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Fairhope zoning rewrite draws residents to packed public hearing; council vows to protect homes
Summary
Hundreds of residents and property owners pressed the Fairhope City Council on Feb. 19 over proposed zoning changes that they say would make many long‑standing downtown homes “nonconforming.” Council adopted a resolution directing staff to draft amendments that preserve residential use rights while the zoning package is refined.
Fairhope — A proposed overhaul of Fairhope’s zoning code prompted hours of public comment on Feb. 19 as residents warned that changes intended to control density downtown would unintentionally strip property rights from homeowners in commercial districts.
Planning director Hunter outlined a broad package of amendments to Ordinance 12‑53 that would add site‑plan review for certain lodging and commercial uses, introduce maximum impervious‑surface guidance, and cap mixed‑use dwelling density in parts of the Central Business District. Among the changes, staff proposed a new metric for mixed‑use buildings — roughly 3,630 square feet of lot area per dwelling unit (about 12 units per acre) — and increased a proposed…
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