Numerous medical facility upgrades have happened in southern Baldwin County during the past few years. Now an expansion for a new medical park has been given the green light. The Foley City Council has approved plans for a new medical park in the city’s Medical Overlay District, taking another step to expand healthcare access for Foley and surrounding areas. The council voted to rezone a 9-acre property as a planned unit development, clearing the way for the establishment of additional medical offices and services. This development follows the recent opening of Baldwin Health's new five-story hospital wing, which increased the facility’s capacity to 142 beds, signaling Foley’s strategic commitment to bolster healthcare infrastructure and meet the region’s growing medical needs.

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The opening of the new five-story wing of the Baldwin Health hospital in October is also helping to bring more medical services to the area. The wing will increase the hospital’s capacity to 142 beds.

“This is the second medical park development that's going to be moving forward,” Hellmich said. “Now that the new hospital has opened up, we're getting quite a lot of interest in these types of developments in this overlay district. This is working out as we intended.”

The site is located east of Alabama 59 and south of East Peachtree Avenue.

Wayne Dyess, executive director of infrastructure and development, said developers met with area residents to go over plans and hear concerns before preparing the final draft of the plan. He said the development will include wooded buffer areas between the site and surrounding property.

Dyess said Foley’s elected leadership is committed to expanding healthcare for the city and the region.

“The recent approval marks the second major project moving forward in the district, highlighting the city’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure,” Dyess said. “The Medical Overlay District provides additional benefits over existing zoning, enabling expanded medical uses while reflecting the City’s strategic vision for medical growth.”

The Medical Overlay District and development projects are backed by investments from the city, South Baldwin Healthcare Authority, Baldwin Health and private medical developers. The district and its associated developments are actively responding to Foley’s and the region’s growing need for expanded and specialized medical services.

The Foley City Council established the Medical Overlay District in 2023. The district is intended to encourage the development of medical services in the area near Baldwin Health in north Foley.

In February 2024, the Foley Planning Commission approved the first medical park in the district, a 12-acre site on Fern Avenue. 

Uses intended for the Medical Overlay District include hospitals, medical clinics, pharmaceutical businesses, medical technology research and related uses. Other related uses may be located within the hospital or clinic buildings or as independent uses within the overlay district area.