Local Government Update - November 2025

Fairhope Planning Commission Meeting – November 6, 2025

Re-Zoning Sought by Tower Homes

The Fairhope Planning Commission voted to send a favorable recommendation to the city council for the re-zoning of 10 acres located at 19763 Hwy. 181.  The property, which is west of Quail Creek, is currently zoned RA.  Tower Homes, a Birmingham based home building company, is seeking to change the zoning to R-1.  If the zoning receives final approval, a total of 17 single family residential lots could be developed on the site.  A representative from Tower Homes explained to the Planning Commission that their business aims to fill the gap in the market between the mass market production builders and the custom builds more than $1M.  The plans for the site involve custom builds in the range of $500k - $1M price point.    

Baldwin County Planning Commission Meeting – November 6, 2025

Fairhope 181 Marketplace Approved

The Baldwin County Commission approved multiple applications for the Fairhope 181 Marketplace, including a Planned Unit Development, a construction site plan, a subdivision variance, and a highway construction setback appeal. The 1.1-acre site is located west of Highway 181 and north of Mosley Road and zoned B-2. The project proposes one office-warehouse building containing four leasable units. The property will be served by City of Fairhope water and sewer and Riviera Utilities. A variance was granted for the open space requirement and for a 100-foot highway setback from the centerline of the right-of-way.

Preliminary Plat Approved for Rolling Hill Estates - West

The Baldwin County Planning Commission approved a preliminary plat for Rolling Hill Estates West, a nine-lot large-acre subdivision located west of County Road 87 and north of Interstate Hwy. 10. The 190-acre unzoned site is currently used for timber operations. All lots are 20 acres or larger, with access via County Road 87. A 160-foot bridge is proposed to cross Cowpen Creek to provide internal access. The subdivision will utilize private easements and not county-maintained roads.

Rolling Hills Estates - West

Preliminary Plat Approved for Rolling Hills Estates - East 

The Baldwin County Planning Commission also approved a companion subdivision request for Rolling Hill Estates – East. There are 36 large-acre lots totaling approximately 919 acres planned east of County Road 87 and north of Interstate Hwy. 10. The site is also used for logging and contains wetland areas requiring approximately 1.7 acres of impact for access. Commissioners approved the subdivision subject to staff conditions, allowing recording only after resolution of any court-defined easement.

Rolling Hills Estates - East

Revised Plat for Summer Grove South Subdivision

The Baldwin County Planning Commission approved the preliminary plat for Summer Grove South, a six-lot residential subdivision on 36 acres north of Larry Street and west of County Road 54. The development will connect to the existing Summer Grove Subdivision approved earlier in 2024. The property is unzoned and will be served by Belforest Water, Riviera Utilities, and Baldwin County Sewer. The project relocates the original Summer Grove access from Rigsby Road to Larry Street. Nearby residents attended the hearing expressing traffic concerns along County Road 54 and Larry Street. County staff responded that roadway widening, new turn lanes, and signal improvements are already planned as part of larger corridor upgrades funded through developer impact contributions.

Summer Grove Revised Plat

St. Michael’s Athletic Complex Expanding

The Baldwin County Planning Commission approved the site plan for an accessory building for St. Michael Catholic High School. The accessory building will include a concession stand, restrooms, and training facility on the school’s 79-acre campus located north of County Road 104 and west of St. Michael Way. The addition replaces a previously approved but relocated structure. The applicant confirmed that future development of new athletic fields will require additional Commission approval.

Fairhope City Council Meeting – November 10, 2025

Fairhope Moratorium Extended

In a move aimed at slowing rapid growth and preserving the city’s character, the Fairhope City Council voted to extend a 120-day moratorium on accepting applications for certain residential developments. The pause applies to multi-occupancy housing projects and new subdivisions, giving city officials time to rewrite zoning and subdivision regulations.

Council members said the extension is necessary to prevent developers from exploiting outdated codes while revisions are underway. The decision comes amid mounting concerns over traffic congestion, stormwater management, and strain on utilities as Fairhope continues to attract new residents.

City staff will begin drafting updates to zoning and subdivision codes, with plans for public hearings and stakeholder workshops in the coming weeks. Officials say the goal is to create clearer standards for density, green space, and drainage requirements before the moratorium expires. Existing applications already in the pipeline will continue under current rules.

Gulf Shores City Council Meeting – November 10, 2025

Zoning And Annexation Approved for County Road 6 Properties

The Gulf Shores City Council approved pre-zoning the property at County Road 6, located just north of the Plash Island bridge, to BN – Neighborhood Business. The tract lies adjacent to R-4 zoning to the south and R-1-4 across the roadway, and is currently unzoned. The request aligns with the Planning Commission’s January 2025 update to the Future Land Use Map, which designates the area as a commercial activity node. BN zoning limits hours, reduces intensity, and restricts multifamily uses. The approval includes a prohibition of multifamily residential on the site. Following the pre-zoning action, the council approved annexation of the same property into the City of Gulf Shores.

The council also approved the rezoning of five adjoining parcels along County Road 6 to BG (General Business). These parcels lie immediately south of the newly annexed BN-zoned. Several parcels are vacant; one contains a residential structure that is believed to be unoccupied.

