ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — The owners of several prime Gulf front lots at the intersection of Alabama 161 and Alabama 182 have requested a rezoning to combine those lots into one.

Gulf Coast Opportunity Fund is listed as the owner of the property which entails eight lots, some zoned for condo usage and some zoned as beach resort. The difference, officials say, is as a beach resort can include a hotel or restaurants whereas multi-family zoning, or condos, would not include those amenities.

The parcels in question are between Summer Chase on the east and Hampton Inn on the west.

“The planning commission did give a favorable recommendation for the rezoning request,” Planner Griffin Powell told the council. “These have been combined into one parcel and once the development comes in this will have a full movement driveway at the 182 and 161 intersection. Again the planning commission gave a favorable recommendation.”

That driveway would effectively become the south side end of the intersection and use the traffic signal there now.

During the planning commission meeting, owners of Summer Chase requested they be given an easement driveway so their owners can have access to that intersection as well.

“When you have properties close to an intersection, the ability cross over turn lanes is prohibited,” Community Development Director Kit Alexander told the council. “Therefore it only allows for a right in and right out scenario.

“The combination of these properties requires that they utilize this light for their full access movement. DOT will restrict them to that access. When they came in to combine these properties, that’s when this owner came in to request he would like consideration.”

But a snag has developed as the Gulf Coast Opportunity Fund owners’ group, represented by Nathan Cox of Battleplan Capital in Spanish Fort on city documents, is not sure they want to give the easement outright until they have a solid plan in place, Alexander told the council during Tuesday’s work session.

“An encumbrance in a specific location could negatively affect that property from a marketing standpoint,” Alexander said. “The challenge is to find what mechanism can be utilized in order meet that commitment to the satisfaction of council.”

Cox was contacted by The Islander via email and said he nor did his group have any comment on the issue at this time. He was also asked in the same email if there was a plan for the parcel and again declined comment.

“No comment on anything at this time,” Cox said in his reply.

Council members and Mayor Tony Kennon backed getting the access for the Summer Chase property.

“I think we need to consider rezoning based on whether they consider it very, very seriously,” Mayor Tony Kennon said. “I think it’s a yes-no answer. I think it’s an issue for everybody and it’s an issue for the city. The ones to the east need that light access.”

Kennon pointed out that the density as far as number of units would be the same, but the traffic to a beach resort could be greater than a multi-family use if a restaurant or hotel were included.

“The point is we are upping the density which is a favor to the owners, which is a gift to the owners,” Kennon said. “If you have auxiliary uses you’re going to have more traffic coming in and out. I’m certainly willing to give it to them, but the point I’m saying is if we’re going to give it to them, we need them to give us that other access. I think it’s a very fair trade in my opinion.”

Councilman Jeff Boyd said it is a safety issue.

“It’ll be a death trap if we don’t,” Boyd said. “If they just consider it and don’t give it to them they are going to come out and turn by the Rite Aid and it’s going to be a nightmare.”

Councilman Jeff Silvers wants an agreement be in place before the council votes whether or not to allow the rezoning requested. It is supposed to come before the council in Tuesday’s regular council meeting.

“We would like some agreement before we take a vote so that they will give us that access so that we don’t have a bad situation,” Silvers said.