In recent months the cities of Fairhope and Orange Beach have placed temporary moratoriums on construction expansion in their communities. Now the fastest growing city in Baldwin County has joined the list of city councils who wish to review their infrastructure and possibly slow the pace of future growth.

The Foley City Council has decided to temporarily stop certain kinds of residential development. This pause gives the city time to update important rules that guide how Foley grows. City leaders want to make sure future building projects match the town’s vision.

The decision was made to help protect Foley’s small-town feel while improving how new neighborhoods are designed and built. The temporary hold was approved in early May 2025.

The ordinance puts a pause on new residential subdivisions, apartment complexes, RV parks, mobile home parks, and any rezoning that would add more housing. While the pause is in effect, the city will work on improving zoning laws, subdivision rules, and land-use policies.

These updates will be closely coordinated with ongoing long-range planning efforts, including the update of the city’s Comprehensive Plan, to ensure a consistent and proactive approach to managing Foley’s future growth.

This effort directly supports the City’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, which outlines five strategic priorities. The first—Livable Community—states:

"We will manage and keep pace with our growth with well thought out plans and a regulatory framework that is fair, predictable, sustainable, and consistently applied to create and maintain a high-quality built environment.”

The plan’s implementation framework includes initiatives to review and modernize land development regulations. This temporary measure allows the city to carry out those efforts responsibly—ensuring that future growth occurs in appropriate locations and meets high standards.

“We recognize that Foley’s success and attractiveness as a place to live have brought substantial residential development, but this growth must be balanced with our ability to protect the character of our community,” said Mayor Ralph Hellmich. “This ordinance is a necessary step to give us time to update our plans and policies in a thoughtful, strategic way.”

The pause will remain in effect through Oct. 1, 2025, for new subdivisions and RV/mobile home park applications, and through Jan. 1, 2026, for more complex rezonings of residential and mixed-use projects.

This action reflects Foley’s commitment to preserving its unique identity while planning responsibly for high-quality, well-integrated development in the years ahead.