BG zoning permits a wide range of commercial uses. The property lies within the Bon Secour/Plash Island Overlay District, where overlay rules apply if more restrictive. For example, while the overlay allows up to 15 stories, BG zoning caps mixed-use commercial buildings at 8 stories and standalone multifamily at 4 stories, which would govern any future development.

The applicant stated the immediate use of the two northern parcels is for restaurant parking expansion, with potential long-term interest in condominiums.  Any multifamily proposal would require a Conditional Use Permit and site plan review before both the Planning Commission and council.

Baldwin County Commission Meeting – November 18, 2025

Commercial Re-Zoning Request Denied

A request to rezone 1.97 acres on Milton Jones Road, west of Highway 181 in the Daphne area, from B-1 to B-3, was denied by the Baldwin County Commission. The applicant sought B-3 zoning to operate an HVAC company, which is permitted in B-3 but not in B-1. Staff reported that the parcel is surrounded largely by RSFE and that B-3 introduces significantly more intense commercial uses than currently allowed. Commissioners expressed concern about spot zoning and the impact of more intensive uses in a predominantly residential area.

Re-Zoning Approved for Future Boat Dealership

The County Commission approved the rezoning of 18 acres east of Greeno Road and north of County Road 3 in the Fairhope area.  The request will change the zoning from RA (Rural Agricultural) to RR (Rural District) to permit future commercial use of a boat dealership.  The property sits adjacent to both RA and BCZ zoning and near areas already developing with mixed residential and agricultural uses.  Staff reported the request was consistent with the Future Land Use Map and compatible with surrounding development patterns.

Gulf Shores Planning Commission Meeting – November 18, 2025

Action Deferred on Rental Sign Regulations

The Gulf Shores Planning Commission held a public hearing on a proposed zoning text amendment to overhaul vacation rental sign regulations. The proposal would eliminate freestanding roadside signs and limit signage to building-mounted identification. Rental managers and property owners strongly objected, citing safety concerns, difficulty locating units at night, and impacts on business visibility. Commissioners agreed further work was needed and voted to table the amendment, directing staff to schedule a work session to develop revised options.

Ocean Blue Cottage Subdivision Approved

The Gulf Shores Planning Commission approved the site plan for Ocean Blue Cottages, a seven-unit cottage subdivision on 0.55 acres at 1124 West Lagoon Avenue. All units will be 4-bed/4-bath homes with under-house parking, providing 42 total parking spaces, exceeding city requirements. The project includes a private drive, brick-paver pedestrian walk, and a shared pool amenity. Commissioners granted three standard cottage-development modifications, including a reduced landscape buffer and permission to place fencing on the property line. One 24-inch heritage sand live oak will be preserved; 10 protected trees will be removed due to site constraints.

Ocean Blue Cottages

Orange Beach City Council Meeting – November 18, 2025

Jones Duplexes Receive Modification Approval

The Orange Beach City Council granted final approval for the Jones Duplexes PUD modification, a major zoning amendment expanding the development footprint to 9.9 acres and allowing a total of 36 residential units.  There are 18 single-family homes and 9 beachfront duplexes on land located east of Turquoise Place and south of Highway 182. The modification rezones 7.9 acres from RS-1 to PUD for inclusion into the previously approved 2023 Jones Duplexes PUD, which had authorized only 7 units. Updated site plans show all buildings under 50 feet in height, 26% impervious coverage, 178 parking spaces, and a mix of 5-bedroom single-family homes, 4-bedroom duplex units, and one 6-bedroom easternmost duplex. The project will be condominium-form ownership rather than individually platted lots. The Planning Commission had issued an unfavorable recommendation, citing concerns about inadequate spacing between structures and internal traffic circulation. In response, the developer removed one beachfront duplex, widened internal drives, and increased separation distances between buildings to eliminate prior deviation requests.

Fairhope City Council Meeting – November 20, 2025

Hilltop North Annexation & Zoning Approved

The Fairhope City Council granted final adoption of an ordinance to zone 14 acres located at 6796 Twin Beach Road as R-1 Low-Density Single-Family Residential, concurrent with annexation into the city. The property, formerly zoned BCZ in Baldwin County, lies on the north side of Twin Beach Road and includes an existing cell tower on a separate out-parcel. The R-1 zoning carries minimum lot sizes of 15,000 square feet and 100-foot lot widths.

The developer provided a conceptual site plan, including tree survey work and delineated wetlands along the eastern portion of the property, the plan illustrated proposed street connections to Hilltop subdivision. Planning staff confirmed the cell tower is a legally non-conforming use that may remain but cannot be re-built if removed under current zoning.

Gulf Shores City Council Meeting – November 24, 2025

Appeal Granted for Removal of Heritage Live Oak

Council approved an appeal to remove a 31-inch heritage live oak at 1352 West Fairway Drive after city staff denied the original tree-removal permit. Under the existing ordinance, heritage trees may only be removed if physically located within the home’s footprint. The applicant demonstrated that the tree’s root system is uplifting walkways and wrapping around a structural front-porch column, creating ongoing and worsening hazards.

Although the tree is not technically inside the home’s footprint, council members noted that the supporting column is a structural component and interpreted the ordinance as allowing removal in this circumstance. Several council members also expressed interest in revisiting tree-protection rules to differentiate between new construction, where footprint shifts are feasible, and existing homes, where roots cause structural conflicts.