[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6371200,"mediaKeyId","2150110-8d4ecc84e458dd17a23ecc2b51dbb576","parentId",2150110,"title","Fairhope Board of Adjustments approves church expansion, indoor car dealership, chiropractic office and Sweetwater restaurant; two items tabled","audioSeconds",3405,"startMs",158000,"endMs",3563000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2150110-8d4ecc84e458dd17a23ecc2b51dbb576&start=158&end=3563","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2150110-8d4ecc84e458dd17a23ecc2b51dbb576/thumbnail_158000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6371200/Fairhope-City/Baldwin-County/Alabama/Fairhope-Board-of-Adjustments-approves-church-expansion-indoor-car-dealership-chiropractic-office-and-Sweetwater-restaurant-two-items-tabled","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6371200-8a4fdc7d158ef8ec201a137ece141366/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164302&Signature=D-scyJOhvmIGu-Q8pAJ52-4hgH9-jdsU~ZlXVf4kSJlPLiQ1wTW1NlrdmX2RSV1Ddip9gerOQLlWTdWR2aE5jNy8lW21eBwZu1sKGNyCGdewYLL-XC~ExOcVBXeTpn3YMJFdZ8yLzxlIHOSeqFF0IEGo9ElDcjufwHOYriPO9rUuBxhiQhuTkQqyoW5Q1Qkvw6LnsEhP--kGR6LvcvEIHFbVpQtviJGQTse98Sw79zkGgidJuYy9Ukm3UxIOBn2VwAfs4GNhnrxmEImrSj8cH9Bm4wux2vHrgMd3ERTZsSFRkxHrAOTrcvWANmVvrrziO6RBKEQaeM7mZtyEtEeHQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fairhope City, AL","date","2025-01-24T19:10:04Z","article","The Fairhope Board of Adjustments approved several land‑use requests at its recent meeting and tabled two items for further work with city staff.

Most significant approvals included an expansion for St. James Episcopal Church, permission for an indoor high‑end car dealership at 365 Commercial Park Drive, a professional medical office use for Sweet Home Chiropractic, and conditional approval for a restaurant at the Preserve at Sweetwater. In two cases the board agreed to wait for revised materials: a front‑setback variance application for 50 Fells Avenue was tabled at the owner’s request, and a proposal from Culver’s for dedicated in‑car dining parking spaces was tabled after lengthy discussion (see separate article).

St. James Episcopal Church — 860 North Section Street: Planning staff recommended approval to allow the church to expand on its roughly 9.6‑acre R4 parcel, including a new entrance from North Section Street, reconfigured parking, new sidewalks and a phased plan that includes a multipurpose building in phase 3. Michelle Melton, a city planner who presented the case, told the board that “staff does recommend approval of this case to allow St. James Episcopal Church to expand within its site.” Board members moved, seconded and approved the use on appeal by roll call.

Alabama Luxury Exotics — 365 Commercial Park Drive: The board approved a request to allow an indoor exotic car dealership in an M‑1 light industrial district. Staff reviewed the proposed use under the zoning criteria and recommended approval. Applicant Jack Malding told the board the business will be strictly indoor sales of high‑end vehicles and said the plan calls for “between 10 to 18 cars” displayed inside. Neighbors who spoke at the hearing said they had no objection; the board voted to approve the use not provided for.

Sweet Home Chiropractic — 68 North Bancroft: The board granted a use‑on‑appeal for a professional medical office in a multi‑tenant B‑2 building. Staff noted the city’s recent code‑enforcement outreach found that some long‑operating tenants lacked current business licenses; the proposed chiropractic office is located in the southern portion of the building and staff recommended approval. Applicant Tim Hogan said he had been unaware a city business license was required and said he had been working to come into compliance.

Preserve at Sweetwater restaurant — Sweetwater Circle (approx. 2.06 acres): The board approved a restaurant use in a B‑1 local shopping district with conditions. The property was annexed into the city under Ordinance 1299 (2006) and the applicant seeks to replat four previously created lots into one buildable parcel. The Planning Commission recommended rezoning the parcels to B‑1; staff and the applicant proposed conditions including that the site be used for restaurant only, that hours be limited to dinner service (Wednesday through Sunday, 5–10 p.m.), and that parking, wetlands and buffers be addressed in the final site plan. Dewberry and project civil/environmental consultant Kathy Barnett described a preliminary plan showing wetland protections and a 30‑foot buffer; the board approved the appeal with staff conditions, noting final engineering and building permits remain required and the zoning change must proceed through city council.

Tabled items: The owner of 50 Fells Avenue asked to postpone review of a variance for a 15‑foot front setback and other variances until the board’s February meeting; the board granted that request. The Culver’s in‑car dining application (see separate article) was tabled at the applicant’s request so staff and the developer can provide a full engineered site plan that responds to parking maximums, landscape and drainage requirements.

