Orange Beach council members once again tabled a proposal that would allow a new Dollar General store to be built on Hwy. 161, marking the third time the council has delayed a decision on the store.

Despite plans presented by the developer that reflected a redesigned exterior to better fit in with the city’s coastal aesthetic, several council members said they remained unsure the proposed location was a good fit for the store.

“We are very committed to preserving the neighborhoods we have remaining, and I think the intrusion of this very, very busy store, the increased traffic and the difficulty getting in and out will be detrimental to this area,” Councilwoman Annette Mitchell said.

Mitchell said she felt the store redesign was nice but she still had qualms about the location.

“I applaud those changes,” Mitchell said. “I think that’s very attractive, and I think it would look very, very nice anywhere in Orange Beach - except there.”

The location is currently zoned neighborhood business, and Bob Broadway of Broadway Group, the group behind the development, said the store would fit within that zoning designation.

In May, the Orange Beach Planning Commission voted to give a favorable recommendation for the project, though the vote was divided.

If approved, the store would actually be replacing a Dollar General store currently located on Beach Road in the Wal-Mart shopping center that is losing its lease. Many of the staff members from the Beach Road location would be brought to the new store if approved.

Additional traffic that could be created by the store was also a major concern for the council.

“I appreciate the rendering, the look, the architectural features, but I have reservations about the traffic,” Councilman Jeff Boyd said.

The council eventually voted to table the matter to allow the developer time to possibly find another more suitable location for the store or find ways to improve the plan at the existing location.