MAGNOLIA SPRINGS — Magnolia Springs Town Council held a public hearing July 28 on a proposed amendment to the town's zoning ordinance that would establish a Planned Residential Development (PRD) district, creating a new option for residential development that emphasizes conservation alongside housing.

If adopted, the ordinance would allow developers to apply for a PRD designation for qualifying properties rather than develop under conventional subdivision standards. Town officials said the goal is to preserve more open space and natural features while allowing greater flexibility in neighborhood design.

Town Clerk Hannah Driskell said the ordinance is intended to encourage developments that fit the character of individual properties instead of following a traditional subdivision layout.

"PRD encourages innovative residential development that is tailored to a particular site," Driskell said. "It allows flexibility in design and achieves a higher quality neighborhood design."

To qualify, a property must contain at least five contiguous acres and be located within one of the town's residential zoning districts. Under the proposal, between 50% and 70% of each development would be permanently preserved as open space. Those conservation areas would protect natural resources such as wetlands, trees and river buffers, while homes would be clustered on less environmentally sensitive portions of the property.

The ordinance also establishes a mix of lot sizes intended to create a more varied neighborhood layout. Cottage lots between 5,000 and 9,999 square feet could make up no more than 30% of a development, while standard lots between 10,000 and 14,999 square feet would be limited to 60%. Larger lots of at least 15,000 square feet could make up the remainder.

Although the ordinance allows a maximum gross density of three dwelling units per acre, Driskell used a sample 100-acre development to illustrate how preservation requirements and infrastructure would reduce that number in practice. In the example, half of the property remained open space, resulting in a proposed density of about 2.35 dwelling units per acre.

Driskell said that the ordinance would not automatically change the zoning of any property.

"No property will be automatically zoned PRD," she said. "It has to be applied for and go through this process."

Applications would require multiple stages of review, including public hearings before both the Planning Commission and Town Council. Developers would also be required to submit preliminary and final subdivision plans before construction could begin.

Councilman Andrew Monaghan said he supports the revised ordinance after participating in the committee that reviewed it before it returned to the Planning Commission.

"I like the way we changed it," Monaghan said.

Monaghan said the ordinance intentionally gives council discretion when evaluating proposed developments rather than relying on rigid engineering standards.

"Those are factors that the town council can consider in approving or disapproving a project," he said. "We have quite a bit of flexibility there."

He also said the conservation requirements would offset the slightly higher density allowed under the ordinance by preserving significant portions of each property.

"You're conserving half the property. You're not cutting down a bunch of trees," Monaghan said.

Monaghan said traditional subdivisions often require more extensive clearing and provide fewer protections for natural features than the proposed PRD model.

Council will consider the proposed ordinance following the public hearing process. 

Gabriella Chavez is a Report for America corps member who writes about growth and development in Baldwin County and our natural spaces for Gulf Coast Media. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today.