HL Storage Facility on County Road 12 in Foley, Alabama – A Practical Addition for Gulf Coast Boat & RV Owners
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My name is Meredith Folger Amon, and I am a Gulf Coast expert real estate advisor licensed in Alabama and Florida. Guided by Integrity. Every week, I talk with homeowners and buyers who are trying to solve the same puzzle: “Where am I going to keep my boat or RV so it is convenient, safe, and not overwhelming my driveway or street?”
Recently, I reviewed the Baldwin County Planning Commission staff report for Case No. CSP24-34, the proposed HL Storage Facility on County Road 12 in Foley, Alabama. This proposal calls for an open-air boat and RV storage facility with a front office building on approximately 3.3 acres at 20524 County Road 12, Foley, AL 36535. As I read through the details, I kept thinking, “This is the type of practical, well-placed project that quietly supports how people actually live along the Gulf Coast.”
Subject Property and Zoning – Understanding the Context
The HL Storage Facility site lies in Planning District 30, on the south side of County Road 12. The parcel is identified as Parcel ID 05-61-05-16-0-001-010.001 (PIN 234234) and is zoned RMF-6, Residential Multiple Family. In plain terms, this is a zoning district designed to accommodate higher density residential patterns and compatible supporting uses.
One of the most important things I look at is how a proposal fits into its surroundings:
- North: Residential land within the City of Foley, zoned PUD (Planned Unit Development).
- South: Residential land in Baldwin County, zoned RMF-6, Residential Multiple Family.
- East: Residential land within the City of Foley, zoned R-1D, Residential Single Family.
- West: Vacant land in Baldwin County, also zoned RMF-6.
So you have a corridor that already blends residential neighborhoods with higher density and future employment or service uses. The staff report notes that the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) designations in this area include primarily rural/agricultural/development with pockets of conservation, mid-density development, and higher-density development. In practice, that means single-family homes, town homes, mixed-use buildings, multifamily, and space for office and commercial uses.
Open-air boat and RV storage facilities are allowed within the RMF-6 district with Planning Commission approval. To me, that is meaningful: the use is not trying to “force fit” into a neighborhood where it clearly does not belong. It is working within a zoning framework that anticipates a mix of homes and compatible service uses.
County Road 12 as a Major Collector
County Road 12 is classified as a major collector. Collector roads are intentionally designed to gather traffic from local neighborhood streets and connect it to larger arterial routes. For a boat and RV storage facility, that is an appropriate setting. Trailers and larger vehicles can turn in and out without being tucked deep inside a small, purely residential cul-de-sac.
One Baldwin County neighbor put it this way during a recent conversation: “If a project is going to serve boat and RV owners, I would rather see it on a road that is meant to handle that kind of movement, not in the middle of a quiet side street.” The HL Storage site fits that description.
What the HL Storage Facility Is Proposing
The applicant is requesting Commission Site Plan (CSP) approval for an open-air boat and RV storage facility with a front office building on approximately 3.3 acres. The site plan, grading, erosion control, and landscape plans are designed around a few key ideas:
- Organized circulation: Vehicle and trailer movements are organized so that entering, turning, and exiting the site can occur safely without backing up onto County Road 12.
- Office presence: A dedicated front office building establishes a clear point of contact and supervision for the facility, rather than a purely “self-serve” appearance.
- Stormwater and stabilization: A full grading, erosion, and sediment control plan addresses how the site will be shaped, drained, and stabilized in compliance with Baldwin County’s standards.
- Landscaping and screening: The landscape plan outlines plantings around the perimeter and at the entrance to soften views from the road and adjacent properties.
From a real estate perspective, those elements matter. A facility that looks orderly, landscaped, and supervised tends to support surrounding property values far better than scattered, ad-hoc storage of boats and RVs in front yards and street edges.
“Good projects are the ones that feel planned rather than accidental.” – A longtime Baldwin County homeowner
I hear variations of that quote often, especially in fast-growing areas where residents are watching every new project with a discerning eye.
Agency Comments – Who Was Consulted
The staff report also summarizes agency outreach:
- USACE (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers): The County reached out on November 10, 2025, and received no comments.
- ADEM (Alabama Department of Environmental Management): The County reached out the same day and received no comments.
- City of Foley: Staff contacted the City of Foley on November 10, 2025, and received information about adjacent zoning, but no additional comments.
To me, the absence of agency objections is not the only metric, but it does indicate that there were no immediate red flags from environmental regulators or the neighboring municipality at this stage.
How This Supports the Gulf Coast Lifestyle
On the Gulf Coast, boat and RV ownership is part of daily life for many homeowners, second-home owners, and investors. We are a region where people spend weekends fishing, exploring inlets, traveling by motorcoach, and enjoying the water. At the same time, many subdivisions, townhome communities, and even individual lots are not ideally configured for long-term driveway storage of large trailers and RVs.
