Fairhope annexes 99 acres on Twin Beech

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FAIRHOPE – The next phase for the Colony at the Grand is now part of Fairhope following acting by the City Council.

The council voted 4-0 to annex 99.15 acres owned by the Teachers Retirement System of Alabama into the city and rezone the property as “tourist resort.” Mayor Karin Wilson and County President Jack Burrell were not present at the meeting.

The property is west of Section Avenue and west of Twin Beech Road. Part of the property will become the fifth phase of the Colony at the Grand development, Buford King, city planner, told the council.

The rezoning to tourist resort will reduce the allowed density on the property from 3.5 units an acre to three units.

Combined with other property already annexed and zoned, the total current acreage for the development is 288 acres. King said the zoning would allow 861 units on the property. The zoning will also require a 35-foot limit on building heights.

At the May 29 City Council meeting, members expressed concern about the ability of Fairhope sewage treatment facilities to meet the demands of increased development in the area.

King said there have been complaints about odors from a lift station on Twin Beech Road near the site. He said the odor control system at that location has been improved.

King said city officials plan to build a new lift station in the area that will also have a storage and pretreatment tank that can accommodate 150,000 gallons of sewage. The fifth phase of the Colony at the Grand will also be served by another lift station off Battles Road.

Another zoning ordinance change allows property on Mobile Bay to have the side of the parcel on the bay side to be designated as the front. King said zoning rules for most of the city designate the side of the property on the street side as the front. Because outbuildings and other accessories are usually required to be in the back yard, this would require sheds and other structures to be placed on the Mobile Bay side of the lot.

The council also postponed action on a building request for a boutique hotel on downtown Fairhope. Officials said the motion was tabled at the request of the developer. The issue had raised objections from residents and some council members at the May 29 meeting.