Fairhope, Alabama thefairhopetimes.blogspot.com
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| Proposed Hwy 104 site. |
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| Colony Village. |
SMART GROWTH OR MORE SPRAWL?
Local landscape architect Christian Preus informally presented a preliminary concept to the planning commission on behalf of project developers for 'Colony Village', a potential new planned unit development on Highway 104 east of 181 -- based upon new urbanism/smart growth principles emphasizing a mixture of housing types with more community/green space -- versus traditional generic "suburban sprawl" type development that has become common here in recent years.
(The property is owned by the FSTC and Bertolla Properties Llc. of Daphne; Core Development and Construction Llc. is the developer.)
Preus said he got involved to help change undesirable development patterns here in "one of the fastest growing" counties in the country and to "make them better, more than just subdivisions ... make them places."
Creating true neighborhoods with housing varieties, preserving the existing site with low impact development techniques, larger public spaces and green infrastructure were mentioned -- per the neighborhood village center concept in Fairhope's Comprehensive Growth plan.
More affordable town homes and cottages, as well as traditional larger manor and estate lots are being considered -- with a commercial component possible too, he said.
Planning commissioners questioned things like utility placements, connectivity of roads (with adjacent ones), and the proposed high density.
NEIGHBORS SKEPTICAL
Residents of the traditional 'Verandas' neighborhood directly across Hwy 104 had met with the developer already but were still skeptical objecting on the usual grounds: density, increased traffic and storm water runoff, desire to keep it rural, degraded quality of life, etc.
Anderson Reed, a realtor for the project who said he had been working on it for 18 months cited the numerous shortcomings in their own neighborhood, like no sidewalks, lack of green space and other amenities for residents there as evidence for a needed change of approach to development.
"If you don't do it here, in one of the village nodes (identified in the city's comp plan), where then? Mixed-use versus all suburban (sprawl)? Where people can go who can't afford $800K lots like in Verandas? Affordable varieties of housing to choose from."
NEXT STEPS
Planning director Simmons said the staff would review a formal PUD application when received and then make its recommendations to the planning commission during another upcoming public meeting.
PUDs also have to be approved by the city council.
Since the property is outside of city limits, it would need to be annexed by the council as well.
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| Verandas Estates neighborhood. |
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