Turquoise Place is one step closer to addressing its current parking issues after the Orange Beach City Council passed an ordinance granting the condominium unit the ability to create an overflow parking planned unit development (PUD).

While the council did approve the PUD, the council had numerous concerns about the proposed parking lot, including the creation of a sunset clause, pedestrian traffic and a potential shuttle or valet service.

The proposed parking lot site, in the form of a PUD, is 625 feet east of Turquoise Place and would consist of 132 spaces with stone or oyster shell used instead of paving for overflow parking with a gated entrance for owners and guests.

Councilwoman Joni Blalock asked staff about concerns from nearby property owners about the new lot, and Orange Beach City Planner Griffin Powell replied concerns were mainly about pedestrians going on their property.

“They had concerns about people coming across their property to get to Turquoise Place,” Powell said. “That’s the reason the planning commission placed conditional fencing around the parking area.”

Powell said people would be transported from the parking area by either walking or a shuttle service.

Councilman Jerry Johnson questioned how many condo owners would want to use the proposed parking area.

“I have rented a condo down here, and I just don’t see that I would want to walk down Perdido Beach Boulevard to get to my condo,” Johnson said. “To me, valet should be a minimum. To me, valet or using a shuttle here would be a must.”

Mayor Tony Kennon told Johnson the city could require that because it would be a PUD.

Councilwoman Annette Mitchell said making the proposed parking lot employee only would cut down on some of her concerns.

Kennon said the proposal was one that was not typical for that area.

“This violates every possible thing in the world we’ve ever done to do this,” Kennon said. “However, the crossing the road just can’t continue. We can’t police it right now. It’s not a possibility. This is by far the lesser of evils.”

Kennon said the parking lot was a three-year plan which would sunset during the current administration.

“At the end of the three years, if they have acquired property or are in the process of building a parking deck, we could extend it for the length of the construction time, whatever it would be,” Kennon said. “The goal is to acquire property, and I’ve been working with them for years on that. But, at the end of three years, if they have not achieved a site for a parking deck then we will have to end it and we will have to stop parking across the street in some form, way or fashion.”

Gene Kessling, president of the Turquoise Place Condo Owners Association, spoke in favor of the proposal and told the council members they agreed with everything said and asked for by the council and the planning commission. Turquoise Resident Raymond Wells also spoke out in favor of the lot.

Council members questioned whether it was allowed to place a time limitation on PUDs, as they worried Turquoise Place could sue the city to try to keep the lot after the proposed three-year limit had expired.

City staff told the council that if the property owners voluntarily offered to allow temporary use restrictions on the property, it should help negate those concerns.

The council voted unanimously to approve the PUD subject to those voluntary temporary use restrictions being submitted by the owner, subject to planning commission recommendations and final review by the city attorney. Councilmen Jeff Boyd and Jeff Silvers were not present at the meeting.

New Dollar General approval tabled

The council tabled a permit approval that could have brought a new Dollar General store to the city.

The request from The Broadway Group would allow for conditional use approval to construct a 10,640 square foot Dollar General store at 4225 Orange Beach Boulevard, near Rose Lane. The area is currently zoned Neighborhood Business (NB), so the request has had to go before the planning commission and council. The city’s planning commission recently voted to give a favorable recommendation to the project, though the vote was divided.

Kennon said he had trouble voting for approval.

“This is an up zoning, this could be a traffic hazard issue and I don’t think this is the right place for it,” Kennon said. “I can’t support it.”

Johnson said he also had several concerns.

“I was concerned about having four in Orange Beach, though I understand the one next to Walmart is closing,” Johnson said. “I agree on Orange Beach Boulevard. I’m not sure it would be safe other than right in, right out.”

Orange Beach Engineering and Environmental Director Kit Alexander said the Alabama Department of Transportation had granted approval for improvements that would be done on Rose Lane, which is where access to the property would be granted.

Bob Broadway with the Broadway Group said the project was simply a relocation of an existing Dollar General currently located in the Walmart Shopping Center on Beach Road

“The owner of the shopping center there, when they signed a lease with Walmart part of the agreement was they would not be allowed to renew their lease with Dollar General,” Broadway said. “That lease can not be renewed, so that store will be closing. 11 employees would be affected if the store we’re discussing is not approved tonight.”

Broadway said the lease on the existing property would be up in June 2018.

Mitchell said at the city’s planning commission meeting, several neighbors spoke out against the proposed development, primarily for reasons involving traffic and lighting.

“This is a conditional use because it is a conditional use,” Mitchell said. “It is not a drug store. It is an approval that requires the council to say yes, so I appreciate your efforts to portray it as such, but it is not. We have the obligation to make sure that it is exactly what we want.”

Mitchell said the proposed store location is not in line with the city’s plans for that area.

“This is in conflict with the plans that we have to improve traffic from the north,” Mitchell said. “It is too dense a business for that location. I do not consider this a neighborhood business.”

During the public hearing on the permit, several residents spoke out in favor of and against the measure.

Nearby property owner Todd Talley said he was in favor of the change.

“We think it does enhance the value of our lot,” Talley said. “We think activity creates activity and we think it would be a good neighbor.”

Orange Beach resident Helen Clark said she was against the change.

“It doesn’t seem to me that it meets my feeling of what a neighborhood store should be,” Clark said. “I don’t think we need to encourage beach traffic, visitor traffic to come up 161 and cut across. It just doesn’t seem like the right thing.”

The council voted unanimously to postpone voting on the item until the June 20 council meeting.