Rose Garden Condo Proposal Put On Hold

Fairhope, Alabama

Update: County public records indicate this property is actually "owned" by the 'Fairhope Yardarm Restaurant' with appraised value of $244,000. (In reality, the Single Tax Corp. owns the land, others own the 99 year lease.)

PULLED FROM AGENDA

Proposals for variances that would have allowed construction of four condominiums at the base of the bluff east of the rose garden was pulled from last Monday's Board of Adjustments and Appeals agenda by request of the property owner Bob Pope -- to allow more time for city staff to determine if the board has such authority, or if it would need to go to the full Planning Commission and/or City Council instead.

Down by Bay Cafe'

The 'Down by at the Bay Cafe' is currently leasing the property from Pope which is zoned B3b, a tourist resort commercial service district.

Uses permitted now include: single and two-family dwellings, mixed-use, general/professional offices, grocery, general merchandise, hotel/motel, restaurant/bar.

Multiple family and additional uses may be permitted upon appeal; if approved, Pope intends to live in one of the units himself.

When asked if he would ever consider selling the property to the city instead, he replied he doubted if they (city) would pay his asking price: He said he was offered $1 million recently.

Pope was the owner/operator of the old 'Yardarm' restaurant on the main pier for many years.

Current Board of Adjustment members are:

John Avent
E. Richard Schneider
Cathy Slagle
Troy Strunk
Anil Vira
Christina Stankoski (1st Alternate)
Harry Kohler (2nd Alternate)

Anil Vira is chairman.

Bob Pope

Height an issue

Planning Director Dyess addressing the Board

aerial view

Comments

Anonymous said…

Huh? Aint' worth anywhere near a million bucks!

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Maybe it is time for the ole' eminent domain treatment?

Don and Robbie Hughes said…

SPEaking of an incompatible developement, this proposal takes first prize. It is certainly not in the public interest The public needs to be heavily involved. If planning and zoning cannot do something about it, the city should acquire it at a fair price. Hopefully, this can be accomplished without implementing their "Power of Imminent Domain". Don Hughes

Why is everything so big and ugly these days?

The condo building looks alarmingly like a prison.

That property MAY be worth $500,000 as a restaurant site, but I would love to meet the fool that offered $1 million for property on PoopBay!!!! Hilarious! That entire area smells horrible and there are homeless people living in their cars there! Our City Council at work!!

The yardarm restaurant was horrible. Typical Fairhope, mediocracy being sold at an outrageous price. The city council needs to turns his ugly condo proposal into a pipe dream…like his alleged offer of a million dollars. Keep Fairhope, Fairhope!

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Unknown said…

Sign and share my petition if you love our little town of Fairhope!
https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fairhope-condominium

Maybe single tax would purchase the land for the city

What a nutty idea!

That property is not worth more than $300,000 tops. No way that there will be any condos there. The property owner could continue with the current zoning and make a nice living; whoever told him it was worth a million must be one of the homeless guys living in his car on the circle! Best thing owner could do is renovate so the the current building is not an eyesore and try to compete with Shux (which pays pretty much no rent and that will tell you what this property is worth).......The BBB Sewage Bayfront property will be worth less daily, so let's keep the Council kicking this can down the road!

Maybe single tax will but the property and give it to the city

Remember the uproar over the triangle as you come into Fairhope? This is the beach. I don't think Fairhope council or building and planning department should even consider allowing him to build a monstrous condo there. I'm sure he would later hold city responsible if a big rain came along and washed the bluff on top of his building. We had a rain like that before and it wasn't even a hurricane.

Friday, August 25, 2017

The aging owner is just trying to create controversy so the public pressures the City of Fairhope to purchase his property. The proposed development will either be out rightly rejected or delayed forever by the legal process. Either way it is never going to happen.

I think the city should buy this property and develop some type of public venue area that can be utilized for civic events. Like the space 301 concept in Mobile. That would be a better use than condo buildings.

Saturday, August 26, 2017

The City can't afford to buy this property. Our previous Mayors and City Councils have stabbed the taxpayers in the back at every opportunity. This guy can sell his property to someone for the exact same use it has now. He cannot build a monster condo project there and he just needs to get over it. Our Council is so incredibly stupid and capricious with the taxpayers' money.

So true.....our Fairhope City Council apparently actively enourages people to sue the city and assures them that they (the Council) will make sure that the claims are paid. I think that better days are coming next month!

Sunday, August 27, 2017

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Rose Garden Condo Proposal Put On Hold

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