Gulf Shores City Council to Hear Appeal of Regency Place Apartments Site Plan Approval

GULF SHORES, Ala. — The Gulf Shores City Council will hear a resident’s appeal of the Planning Commission’s approval of the proposed Regency Place Apartments site plan at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29, in the City Council Chambers.

Planning Commission Vote

The Planning Commission voted 6-3 on Oct. 3 to approve the site plan for the high-density apartment complex. The complex would be built in a residential area of Gulf Shores otherwise made up of single-family homes and owner-occupied condominiums and townhomes. More than 750 people have signed a petition opposing the development.

Opponents have also raised concerns about property values. Citing U.S. Census Bureau data, they say property values decrease by 13.8 percent when apartments are built nearby, and they say two nearby condominium complexes alone would lose more than $5 million in owner value.

The Appeal

Regency Road resident Pete Sims filed the appeal in an Oct. 22 letter to Mayor Robert Craft, asking the mayor and council to rescind the Planning Commission’s action.

“We are pleased this matter is going before the City Council. This is something we have been asking for all along,” Sims said. “We feel a large high density apartment complex that increases the population of Gulf Shores by almost 10% should be looked at closely by our elected officials and not placed solely in the hands of a Planning Commission which is made up of volunteers who are unelected and unaccountable. We look forward to making our case directly to the Mayor and City Council and let them know why we feel the Planning Commission got it wrong.”

The appeal argues that a majority of Planning Commission members overlooked three site plan recommendations made by city staff, some involving public safety concerns identified by consultants hired by the city. It also argues that the project is inconsistent with the character of the surrounding district.

Density Figures

According to the appeal, the proposed development would have 20.6 dwelling units per acre, compared with an average of 8.1 units per acre in adjoining developments, and would increase the number of rental units in the area from 48 to 254.

The appeal also cites September 2016 findings by Planning Director Andy Bauer stating that the city’s Land Use Plan, adopted in 2008 and re-adopted in 2014, designates the property’s future land use as Medium Density Residential, at 6 to 10 units per acre.

Opponents have said they are not against development of the 10-acre lot but object to a high-density apartment complex in the neighborhood.