commission voted to send a favorable recommendation to the County Commission for the re-zoning of 40 acres. The property is located north of the Foley Beach Express and west of Roscoe Road. The property is currently zoned RA (Rural Agricultural). The request is to re-zone to an RSF-2 zoning dist. for future residential development.
Fairhope City Council Meeting – January 13, 2025
Point Clear Development Request Tabled
The Fairhope City Council voted to table a request for the re-zoning of 13.2 acres located at 18323 Greeno Rd. The request to table the application came from the applicant after the council voiced concerns about the density of the project. The proposed development is being called the Legends at Point Clear. The property is directly north of the Publix Shopping Center at Point Clear and east of the Old Battles Village residential subdivision. Developers sought to change the zoning of the property from B-2 to PUD to develop eight separate building structures. Two commercial buildings were proposed to face Greeno Road with a total of 12,400 square feet. Two, two-story mixed-use buildings with 23 residential units, commercial space, and clubhouse were also proposed. The final four buildings were to house multi-family residential units. Each multi-family building plan had three-stories with 24-30 units each. In total the development would have added 131 residential units and over 28,000 square feet of commercial space.
Orange Beach Planning Commission Meeting – January 13, 2025
Water’s Edge Subdivision Granted Approval
The Orange Beach Planning Commission voted to approve the preliminary major subdivision request to subdivide 3 acres located at 28633 Sampson Ave. The division will create six single-family residential lots that are zoned RS-1. Two of the newly created lots will have water frontage. Due to the RS-1 zoning district short-term rentals will not be allowed.
Lost Bay Seeks Townhome Ownership Type
The Orange Beach Planning Commission voted to recommend approval for a request from DR Horton, Inc to re-zone 27.8 acres from General Business (GB) to Planned Unit Development (PUD). The Lost Bay development is currently under construction south of the Brett/Robinson Laundry Facility and Posh Interiors, west of The Island Church. When originally approved it was intended to be a multi-family rental development. Now, DR Horton is requesting a zoning change to transition to a townhome development with fee-simple ownership. The building and site plan layout are to remain the same.
136-Lot Townhome Development Seeks Approval in Orange Beach
The Orange Beach Planning Commission voted to recommend approval to the City Council to re-zone 25 acres from General Business (GB) to Planned Unit Development (PUD). The property is located west of the Foley Beach Express, north of Brown Lane and east of Roscoe Rd, south of Bradford Lane. The property was formerly part of the Riverwalk and Bama Bayou PUD. If the re-zoning receives final approval, developers are planning 136 two-story townhomes for the site.
Gulf Shores City Council Meeting – January 13, 2025
Bid Awarded for Re-Designed Gulf Shores Pedestrian Bridge
The Gulf Shores City Council has awarded the bid for the new Pedestrian Bridge which will span across the Intracoastal Waterway. The bid was awarded to Harrison Construction in the amount of $24.3M with $7.9M coming from the BUILD Grant. The new design will remove the circular ramps and add elevators for handicap access as well as transporting bicycles. The new design is depicted below in renderings.
Spanish Fort Planning Commission Meeting – January 13, 2025
Re-Zoning Recommended for Future Bank Location
The Spanish Fort Planning Commission recommended approval of a re-zoning request to re-zone 2.12 acres located at 10284 U.S. Hwy. 31. The property zoning would change from R-1 to B-1 in anticipation of Bank Plus developing a banking location with drive-through service on the site. The property is located directly across from the Spanish Fort Elementary School.
Fairhope City Council Meeting – January 27, 2025
Supper Club Re-Zoning From R-1 to B-1 Approved
The Fairhope City Council granted final approval of the re-zoning of two acres located at the terminus of Sweetwater Circle, off Scenic Hwy. 98. There are a total of four vacant parcels combined in a re-plat. Plans for the site include a restaurant to replace the Supper Club that was destroyed by fire. The approval was conditioned on a restaurant being the only allowable use.
Baldwin County Commission Meeting – January 28, 2025
Elberta Re-Zoning Approved - Subdivision Request Denied
The Baldwin County Commission voted to approve the re-zoning request to re-zone 116 acres from RA to RSF-1. The property is located east of Hwy. 83 and north of Kichler Circle near Elberta. The Bear Creek Subdivision Planned Residential Development (PRD) request was also heard by the County Commission for the site. Commissioners voted to approve the re-zoning of the property but denied the PRD request to develop 247 residential lots on the site. Commissioners cited problems with the layout and design of the PRD request citing too much density and a poorly thought out design that did not preserve and protect the quality of life, nor provide quality greenspace.
Daphne Planning Commission Meeting – January 30, 2025
Preliminary Plat Approved for The Enclave Phases I, II and IV
The Daphne Planning Commission approved the preliminary subdivision plat for The Enclave at Irongate (Phases I, II and IV). The property is located northeast of the intersection of Austin Road and Hwy. 181. Phase I will contain 60 residential lots on 34.7 acres. Phase II will contain 78 residential lots on 26.9 acres. Phase IV will contain 78 cottage lots on 26.9 acres.