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Commission approves Murphy convenience store site plan after debate over tree credits
Summary
The Fairhope Planning & Zoning Commission approved the Murphy convenience store and fuel station site plan (SR2604) with staff conditions after commissioners and the landscape architect disputed whether existing crepe myrtles may count toward required overstory trees and requested adjustments to avoid setting a precedent.
The Fairhope Planning & Zoning Commission on July 6 approved the site plan for a Murphy convenience store and fueling station (SR2604) at the northwest corner of State Highway 181 and 104, approving staff conditions and asking the developer to adjust tree plantings to meet overstory requirements.
Planning staff (S6) presented the 1.18-acre Planters Point site-plan application for a 2,800-square-foot convenience store with eight fuel islands (16 fueling positions). Staff said parking, drainage (by tying into existing on-site systems and using a detention pond) and traffic generation met the city’s review criteria; the plan also requested counting nine existing crepe myrtles as understory credit in place of required overstory perimeter trees after consultation with the city horticulturist.
Wesley Miller (S12), representing Grama Engineering for the applicant, said the project had board-of-adjustment approval and had addressed development-review comments. Joe Comer (S13), the project’s landscape architect, said the plan primarily used overstory trees for frontage and perimeter plantings and relied on existing understory crepe myrtles partly credited to the MOP (master open-plan) approval; he said the design also includes overstory plantings such as magnolias and oaks.
Several commissioners voiced concern that substituting nonnative crepe myrtles for required overstory trees could set a precedent and reduce future canopy. Commissioner (S3) said she did not want understory species to substitute for overstory trees and requested that the plan meet the required number of overstory trees on-site. Commissioner (S1) suggested mixing in a few longleaf pines or live oaks to ensure future canopy. The landscape architect said the team could replace the understory credits with overstory plantings if that was the commission’s preference.
After discussion, a commissioner moved to approve SR2604 subject to staff recommendations and the commission’s direction on the landscaping plan; the motion passed unanimously.
The commission asked staff and the applicant to coordinate on final tree species and placement to avoid overcrowding on-site and to preserve mature trees where possible.
