Orange Beach council approves AC Hotel PUD after public hearing, council questions on parking and rooftop bar

The Orange Beach City Council voted unanimously on Dec. 16 to adopt an amendment to Ordinance No. 172 allowing a planned unit development for an AC Hotel on the former Romar Beach Baptist Church site.

City staff presented the project during a public hearing, describing a 1.8-acre redevelopment that would convert the church building and construct additions to create a six-story, 100-room hotel. "They're seeking to convert the, old church building into a hotel," city staff member Betty Griffin said during the presentation, noting the site had received prior approvals in 2021 and 2023 and that the hotel would include an on-site rooftop bar for hotel guests only.

Griffin detailed the site's layout and parking plans, saying the project proposes 129 parking spaces total — 112 on-site and 17 off-site — where the zoning code would nominally require far more. She told the council the off-site lot is located west of Adventure Island and that "all guests will be issued 1 parking pass and space for on-site," with shuttle service planned between the off-site lot and the hotel.

The proposal requests a deviation from Section 8.0102(a), which ordinarily limits off-site parking to within 200 feet of the principal use. Griffin said the applicant is asking the council to approve the deviation for the roughly 1.1-mile distance between the hotel and the off-site lot.

Council members questioned demolition of the existing parking deck and whether the rooftop bar would operate as a music venue. "No music venue will be allowed upstairs in that bar," Council member Harrelson said, and Griffin confirmed the rooftop space "will be just for the guests" and "not open to the general public." Council members also noted the removal of the previously proposed mechanical (lift) parking system and said that change resolved a prior objection from the Planning Commission and some council members.

A Facebook commenter raised concerns about what would happen if the off-site lot filled. The council and staff replied that guests are expected to bring only one vehicle per unit and that the city has other parking options; they noted enforcement and towing are possible if vehicles are parked improperly.

Griffin also described density calculations and code compliance. She explained that because proposed lodging rooms are under 600 square feet, the city's unit-count conversion treats two rooms as one residential unit; under that method the proposal equates to 50 units at about 27.3 units per acre.

Planning staff said the Planning Commission forwarded the application with a favorable recommendation, 7–2, in November. After closing the public hearing, Council member Stewart moved for unanimous consent to suspend the rules for immediate consideration; the motion was seconded and the council adopted the ordinance on first reading by roll-call vote, with all present voting yes.

The council recorded no conditions that would open the rooftop to the public and required that any off-site parking, shuttle and site-plan details obtain the necessary site-plan approvals and any required ALDOT concurrence for driveway improvements. The ordinance was adopted on first reading; further procedural steps remain according to the city's code.

Next steps: staff said the off-site parking site must obtain planning/site review approval before permits are requested.