Votes at a glance
- BOA 24.11 (Jason LaSource) — request to table variance for accessory structure at 50 Fells Avenue — outcome: tabled at applicant’s request.
- BOA (St. James Episcopal Church, use on appeal) — location: 860 North Section Street — outcome: approved (staff recommended approval).
- BOA 25.01 (Alabama Luxury Exotics) — indoor car dealership at 365 Commercial Park Drive — outcome: approved (staff recommended approval; indoor sales only; no outdoor display or repair permitted).
- BOA 25.02 (Culver’s in‑car dining) — in‑car dining spaces at corner of Highways 181 and 104 — outcome: tabled (applicant requested time to work with staff).
- BOA 25.03 (Sweet Home Chiropractic) — professional medical office at 68 North Bancroft — outcome: approved (staff recommended approval).
- BOA 25.04 (Preserve at Sweetwater restaurant) — restaurant in B‑1 zoning; approx. 234 seats proposed including outdoor benches; limited hours and conditional on replat and city council zoning action — outcome: approved with staff conditions.

What happens next: Approved items will proceed to building permit review and other required steps (engineering, landscaping, tree permits, utilities). The two tabled matters will return when applicants submit revised plans or request a new hearing date.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Fairhope Board of Adjustments January 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Fairhope Board of Adjustments approved several land‑use requests — including a church expansion, an indoor exotic car dealership and a neighborhood restaurant — and tabled two items for further work with city staff.","taxTitle","Fairhope City, Baldwin County, Alabama","taxId",51162,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6371201,"Fairhope board tables Culver’s ‘in‑car dining’ plan after parking, zoning concerns",3052,1648000,4700000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2150110-8d4ecc84e458dd17a23ecc2b51dbb576&start=1648&end=4700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2150110-8d4ecc84e458dd17a23ecc2b51dbb576/thumbnail_1648000.jpg","/articles/6371201/Fairhope-City/Baldwin-County/Alabama/Fairhope-board-tables-Culvers-incar-dining-plan-after-parking-zoning-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6371201-5e68c52c4304f6aba87a5fe73444f020/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164302&Signature=aVh3VQ4bSoa7ooNaHxco7ZMaofe4lPpFSEZKtFVxERBeIJTBp6HzFCkE73tuYD~hBdvWEKLRhOqEhYdwjBbweKB4klF8KKYy-ieP0EJQ~~oVtbTDejix2GpMuX323qNhuOBfoUdpPv~iaoF6eRkggOC~xLWh8KDu8Nj4P9GkTqSx7RSjrwI-Cf6vQjxJoTZ7nCT3YMRHFxgvxrl9rzYg-kiQwaW1GQyLQKd~BVkNflC~uyn1NpVP56qMWoG8CpDqoA~y~-YvO0ruuwGBVbbo1B5HLpn5CYi6udjBmrda6cVmVquPD8gE9I7uwHUDE87El5sG3RVZRbkdtIt6Gq3vmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Fairhope Board of Adjustments on a unanimous voice vote tabled a request from Culver’s franchisees and their engineer to allow a set of dedicated “in‑car dining” parking spaces at a proposed restaurant site at the northwest corner of Highways 181 and 104.

Board members and staff said the concept — parking stalls used as an extension of the restaurant’s dining room where patrons order via smartphone and are served at their car — is not accounted for in the city’s zoning rules and raised questions about parking maximums, landscaping and drainage that the application had not resolved.

Mike Jeffries, a City of Fairhope planning staff member, told the board that the proposal is “a use not provided for” under the zoning ordinance and that staff’s recommendation was denial for the in‑car dining use. He said the city’s parking rules include both minimums and a 20% cap above the minimum, and staff had concerns the proposal was effectively seeking additional parking beyond the allowed maximum.

Representatives for the applicant, including David DeChera of Cadre Engineering and franchisee Matt Kuhn, said the in‑car dining stalls are an alternative point of sale intended to improve service in a site that would otherwise be short on parking. Kuhn said the restaurant’s main revenue stream is the drive‑through: “Drive through is our main revenue stream,” he said, adding that many customers now prefer pickup and curbside service. Owner/operator Curtis Herbig said Culver’s began with an in‑car dining model and that the feature is intended to be an additional service point, not a way to evade parking limits: “Culver’s originally started with just in car dining. That’s how Culver’s originated in 1984,” he said.

Board members probed how the stalls would be enforced, how employees would serve cars safely, and whether allowing the use for one site would set a precedent. Staff said a zoning amendment or a fully specified site plan would be a better route to create a city‑wide allowance; absent that, the board would need a very specific, fully engineered site plan to evaluate impacts such as landscape islands, drainage and wetland buffers.

At the applicant’s request, a board member moved to table the item without setting a return date so Culver’s and staff could revise the submission and address outstanding engineering and landscaping concerns. Another board member seconded, and the motion carried with the ayes recorded by roll call.

Next steps: the applicant will work with city staff on a more detailed site plan, including landscape, drainage and parking calculations. The item will return to the board when the applicant and staff agree more information is ready for review.","The Fairhope Board of Adjustments on a unanimous voice vote tabled a request from Culver’s franchisees and their engineer to allow a set of dedicated “in‑car dining” parking spaces at the northwest corner of Highways 181 and 104.","actionData","errors"]

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Fairhope Board of Adjustments approves church expansion, indoor car dealership, chiropractic office and Sweetwater restaurant; two items tabled

Fairhope board tables Culver’s ‘in‑car dining’ plan after parking, zoning concerns