SPANISH FORT, Ala.—The Spanish Fort Planning Commission Monday denied Sinking Ship LLC’s bid for land-use approval to construct a 21-unit mobile home park just off Cemetery Road.

Mayor Joe Bonner said he understands the national economic downturn is forcing developers to creatively alter originally ambitious plans, but he said he doesn’t feel a “temporary fix” is the answer for the Spanish Brook Drive East parcels.

“I think that when this (project) was brought to us, the key selling point was investing something in this neighborhood that’s never been invested,” Bonner said just prior to the 4-4 vote.

Planning Commissioner Kevin Diamond was absent, and without a clear majority the motion to approve failed.

Mike Dasinger III, one of three partners in Sinking Ships along with Russ Copeland and Mitch Dever, originally petitioned for approval to build a 69-unit apartment complex on the six-acre site. The trio then resubmitted the mobile-home park request in its place when plans for the apartments did not materialize quickly enough.

Complicating the issue, the Spanish Fort City Council voted March 2  to adopt an ordinance extending a moratorium on multi-family developments for one year and even altered the language of the ordinance to include “manufactured mobile-home parks or developments.”

Sinking Ship, however, filed its request during a lapse in the moratorium and was, thereby, not prohibited legally from pursuing its development.

City Attorney David Conner advised the commission during its work session prior to the regular business meeting  that it was the body’s responsibility to examine the proposed project on “its merits” and determine whether the proposal represented an “appropriate” use for the land in question because its legality had already been confirmed.

Planning Commissioner Mary Brabner said she spoke with several real estate agents Monday who contend the apartment market is flooded in Spanish Fort, and she said it is her belief that residents need affordable alternatives to home ownership, especially during difficult economic times.

“Not everybody wants to live in a 300-unit apartment (complex),”she said, adding that the lack of alternative housing options could shortchange the community if foreclosures continue to increase.

By contrast, Planning Commissioner J.R. Smith said that with an estimated 700 rental units added to the city’s landscape in the past three years, he doesn’t see it as an issue of an apartment glut specifically, but a leasing glut in general.

“I just don’t think this (project) will be the best use for the land,” Smith said.

Dasinger, who addressed commissioner concerns during the business meeting, said he was uncertain of any new material he could provide to sway opinion.

He said he decreased the project’s proposed density considerably, increased lot sizes, gave the commission a 10-year “life expectancy” for the development, would provide underground utilities and even included street lighting designed to mimic a “mini subdivision.”

“I don’t know what else to say,” Dasinger said. “It’s still a substantial investment in the area and a substantial improvement to the area.”

In other business the commission:

An informal work session will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, March 30 in the conference room of Spanish Fort City Hall.

The next regular meeting of the Planning Commission will be Monday, April 13 at The Gathering Place, beginning with a 6 p.m. work session followed by the 6:30 p.m. meeting.