SPANISH FORT, Ala. — One guiding principle echoes throughout the city’s proposed 15-year blueprint for crafting the most desirable community possible: Achieve a desired balance between growth and preservation.

“The city is in a strong position to control the style, quality and quantity of development to ensure that growth contributes to the goals of the city and does not compromise the natural setting which draws both residents and visitors…,” reads the first publicly available version of a comprehensive plan more than four years in the works.

The Planning Commission will host a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday at The Gathering Place, allowing residents the opportunity to voice any concerns or support for the proposal.

The plan, deemed a “living” document, is intended to steer controlled growth of a city expected to, at the very least, double by 2025 and possibly quadruple should the master-planned Highlands of Spanish Fort develop at a steady pace during the same period.

Copies of the 92-page plan are available to the public in two ways.

Permit clerk and city inspector Donna Dunning said residents can view the document “comfortably” and at no cost at City Hall, or file a “Request for City Records” form to purchase a personal copy for $23. There are no immediate plans for the document to be made available online.

“If the requester will call ahead, we can make sure we have a copy available when they arrive,” Dunning said. The main number for City Hall is 626-4884.

Specifically, the plan is intended to:

• Maintain a sustainable level of planned growth, placing an emphasis on high-quality new development.
• Complement the city’s “neighborhood residential character” with “community-supporting” institutions and “environmentally friendly” businesses that both serve local needs and create jobs.
• Enhance public access and recreational opportunities while preserving the integrity of existing natural resources.

The plan prioritizes the continued controlled creation of low-density residential neighborhoods, the development of regional commercial centers and the responsible development of available acreage.