A proposed moratorium on new subdivision development in Fairhope was tabled last week after the city council voted to table the decision until after the new council members and mayor take office in November.

Several local developers rose to speak before the council took up the issue, saying that an immediate moratorium could be harmful to Fairhope’s business community.

“I have numerous clients that currently have purchased large size pieces of property,” John Avent with developer Preble Risch said. “They have gone out and have bank loans on it. Their livelihood is balanced on this, and this is a serious situation.”

Avent warned that there could be consequences to immediately stopping all subdivision development so quickly.

“What’s going to happen is it’s going to upset the whole process of banking, finances, building – every industry could be affected,” Avent said. “This thing will affect a lot of people if done immediately, but we don’t need to do it today.”

Fairhope Planning and Zoning Director Jonathan Smith said the moratorium was mainly a way for his department to be able to stop and review the city’s current practices with regards to that type of development to see if changes are needed.

“It’s an effort to allow staff time to regroup and evaluate our regulations, to take a look at things that need our attention,” Smith said.

Smith said the city had seen a “significant increase” in development over the past several years.

“In 2012, we were permitting 248,” Smith said. “This year, we’re at 400 plus already and the year isn’t even over, so obviously we’re seeing a lot of growth.”

Smith said his department planned to use the six month time frame of the moratorium to not only review their practices, but seek input on the process from several sources, including citizens and the developers.

Council President Jack Burrell said he didn’t feel it was the council’s intention to immediately pass the moratorium.

“We just want to get these issues our on the table and debate,” Burrell said.

Councilwoman Diana Brewer agreed with Burrell.

“We’re certainly not going to be able to solve everything tonight,” Brewer said. “I hear what Mr. Avent and other developers are saying about livelihoods, but it’s also the life of the city we’re talking about. It’s about getting a handle on growth – something that we just have to do.”

Councilman Kevin Boone suggested the council consider pushing the start of the moratorium back so that developers close to submitting their proposals to the city wouldn’t have to bear the problems of having to wait an additional six months to move forward.

“I think we nee to let this lay over for 60 or 90 days so that we’re not cutting some of these folks off at the legs,” Boone said.

The council voted unanimously to table the proposal until Nov. 14, the first full meeting when the new council and mayor will have taken office.