Updated: Council Expected To Enact Partial Development Freeze

Fairhope, Alabama

Update: After hearing objections from developers. the city council decided to delay the moratorium decision until after the next city government takes office on November 7th. They said they needed more notice to prepare for the freeze which may affect financing of new projects being planned or next-phases of older projects.






SUBDIVISION MORATORIUM PROPOSED

At tonight's meeting, the city council is expected to introduce and possibly enact a six month moratorium on applications for new residential subdivisions and multiple occupancy projects within the city's five mile police jurisdiction -- to allow time to review various regulations already on the books regarding growth issues such as traffic, drainage, utility service availability and environmental protection issues  -- as well as the city's comprehensive growth plan and zoning ordinance itself.


Ordinance – Relating to the subdivision regulations, declaring a moratorium on the filing of subdivision applications within the City limits and the five-mile planning jurisdiction for a period of six (6) months to address the following items: to evaluate public utility availability, address traffic issues, review and amend the City’s drainage regulations, review requirements to protect sensitive environmental areas, review of existing subdivision regulations and zoning ordinance, access management on major corridors and other traffic related concerns.

Moratorium Established. Except as hereafter set forth, a moratorium is imposed upon the acceptance and consideration of all Subdivision and Multiple Occupancy Project Applications by the City of Fairhope Planning Commission (the "Moratorium").



A moratorium had been proposed by several candidates during the recent election campaign and council member Brewer raised the issue again during the last council meeting to give time to "stop and take a breath" and "get control"  to upgrade regulations and add additional planning staff if necessary.

At that time it was not known if multifamily projects and subdivision applications already submitted could be included in the moratorium: city attorney Wynne was to study recent case law to determine that and come up with precise wording for the proposed moratorium ordinance.

Since that time, sources on the Planning Commission have told the Times such a moratorium would only apply to future applications, not those already in the pipeline like the controversial Fly Creek or Battles Road apartment projects.


(Monday's regularly scheduled council meeting was moved forward to today because of scheduling issues)




Brewer second from left



Comments

Anonymous said…
This will do nothing. Developers will go outside the limit, surround, then absorb Fairhope. Bet get your heads out of the sand folks. Growth and development is coming no matter what you do. Work with the developers and manage the development. Otherwise Fairhope will get swallowed up.
Anonymous said…
They need to force the freeloaders outside city limits to adopt zoning or annex in to the city ... or lose their fire protection.
Anonymous said…
When you tell others who have a different but intelligent idea than yours to get their head out of the sand you truly show your own IQ and character.
Anonymous said…
Brewer voted in favor of the huge Fly Creek apartment development despite tremendous number of citizens asking for a NO vote. Now Brewer suddenly wants a moratorium on development when her council seat is at risk in the run off election? Time for a change. Be sure to vote in the run off election.
Anonymous said…
Atorneys and judges are getting rich off of all the bogus lawsuits flying around here.
Anonymous said…
Surprise! Fairhope snobs are afraid that hordes of commoners will invade their little burg, all the while claiming they are concerned with "infrastructure". Nobody cared that 300 permits were approved last year. It's all about the multi family monsters where common working people might reside. Oh the horrors!
Anonymous said…
This moratorium is long overdue. The new city administration should have a committee in place to assess, revise, and implement the comprehensive growth plan on day one.
Anonymous said…
Who will pay for the uptown merchants to have their high prices if the City is not allowed to have growth outside its City Limits? Seems to me the uptown merchants, or some of them, want their own way on rules and regulations, and pretend they aren't meant for them; if you are past a certain square block the City comes down on you with old ordinances, etc. but seem to get around it for the ones right uptown. We actually need some nice, affordable homes and apartments for those who can not afford the rents that have gone very high for the wages paid for those with limited income.
Anonymous said…
It's definitely a good idea to leave this decision to the newly elected Council. After all, the outgoing council, with the exception of Jack Burrell, never turned down any new construction regardless of its impact upon our city's capabilities as far as utilities, infrastructure, etc. The only reason it was even presented appears to be Diana Brewer's last ditch effort to pretend that she cares at all out the city or its current citizens. She is a joke and everyone knows………please vote her out in the election on OCTOBER 4!!!! It is imperative that we get out and vote again to let this traitor know that we caught her throwing Fairhope 'under the bus' for her own personal profit.
Unknown said…
Letting city politics over rule private interest is often a mistake. A moritorium will slow the economy and cause large losses of jobs. The affected agencies will have to work harder to come up with solutions to their issues on a timely basis. Hugh mistake for FAIRHOPE to stop development. Philip Webb
Ronnie said…
Brewer made the right decision the smaller apartments are much better for Fly Creek than sprawling Rock Creek neighborhood. The bogus lawsuit is about to be thrown out.
Anonymous said…
These people are dishonest.
Anonymous said…
"When you tell others who have a different but intelligent idea than yours to get their head out of the sand you truly show your own IQ and character."

I used my IQ and character to obtain complete financial independence, build commercial and residential developments in Fairhope.....all the while right under everybody's nose.....while others depended on inept elected leaders.

Elected leaders tend to reflect their constituents. Fairhope is fertile for development and profitability. I'm going to take full advantage of its shortsightedness precipitated by inexperience and ignorance.

With respect to the individual demanding the removal of fire protection to those of us outside the city limits.....We never asked for city services outside the city. We do not want city services. The city council ordered city services to extend outside the city limits in an attempt to pressure those of use outside the city to bend to annexation and create contention.
Anonymous said…
I completely agree, these debates regarding city services outside of the city limits and property rights in the county needs to be settled once and for all. Here is the deal, get educated. Firstly, there is no debate. If your property is outside the city limits and it is un-zoned, you can do what you wish with your property. If you don't like this fact, contact your congressmen. Your elected officials infringed on county isolation by forcing city services outside the city limits. No one wants city services outside the city limits, yet no one is complaining to their elected officials. Listen up people, if you have issue with the law, contact your elected officials, stop attacking members of the community with your petty concerns.
Anonymous said…
Huge mistake to allow continued development in Fairhope when infrastructure is at max capacity. Greedy developers don't care and use BS arguments about all the jobs that will be lost if development is slowed....100% horse poop. Fairhope has prospered for more than 100 years because of its uniqueness and charm. Massive new developments commercial, apartments, strip mails, etc that overrun our infrastructure will absolutely destroy Fairhope but it will make greedy developers rich. The citizens have decided based on the last elections that it is time for change.