Orange Beach places 120-day moratorium on residential building permits in general business zoning

By Melanie LeCroy/melanie@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 1/15/20

The Orange Beach City Council voted unanimously to place a 120-day moratorium on the issuance of residential building permits in areas zoned as general business.

The zoning ordinance currently …

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Orange Beach places 120-day moratorium on residential building permits in general business zoning

Posted

The Orange Beach City Council voted unanimously to place a 120-day moratorium on the issuance of residential building permits in areas zoned as general business.

The zoning ordinance currently allows the development of single-family and multifamily dwellings within the general business zoning classification; however, council member said the current regulations are inadequate to protect the various uses located within a single district.

“We had some concerns from the when we created nonconforming entities and by creating those nonconformities there were some tentative sales of properties and Federal Housing Administration financing would not go through because they could not get appraisals for a nonconforming property,” Mayor Tony Kennon said. “It was something that was an unintended consequence.”

The Planning Department is conducting a study of additional regulations that will correct deficiencies in the regulations and promote the harmonious and orderly development of General Business districts. City officials will then craft a new ordinance to prevent future problems with residential building areas zoned for general business.