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Home My WebLink About12-03-1954 Board Meetingti IR c � � PLANNING BOARD MEETING OF DEC. 3, t954 Chairman Woolley called the meeting fo order at 4:15 PM. Members present: J.E.Woolley, E.B.Overton, Mrs. Rose Kamper, R. Nahrgang, J. Huffman, J. Gaston, R. Macon. Correspondence received: None. New Applications received: None. Old Business: E.B. Overton, Chairman of the North Section Street Committee, reported the findings and recommendations of said Committee as follows: 1. Zoning of N. Section Ste to remain as is. 2. The Planning Board to entertain applications for future B-1 uses under the following conditions: a. Each application to define proposed land use. b. Each application to state approximate time of use. c. Each application to be accompanied by plot plan showing size of improvements, location of improvements, set -backs, site size and any and all pertinent information affecting land use. d. Each application to be considered in relation to the topography of site and location. Mr. Overton further reported that the Committee had not com- pleted recommendations for commercial set -backs and future locations for B-2 and M-1 uses. E.B. Overton made the following motion, seconded by Mrs. Kamper: that the recommeddations of the North Section Street Committee be adopted by the Planning Board as a policy guide for the North Section Street area. Motion c-3rrled. Old Business: J. Huffman made the following motion, seconded by R.Macon: that the application of Fuel Oil Supply Co., dated Nov. 24, 1954, be rejected and the Secretary be instructed to so notify the applicant and to inform the applicant of the policy adopted by this Board as related to N. Section St. Motion passed. J. Gaston made the following motion, seconded by R. Macon: that the application of Byrd L. Moore, dated Oct. 28, 1954, be rejected and the Secretary be instructed to so notify the applicant and to Inform the applicant of the policy adopted by this Board as related to N. Section St. Motion passed. Date of Next Meeting: Meeting adjourned. Friday, December 10, 1954 at 7:00 PM. THE CITY OWNS ITS RWC 'KS, ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM, GAS SYSTEM, AN ERAGE SYSTEM ' C. B. NIEMEYER, CITY MANAGER MARIE MOORE, CLERK FLOY HILLIPS. CHIEF OF POLICE CITY OF [AIRHOPE PHONE 4791 E. B. OVERTON..MAYOR FAI RHOPE, ALABAMA WATER AND SEWER BOARD ALDERMEN: „ /16e�+f.�� ///./ �.. R. ROY MOVERS, CHAIRMAN .y�iivKe M. O. BERGLIN I L. A. BERGLIN. SR. L. E. BLATCHFORD ARTHUR MANNICH R. H. BROWN J. E. GOODEN R. C. "DICK" MACON WILLIAM RUFFLES J. DUPREE MASON GEORGE DYSON, SUPT. t i i I I I • I I I - I i ' 'I i I 5TATE OF ALABAMA STATE PLANNING BOARD 110 CHURCH STREET MONTGOMERY 4, ALA. November 29, 1954 Mr. J. B. Woolley, Chairna,n Fairhope City Planning Commission Fairhope, Alabama Dear Mr. Woolley: The future land use and zoning of Section General Business District, brought up fo meeting of the Cit3r Planning Commission, major planning policy. It is because of a determination that this letter is being REFER TO FILE NO Street north of the r discussion at the last is a matter.involving the importance of such written. In the first place, the growth of continuous business land uses along the central vehicular approaches to a city is one of the undesirable "evils" which afflict urbanized areas without adequate zoning protection. Sven where an urbanized area has a zoning law such a calamity may occur because of the lack of understanding of the consequences by the pertinent city authorities. As to the propriety of such "ribbon" highway development one has only to ask the many cities and unincorporated areas what is their opinion after they have had this type of strung out business growth. There wi3'1—'be a great unanimity of opinion that the city fathers of such areas would be willing to do "anything" to get rid of most of it. Many volumes of city planning dissertations have been written on the undesirability of such growth. Not far from Fairhope is an example of this type of highway cluttering. Almost all of the highways leading out of Mobile to the north exhibit these examples and the consequences are unescapably apparent. For both the immediate and the long range consequences of such developments the American Society of Planning Officials will be glad to give a more complete answer upon written request from any of their subscribers (if you do not already subscribe, it will cost only $50.00 per year for a city the size of !,Vairhope). Secondly, there will always be those who would like to realize an early profit on their land even though this may be contrary to good zoning, both in the matter of the District classification for their own property and good zoning practice. To help all such individuals reap the maximum benefit would be to negate any aemblgn ee of zoning. Zoning is intended to help the orderly growth of the city as a whole in a planned and systematic pattern of development. y ALABAMA—LAND OF OPPORTUNITY Mr. J. E. Woolley - 2 - November 29, 1954 � It is true that the development of Section Street to the north will probably not occur as rapidly if held for residential purposes as it would if it were rezoned for "heavy" commercial and drive-in types of business (as well as wholesale and storage which have been recently requested). However, there is no guarantee at the time of land purchase by any individual that the city officials would rezone it for the convenience and early profit of an owner. To expect this would seem to be folly on the part of any would-be purchaser. It is well understood from the trends and history of real estate and city growth that improvement of land with structures is a rather slow procedure under ordinary circumstances. With this in mind I would not be surprised if complete residential development along Section Street were to take a few more years. That, however, should not alarm either the present land owners nor the city officials. There are some special considerations which govern much of the lard adjacent to north Section Street. One of these is the hilly topography. This would make some of it more usabli--if the lots were large enough to accommodate dwellings which would face on a side or parallel street to Section Street. This is not unusual where hilly land is concerned and may occur in other Fairhope land areas in the future. In summary, I have indicated that there should be no urgency to hurry the development of land on both sides of Section Street to the north. Also, that any rezoning be made only after a very careful and over-all study of both the actual need and the consequences of "opening -up" north Section Street to commercial uses. I have not stressed the loss of esthetic values from marring this essential approach to the city. However, this Is probably kept well in mind by most of the citizenry in addition to the effects of the placing of many types of signs and signboards along this approach. Such signs are always a concomitant use of "highway" businesses. The above series of considerations have been given in answer to your request. 1 trust that they will assist your Planning Commission to reach a conclusion in regard to the Section Street question. incerely ours, Sidney Doyle City Planner II SED/hb