Vice Chairman Adam Metcalf presided over the July 7 meeting of the Board of Adjustment of the City of Mobile, where the board voted to extend a previously granted parking-variance approval for a proposed affordable housing development at 5201 Gerby Road.

The applicant, Robert play Buckley, told the board he had obtained plan submissions from his architect and engineers but had not received building permits back from the city by the June 2 deadline. “Please help me get my project. I'm moving forward,” Buckley said, adding the development would house extremely low‑income and senior homeless veterans and that many tenants would not have vehicles.

The request was for an extension so the project could retain the variance that allowed fewer parking spaces than the code would otherwise require. Metcalf reminded the public that a quorum of five was present and that an affirmative vote of all five members was required to approve applications during the meeting.

After brief discussion, a board member moved to approve a six‑month extension; a second was given and the motion carried with the board voting in favor. The board did not record individual roll‑call votes on the record beyond the affirmative vote and the chair’s announcement that the motion was approved.

The extension preserves the variance while Buckley pursues city permits; he said he anticipated receiving permits within a month or two but asked for the longer period to avoid returning to the board if schedules slipped.

The board noted that applicants may request additional extensions in future meetings if necessary and that decisions of the board are appealable to the circuit court.