City to host community workshop on DDD update

City to host community workshop on DDD update

Aug 17th, 2026

Posted in: Press ReleaseBuild MobileMayor

Mobile, Ala. - The City of Mobile is inviting the community to review and help update the Downtown Development District (DDD) code after it was established more than a decade ago.

Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis and members of the city's Build Mobile Department are asking residents to weigh in on the DDD at the Downtown Development District Update - Community Workshop set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 2 at the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf (155 South Water Street). Established in 2014, the DDD is a set of zoning rules and development standards that shape how buildings in Downtown Mobile are designed, built, and used. It was incorporated into the city's Unified Development Code in 2022 and has helped shape more than 10 years of investment in the downtown area.

While the DDD has worked well over the years, this update is aimed at making it even better. The code has, for years, ensured that new development, or redevelopment, fits into and complements the historic, walkable character of the city's Central Business District. These updates focus on making standards clearer, more user-friendly, and more effective at producing results everyone can be proud of. The September 2 workshop is the public's first chance to help improve the code and define what a sharper, more effective DDD should accomplish.

The workshop will include a set of small-group tabletop presentations, with participants rotating through discussions on various topics, including the development approval process, building design standards, permitted uses, and others. Public input from the workshop will help inform the drafting of proposed amendments to the code, which will then be shared during a public comment portion later this fall before advancing to the Planning Commission and the City Council for approval.

"Our downtown area is the gateway to our city, and development within it needs to reflect an urban, walkable and historic character," Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis said. "While the DDD has helped our city planners and developers do just that, we feel like we can improve upon it after more than a decade in use. We are asking citizens and those who live, work, play and invest in downtown to help shape these improvements, and this is your chance to be a part of the process. I encourage you to get involved by attending this workshop on September 2."

The meeting is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend and participate. A second engagement period will follow in Fall 2026.