SPANISH FORT, Ala. — Steps were taken Monday to redevelop a site considered a blight on the Causeway and potentially clear the way for construction of a hotel. “It’s step one,” said David Diehl, senior planner with engineering consulting firm Preble-Rish.

Diehl, who represents property owners Bay Point LLC, seeks the rezoning of the former Las Brisas hotel at 1525 Battleship Parkway from R-1, the residential designation it was given when the property was annexed into the city, to B-5, designating a hotel district.

Seven members of the nine-member Planning Commission voted during Monday’s regular meeting to forward a favorable recommendation for the rezoning request to the City Council.

Commissioner Maura Dismuke abstained, and Chairman Carl Nelson was not present. The motion carried.

Jacob Cunningham, one of the property owners represented by Bay Point, sent a letter addressing the commission in his own absence from the meeting stating reasons why he feels the request is not an instance of “speculative zoning.”

“We the property owners want to see this property redeveloped,” Cunningham wrote, noting they have actually owned the property for five years and are simply seeking rezoning to allow the use that property maintained for more than 30 years.

Cunningham said he also could not guarantee the commission that redevelopment plans will include demolition of the existing structure, but the rezoning is required whether the pink building is razed or rehabilitated.

Diehl said his firm was retained originally to offer conceptual plans for redeveloping the property following demolition, but he learned of an individual only recently interested in retaining the existing structure.

“Because of an offer from a buyer to rehabilitate the building, no one is committing to demolition at this point,” Diehl said, noting that unless the zoning request is allowed discussion about how the property is redeveloped is moot.

Dismuke did note that B-5 zoning also allows for structures such as cafes, grills and a country club, but the majority of the commission seemed content that Bay Point’s intended plans are to move forward in some fashion with a use that would fall squarely into the hotel-motel designation B-5 was created to encompass.

“The intent was basically to cut out everything but hotel/motel and related uses, so we could have control over that,” City Attorney David Conner said, explaining the zoning’s origin when the Table of Permitted Uses was overhauled.

Former city engineer Ronald Gibson said he was personally disappointed the commission did not in any way cite language included in the city’s pending Comprehensive Plan that dictates future development along the Causeway.

In other business, Mayor Joe Bonner formally invited members of the commission and the public to attend the 5 p.m. March 21 City Council work session at the Gathering Place because architects Forrest Daniel and Associates will be unveiling plans for the proposed City Complex. A public hearing on the subject will be held during the council’s regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. that same night.

The next regular meeting of the Planning Commission will begin at 6:30 p.m. April 11 at the Gathering Place following a 6 p.m. informal work session.

An informal work session is also slated for 6 p.m. March 28 in the conference room at City Hall.