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Fairhope Board approves special exception for outdoor car sales at 9960 Fairhope Avenue
Summary
The Fairhope Board of Adjustment voted unanimously Oct. 20 to allow an outdoor car-sales lot at 9960 Fairhope Avenue, subject to six staff conditions including landscaping, stormwater confirmation and an administrative replat combining a remnant parcel with Lot 2 of the Tillman’s Corner subdivision.
The Fairhope Board of Adjustment on Oct. 20 approved a special exception to allow outdoor car sales at 9960 Fairhope Avenue, permitting an expansion of a neighboring used-car business onto the 0.5-acre former car-wash site owned by a third party.
Staff presented the request as BOA 25.10 and recommended approval with six conditions including coordination to bring the site into compliance with the City of Fairhope tree and landscape ordinance, confirmation from an engineer that the existing retention/detention pond can handle stormwater for the proposed improvements, labeling one northern parking space as a compact space, limiting vehicle display to 16 delineated on-site parking spaces, completing an administrative replat to combine the remnant triangular parcel with Lot 2 of Tillman’s Corner subdivision, and submission of a revised final site plan before any development permits or business license issuance or renewal.
The applicant, Jorge (Jorge) Torres, said he intends to expand his existing car-sales business next door and use the subject lot primarily to bring cars in, detail them and move them to the main sales lot rather than to host customer parking. "Basically, we're just adding on to the business, but with a separate address," Torres said. "One of the factors that I want to buy this property and expand is because there's been a lot of people living there... the current owner does not care, does not clean, does not do anything. So it's hurting my business." (Quote attributed to Jorge Torres, applicant.)
Staff described the site as roughly 0.5 acres within a B-2 district and said the proposed plan shows 16 on-site parking/display spaces, additional landscaping and a tree-credit table prepared by a landscape architect. The planning presentation noted that outdoor sales lots are allowed in B-2 only on appeal and are subject to special conditions. Staff also said the detention pond appears overgrown and that an engineer must confirm it can serve the proposed improvements.
Board members asked whether combining the two lots would permit re-division later; staff said it is possible but not typical and that current rules would require any new permits to reflect combined lots. The board voted to approve BOA 25.10 with the six staff conditions. A roll-call vote resulted in a unanimous approval.
The approval requires subsequent administrative steps — an administrative replat and revised site plans — before building permits or a business license for the subject lot can be issued or renewed.
