Local Government Update - September 2025
- Baldwin REALTORS
- Oct 2
- 6 min read
Orange Beach City Council Meeting – September 2, 2025
Re-Zoning Changes Approved for Margaritaville
The Orange Beach City Council approved the preliminary and final PUD for Margaritaville Resort to re-zone lot 3 from General Business to PUD. Lot 3 is a total of 6.6 acres, with 3.8 of those acres being wetlands. The re-zoning is intended to allow for a gated single-family residential subdivision with 12 lots in the Villas District. The average lot size will be 18,000 square feet, with an average lot width of 50 feet. The homes will be between three to six bedrooms and three to four stories in height. Rentals would be allowed.
Fairhope Planning Commission Meeting – September 4, 2025
Additional Commercial Use Planned for Rock Creek PUD
The Fairhope Planning Commission approved the site plan for the commercial part of the Rock Creek PUD. The 2.23 acre site is located on Rock Creek Parkway east of Hwy.98, toward the entrance to Rock Creek Subdivision. A 20,000 square foot building is proposed with one unit of 10,000 square feet on the second floor and three additional units on the bottom floor. The exterior will be brick with second floor balconies supported by columns. Due to the topography, some parking spaces will be underneath the building. A total of 91 parking spaces will be provided, with a pedestrian connection to Rock Creek Parkway. Due to traffic congestion concerns at the subdivision entrance, a traffic engineer will review the ingress and egress requirements.
Baldwin County Planning Commission Meeting – September 4, 2025
Magnolia Glen Subdivision Approved Amid Sewer Concerns
The Baldwin County Planning Commission narrowly approved the Magnolia Glen Subdivision after discussion about the sewer capacity tied to the Fort Maorgan Wastewater Treatment Plant. The development was tabled in June while seeking additional information on treatment permits. The property, located south of County Road 12 and west of Magnolia Springs Hwy., is zoned RSF-2. The Preliminary Plat approval will pave the way for 61 residential single family lots. One entrance will be on County Road 12 and a second entrance on County Road 49. The Preliminary Plat was approved with the condition that the Final Plat would not be approved until the sewer permits were secured.
Phases 3 and 4 Approved for Tealwood Estates
The Baldwin County Planning Commission approved Phases 3 and 4 of Tealwood Estate located on the north side of Underwood Rd., east of County Road 9 and Fish River, and west of County Road 49. Phase 3 will add 69 lots, while Phase 4 will add 79 lots. When fully built, the residential subdivision is expected to contain 590 lots in 7 Phases. A traffic study required turn lanes on Underwood Road at the subdivision entrances.
Orange Beach Planning Commission Meeting – September 8, 2025
Site Plan Approved for Lay Down Yard for New Bridge
The Orange Beach Planning Commission approved the site plan for the Intracoastal storage area. This will be used as a contractor laydown yard and outside storage area for the bridge construction work. The 3.3-acre property is located at 22321 Canal Rd. in the Industrial Zoning District. ALDOT has approved a driveway onto Canal Road at mile marker 24.7. The site will be enclosed with a solid wooden fence, landscaping, and gated entrance.
Baldwin County Commission Meeting – September 16, 2025
414-Acre Re-Zoning Request Withdrawn After Public Hearing
The Applicant chose to withdraw a request to re-zone 414 acres located west of Jimmy Faulkner Drive and north of Busby Road near Spanish Fort. The Baldwin County Commission held a public hearing on the request to re-zone the property from RA to R-3. The property is currently vacant and heavily impacted by wetlands, with no existing access to a public road. The applicant expressed a desire for a multi-sized residential neighborhood with varying housing sizes. After hearing complaints from the public, the applicant chose to withdraw the application for further study and may potentially re-submit as an application for R-2.
Gulf Shores City Council Meeting – September 22, 2025
Parking Changes in Waterway Village
The Gulf Shores City Council amended zoning rules within the Waterway Village Overlay District. The measure is designed to address ongoing concerns about parking access as the mixed-use neighborhood continues to grow. City staff emphasized that while the amendment does not immediately add new spaces, it provides greater flexibility for businesses and residents in a district that has become a hub for dining, shopping, and cultural events.
Key provisions include:
Expanded parking study radius: Developers may now count parking within a quarter mile (1,320 feet) of a project site, up from the previous 750 feet.
Professional parking studies: Future developments may be required to conduct demand studies performed by qualified professionals.
On-street parking allowances: Paved, code-compliant on-street parking within 200 feet of a project can now count toward required spaces.
Public parking credits: Developments may buy into a credit system, with funds earmarked for acquiring land, design, and construction of future public parking facilities.
Residential Rezoning Near Bon Secour Canal
The Gulf Shores City Council approved the rezoning of six parcels on the south end of Waterway Village, fronting the Bon Secour canal. The parcels were previously zoned R-2, which allowed duplexes, the properties will now be folded into the area’s Planned Unit Development (PUD) with a restriction to single-family homes only. The amendment, requested by the neighborhood homeowners’ association, ensures consistency with existing residential uses and limits density. While the lots may be subdivided once in the future, duplex construction will no longer be permitted.
Gulf Shores Planning Commission Meeting – September 23, 2025
Oyster Pointe PUD Gains Planning Commission Approval
The Gulf Shores Planning Commission voted to recommend approval of the Oyster Pointe Planned Unit Development (PUD), a 64-acre project on the south side of Waterway West Boulevard, approx. two miles west of Highway 59. The mixed-use proposal replaces a lapsed 2005 plan that had allowed six condominium towers, a marina, and 1,308 units with heights up to 20 stories.
Under the new plan, density would be reduced to 69 single-family cottage lots and one commercial restaurant parcel, with all buildings capped at three habitable stories. Approximately 47 acres, including 40 acres of wetlands, would be preserved as open space. Amenities include a clubhouse, pool, pickleball courts, and more than 1,000 feet of pedestrian boardwalk connecting the neighborhood to the restaurant site. There are 40 boat slips planned for the use by the residents and a transient boat dock for the restaurant. A phasing schedule calls for the residential subdivision first, followed by docks and boardwalks, and the restaurant in a later phase. The recommendation now advances to the Gulf Shores City Council, which will hold a public hearing and make the final decision on the PUD.
Daphne Planning Commission Meeting – September 25, 2025
Site Plan Approved for Daphne Building
The Daphne Planning Commission approved the site plan for the PTAC Companies office building. The 1.21-acre property is located on the southeast corner of Main Street and Van Ave. in the Olde Towne Daphne area. A 3-story building is planned with a restaurant on the first floor and corporate office space on the top two floors. Concerns over traffic congestion and parking were taken into consideration. Different peak times with the restaurant space versus the office space and a walkable location mitigated some concerns.
Approval Delayed Amid Debate on Sewer Type
The Master Plan Review and the Preliminary Plat for Phase I of Sabal at Fish River was tabled by the Daphne Planning Commission due in part to concerns over the type of sewer system in the development. The Sabal at Fish River Phase I is planned for 190 acres located northeast of the intersection of County Road 64 and Dixon Lane. There are 215 single family residential lots planned for Phase I, which is part of a larger 750-lot Planned Unit Development that was approved last summer. Developers requested the use of low pressure sewer that would require grinder pumps for each homeowner. A gravity sewer is preferred under city regulations which would place the upfront cost on the developer and less maintenance on future homeowners. The matter was Tabled to further investigate the sewer options.