Commission approves parking‑lot plan for religious facility after neighbors press for stormwater controls and gated access

The City of Mobile Planning Commission approved a major modification to allow a parking lot on a separate parcel across East Drive to serve an existing religious facility, while adding a condition that the applicant work with city engineering on drainage and surface materials.

Brian Lee, a nearby resident, told the commission the traffic congestion tied to the religious facility had been an ongoing problem for about a decade and stressed stormwater and drainage concerns for the proposed parking lot site. “There is no provisions for a detention pond on the property. Why not? … We request that the parking lot be required to install a gate that will be locked when members are not present,” Lee said during public comment, also recommending permeable paving.

The applicant’s representative, Mohammed Shafiq, who identified himself as the presiding officer of the nonprofit’s management board, said the organization did not object to remaining conditions or to changing the zoning back to R1 if necessary. “We can definitely consider that [locking or gating the lot],” he said, and said the congregation would comply with engineering and drainage requirements and prefers to follow city codes rather than seek exceptions.

Planning staff explained that an off‑site parking facility is normally not allowed in R3 but the commission may treat the lot as an extension of the existing religious facility’s approved use; that ties the parking lot’s use to the religious facility and requires any future change to return for review. Commissioners added a specific condition directing the applicant to work with engineering to identify an acceptable surface — permeable pavement or an approved detention scheme — and to submit a revised site plan illustrating compliance before final approval. One commissioner noted: “If we use non‑permeable surface, then we will potentially not need detention. But we will have to do the study and if there is a need for a detention pond, we'll make space for it.”

The related motion to remove the earlier conditional restriction on the lot (rezone item to waive the prior condition) also passed; the planning approval will run with the land and bind the lot to the religious facility’s use unless the owner later seeks a separate change of use.

The commission’s decisions were subject to staff‑listed conditions, and final engineering review and any required detention or permeable surfacing will be determined during plan review and permitting.