SPANISH FORT, Ala.—Developers of a 95-unit master planned unit development south of Old Highway 31 can proceed with design plans but have not been given the green light to begin construction.

The Planning Commission unanimously approved the preliminary master PUD plan for Savannah Woods during Monday’s regular meeting, clearly stating JADE Consulting LLC still must proceed with the commission’s preliminary subdivision plan process as well as provide a landscaping plan and a reasonable buffer component.

“You are setting the ground rules for how this property is going to be developed with this developer,” said Shawn Alves, an attorney with Stone, Granade and Crosby PC in Bay Minette. Alves stood in for City Attorney David Conner, whose firm represents the builder.

Presented to the commission by JADE’s Trey Jinright, the preliminary master PUD plan for Savannah Woods encompasses 95 lots on 41.19 acres with an average lot size of 10,125 square feet, meaning there would only be 2.3 units per acre. The development would be located near the easternmost intersection with U.S. Highway 31.

According to support materials provided to commissioners, Savannah Woods is designed to provide single-family residential lots “similar in character and nature” to the lots found in the adjacent Whisper Woods subdivision and is actually expected to alleviate traffic congestion in the existing neighborhood once completed.

“The street design and resulting traffic-flow patterns that result is such that not only will congestion within and outside the site not be detrimentally affected, the traffic circulation in the adjacent subdivision should be positively enhanced. Pedestrian circulation should be enhanced via the addition of sidewalks and common areas,” the preliminary plan reads.

In addition, the common space included in the plan exceeds the 1.41-acre requirement by more than three times.

Although Jinright did not provide a concrete timeline for development, the plan materials provided state development of the PUD lots could begin as early as the third quarter of 2009 pending proper regulatory approval.

Jinright also said he understands fully that the preliminary master PUD plan approval is only the first step in a “multi-layered approval process,” but the plan is being provided to provide city officials to illustrate general layout and intent.

Alves advised the commission that should the body approve this first step, the minutes should clearly reflect the decision is contingent on “receiving a subdivision plan consistent with the master plan.”

Spanish Fort resident Phyllis Brunette voiced her concerns regarding the development during the public hearing portion of the meeting, saying bulldozers have “invaded our property” on Windy Woods.

“I moved to the woods because I liked it there, (but) now it’s getting to be a massive development, and the coldness of the city is coming into it,” Brunette said. “I’ve been there since 1993, and I’ve preserved that property…, so what can we do to protect ourselves and our property?”

Jinright said the first phase of the project totaling about 30 units is not part of the preliminary master PUD plan before the commission but Brunette’s account was the first he’d heard of any trespassing on neighboring property owners.

“Whoever did it is in the wrong,” he said, suggesting a privacy fence might be an “acceptable solution” to neighboring property owners feeling infringed upon by the new development.

In other business the commission:

Mayor Joe Bonner said he has also requested the Alabama Department of Transportation reevaluate traffic volume at four different areas along the 31 corridor and—depending on the results —that intersection could possibly receive a traffic light at some point in the future.

The next regular meeting of the Planning Commission will be held Monday, May 11 with a work session at 6 p.m., followed by the meeting at 6:30 p.m. at The Gathering Place.