ORANGE BEACH — Orange Beach residents packed the Performing Arts Center Wednesday night for a Town Hall meeting on the proposed Pirates Voyage Dinner Theater project as city leaders sought public feedback ahead of upcoming votes on the development.

The meeting was held before the project goes before the Planning Commission and City Council after growing public concern over traffic, environmental impacts and land conservation surrounding the proposed development.

City leaders said they intentionally altered the normal approval timeline to allow for more community input and transparency before formal votes are taken. Under the city’s typical process, the Planning Commission would review the proposal first before broader public discussion.

Mayor Tony Kennon said the Town Hall was meant to help residents better understand how development decisions and zoning processes work in Orange Beach.

“This is not just about this particular piece of property,” Kennon said. “It’s about any piece of property in this town that might want to be developed.”

Kennon also stressed that Planned Unit Developments are “never guaranteed approval” and said city officials should remain open-minded until public hearings are complete.

Much of the public discussion centered on traffic concerns, rapid growth, drainage issues and preserving trees and wildlife habitats.

During public comments, 9-year-old resident Waylon Armstrong urged city leaders to protect the environment as development continues.

“When trees are gone, they don’t come back quickly,” Armstrong said. “I love Orange Beach, and I want it to stay beautiful, green and full of life.”

Resident Mike Green also voiced opposition to the proposal, calling the project “totally incompatible with residential.”

The Planning Commission is expected to review the proposal May 11, with a final City Council vote anticipated June 2.

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 by visiting https://tinyurl.com/yaf8yf5n.