Spanish Fort planning commission recommends B‑4 rezone for 11699 US Highway 31

The Spanish Fort Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the city council rezone 11699 US Highway 31 from R‑1 (low‑density single‑family) to B‑4 (commercial).

A staff member told the commission the applicant, Michael and Jennifer Lee, requested the rezone to use the recently annexed property for automotive service—"specifically bodywork, painting, powertrain," the staff member said—after noting surrounding parcels include a mix of residential and local industrial uses. The property is not shown on the city’s future land‑use map because it was outside city limits when that map was adopted.

Commissioners debated whether to back the applicant’s requested M‑1 light‑industrial classification or recommend a more restrictive commercial zoning. One member cautioned that rezoning further east could "infringe on established residential uses" and suggested B‑2 or B‑4 as transition classifications; another pointed to adjacent commercial and industrial operations, saying B‑4 matched nearby uses. Commissioners discussed the possibility of revisiting the table of permitted uses to better handle transition areas.

After discussion, a commissioner moved to recommend B‑4; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call. The roll call recorded the following members voting yes: Lemoine, Vaughn, Smith, Nelson, Lazenby and Bass.

The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Spanish Fort City Council for final action. No members of the public spoke during the commission’s public hearing on the rezoning application.