The Gulf Shores City Council is one step closer to voting on the city's development moratorium. During a council work session Lee Jones, Assistant City Administrator and Community Development Director, provided a comprehensive plan of the moratorium and suspension of development applications.

Lee Jones explained that the comprehensive plan is a long-term policy document with a 20-year planning horizon. There is a suggested moratorium on development during the comprehensive plan process. Developing a comprehensive plan is estimated to be a 12 month long process.

The comprehensive plan will include a public engagement plan, a citywide market study, and an existing conditions and community profile, and will contain six core plan elements, including land use, housing, and urban design.

While the comprehensive plan process is underway, Jones suggest a suspension of "certain" development applications. These would include rezonings, upzonings, new planned unit development applications, and conditional use permits for multifamily dwellings and townhouse uses, to ensure that new developments align with the community's long-term vision and goals.

He stated the public engagement part of the plan will provide multiple opportunities for residents to bring forth input on the city's vision for the next 20 years. Mr. Jones added that this feedback could prevent hasty decisions that could lead to negative outcomes, while also ensuring that the city makes the most of its existing developable land.

Development Permit Suspension Details:

A pause is being proposed on certain applications that allow multifamily intensities, as well as major subdivisions not located within PUDs with an adopted master plan, due to infrastructure-related issues and concerns with zoning districts, with the goal of revisiting these applications after the completion of the comprehensive plan. The proposed pause would last for 12 months, with the option for two six-month extensions, allowing for a total of 18 months to complete the comprehensive plan and address issues with single-family development.

This is not the first time a suspension on applications has been implemented. A six-month suspension was previously placed on multifamily and townhouse design standards in 2022. Other cities such as Fairhope, Orange Beach, and Foley have also issued moratoriums during their comprehensive planning processes.

Jones said that the staff's recommendation is to approve the resolution to place a suspension on certain applications for a 12-month period, with the option for extensions, and to use this time to update the comprehensive plan and address issues with land use and development.

No questions or comments were made by the audience in attendance.

The Gulf Shores City Council will vote on the item if placed on the official agenda of the next meeting.