New construction is booming in order to meet the demands of the more than 230,000 residents that now call Baldwin County home. Each month Baldwin REALTORS® creates a report from local government meetings to highlight what new developments are in the works in Baldwin County. Below is a brief list of the plans addressed in July 2022. 

Fairhope

• The Fairhope City Council approved a request to zone and annex a 36-acre property located on the east side of Highway 181, across from The Waters Subdivision and south of the proposed Harvest Green Subdivision. Plans for the property include a 252-unit apartment complex.
• The Fairhope City Council granted site plan approval for eight townhomes and four mixed-use buildings to be developed at 309 S. Ingleside. The 1.6-acre property is located at the northeast corner of S. Ingleside and Nichols Avenue within the Medical Overlay District. 
• Lone Oak Farms' preliminary plat was approved by the Planning Commission after being tabled last month over questions of the sufficiency of the stormwater discharge and drainage infrastructure arose. A third party review acknowledged that the developer's proposal was in compliance with the city codes and ordinances.   The 57.5-acre residential subdivision is located near the northeast corner of Pierce Road and County Road 32.   

Gulf Shores

• The Gulf Shores Planning Commission approved the final plat for Sunset Point, allowing the subdivision of 1.26 acres to be divided into four separate lots.  The property is located at the end of Sunrise Drive where the existing road dead ends.  
• The Gulf Shores Planning Commission approved the site plan for Advance Auto Parts. The business will be located on lot 5 of the Colonial Properties Commercial Park along the Highway 59 corridor.
• The City of Gulf Shores is considering amendments to the zoning districts for townhomes and multi-family projects. Proposed amendments for multi-family and townhome developments include requiring a range of functional open space and recreational areas, providing a range of housing types, prohibiting vinyl siding, requiring sidewalks to connect from residential units to public sidewalks, a minimum 18" building elevation from grade, garage requirement for townhomes, added architectural regulations, and an impact study with mitigation plan to address traffic and public utilities. The Planning Commission voted to send a favorable recommendation to the city council for the zoning amendments. 

Orange Beach

• The Orange Beach City Council approved a minor amendment to the CoastAL PUD Master Plan to establish signage for freestanding signs along Perdido Beach Boulevard.  The approved plan will allow three free-standing signs along Perdido Beach Boulevard for the beachfront development which is currently under construction at 25722 Perdido Beach Blvd.  
• The Orange Beach Planning Commission granted approved a recommendation to the city council for a major PUD modification to allow the construction of the Cobblestone Hotel at The Wharf. A 4-story, 63-room hotel is planned with a pool on the east side. The addition of Wissota Chophouse restaurant will be on the west.

Foley

• The Foley Planning Commission approved a request for Magnolia Springs Station Phase 2.  The plan consists of 18.04 acres divided into 6 lots located between Grantham Road and Poser Road and south of County Road. 26. 
• The Foley Planning Commission approved the site plan for J1 worker housing. J1 worker status allows international college students to work in the United States through temporary work opportunities. Plans are underway to construct housing for the student workers. The proposed property is located east of Juniper Street and south of Stabler Way in Foley. There are eight buildings planned in phases 1 and 2.  A total of 306 student workers could be housed in each building. 

County

• The Baldwin County Planning Commission approved the site plan for a new Circle K convenience store at the northeast intersection of County Road 64 and Hwy. 181. 
• The Baldwin County Commission approved a re-zoning request for 54 acres located in the Belforest area, east of Highway 181 and near Rebel Road.  Truland Homes is proposing a 104-lot residential subdivision like the Waterford Subdivision to the south. The current zoning of the property is a combination of RSF-2 and RSF-E and the requested change will be RSF-3 zoning.  

For details, visit BR's full report here.