No new applications for certain residential multiple occupancy projects and subdivisions within Fairhope will be considered for the next nine months.

With the rapid growth of Fairhope and concerns over how it could affect the city and Baldwin County, Fairhope City Council voted last week to halt any new development applications for at least the next nine months, giving city leaders time to address the growth as well as allowing them to work on infrastructure upgrades.

"We're growing so fast. I do not know that anybody in the city appreciates that, and the council understands that people do not want this explosive growth," Councilman Jack Burrell said. "We do not want that either. We want smart growth. We do not want no growth, but we want smart growth."

On infrastructure, Burrell cited the city's water system as one of the services Fairhope needs to address before considering new applications for living spaces. He stated that the city has increased its water capacity by approximately 20% and that they hope that capacity can go up to 30-40% over the next couple of years.

"Our water system is probably the system that we have that's in the greatest need of upgrades right now, and that's probably where we're investing the most heavily," he said.

The city has also been keeping an eye on development projects in the area. Earlier this month, the Fairhope Planning Commission tabled a proposal for a new phase for a housing development near the Colony at The Grand after negative reactions from residents. However, the nine-month pause will only apply to future applications and will not affect development applications that have already been submitted to the city.

While future submissions will be paused for now, Burrell says the city wants to review its plans and may also potentially review the city's subdivision regulations for new revisions that could affect future developments as they aim to address the rapid growth within the area.

"We know that a lot of people want to move to this town right now," he said, "and we're hanging onto the charm just as tight as we can."