When I walk property in Foley, Gulf Shores, and nearby communities with buyers, they frequently ask me:
- “Can I park my boat here long-term?”
- “What does the HOA say about RVs?”
- “If I buy a smaller lot, where will my offshore boat or motorcoach go?”
A well-sited facility like HL Storage can be part of the solution. It offers a secure, purpose-built location for these larger vehicles, removing pressure from residential driveways and neighborhood streets. A friend who keeps a bay boat once told me, “Good storage turns boat ownership from a logistical chore into something that feels easy. I want to know my boat is parked where it is supposed to be, not squeezed between mailboxes.” I hear similar sentiments from RV owners who want their home property to remain tidy and uncluttered.
For owners who use 1031 exchanges or hold multiple properties across the Gulf Coast, centralized storage can also become part of a long-term strategy. Instead of trying to solve parking one property at a time, they can rely on a designated facility and keep their homes focused on livability, curb appeal, and resale value.
Conditions of Approval – Guardrails That Matter
One aspect I appreciate in the CSP24-34 staff report is the clarity of the recommended conditions. Staff recommends approval with specific guardrails, including:
- Extended permit window: The standard 180-day building permit deadline in Section 18.3.4 is recommended to be extended to one calendar year from the date of Planning Commission approval, giving the applicant realistic time to move from approval to permitting.
- CSP approval letter: The applicant must obtain the official CSP approval letter prior to any building permit approvals.
- Closeout requirements: The closeout requirements of Section 18.10.7 must be met before a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) is issued for the new buildings. The site must be fully stabilized to staff’s satisfaction before the facility opens.
- Ongoing enforcement: Staff reserves the right to issue Notices of Violation (NOVs) for deficiencies that arise after closeout, which encourages ongoing compliance.
- Landscape consistency: No substitutions or alterations to the approved landscape plan may be made without staff and/or Planning Commission approval.
- Signage controls: Any signage requires a separate permit and review under Article 16. The ordinance specifically prohibits certain types of wind-driven signs (such as inflatable balloons, fluttering flags, and similar devices) that can create visual clutter along major corridors.
- Future expansion review: Any expansion of the structures or facility beyond what is approved will require additional Planning Commission review.
- Revocation authority: Under Section 18.10.1, the Planning Commission may revoke approval if the use becomes unsuitable or incompatible due to nuisance activity.
These conditions are not just technicalities. They are the tools that give the County—and neighbors—confidence that the project will be built, stabilized, landscaped, and operated in the manner presented, with clear accountability if that ever changes.
My Perspective as a Gulf Coast Real Estate Advisor
In any growing coastal area, there is a constant push and pull between adding needed infrastructure and preserving the character of existing neighborhoods. Thoughtful, well-regulated service uses can help strike that balance. In my view, the HL Storage Facility proposal on County Road 12 checks several important boxes:
- It fits within an RMF-6 zoning district that already anticipates a mix of higher density residential and supporting uses.
- It fronts a major collector road designed to handle the movement of larger vehicles and trailers.
- It includes an office building, circulation plan, grading and erosion control, and landscaping that demonstrate an organized, intentional layout.
- It is framed by clear conditions of approval that protect neighbors and give the County long-term oversight.
“Projects that quietly solve everyday problems often do more for quality of life than big, flashy announcements.” – A Gulf Coast neighbor reflecting on growth in Baldwin County
For boat and RV owners in Foley and throughout Baldwin County, a facility like this can remove friction from daily life and free their homes and driveways to be what they were meant to be: places of rest, gathering, and reflection, rather than long-term parking for oversized vehicles.
Thinking About How This Impacts Your Real Estate Decisions
If you are considering buying or selling in Baldwin County—whether in Foley, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, or other Gulf Coast communities—projects like the HL Storage Facility are worth paying attention to. They shape how neighborhoods function, how covenants are enforced, and how easy it is to enjoy boats and RVs without sacrificing curb appeal.
My website, www.searchthegulf.com, is the Gulf Coast’s premier website for searching all real estate listings along the coast, including properties near County Road 12 and throughout Baldwin County. If this article helped you understand the HL Storage proposal more clearly, or you are weighing how nearby development might influence your next move, I would be glad to talk through it with you.
Drop me a quick note if this was helpful, and we can explore how zoning, storage options, and long-term planning fit into your real estate goals.
Meredith Folger Amon is a Gulf Coast expert real estate advisor, licensed in Alabama and Florida. She specializes in helping buyers and sellers navigate the buying and selling of homes along the Gulf Coast.
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