Section 9-7-13 Activities Deemed Permissible Uses Within Coastal Area; Determination of Additional Permissible Uses.

(a) The Legislature of Alabama finds that the following activities shall constitute permissible uses within the coastal area: (1) The accomplishment of emergency decrees of any duly appointed health officer of a county or municipality or of the state acting to protect the public health and safety; (2) The conservation, repletion and research activities of the Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium, the Marine Resources Division of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium; (3) The exercise of riparian rights by the owner of the riparian rights; provided, that the construction and maintenance of piers, boathouses and similar structures shall be on pilings that permit a reasonably unobstructed ebb and flow of the tide; (4) The normal maintenance and repair of bulkheads, piers, roads and highways existing on the date of final approval of the rules and regulations pursuant to this chapter; (5) The use of any structure on land devoted to dwelling uses for any purpose customarily incidental to enjoyment of the dwelling; (6) Normal maintenance and repair activities of railroads and of utilities or other persons engaged in transportation or in telephone communication service or in the distribution or transmission of gas, electricity or water or the collection of sewage, including inspecting, maintaining, repairing or renewing on private or public rights-of-way any sewers, mains, conduits, pipes, cables, utility tunnels, power lines, towers, poles, tracks, bridges, trestles and drainage facilities or the like or making service connections thereto or inspecting, maintaining, repairing or renewing any substation, pumping or lifting facility; (7) Activities of any mosquito control commission which is a political subdivision or agency of the State of Alabama; (8) The use of any land for the purpose of planting, growing or harvesting plants, crops, trees or other agricultural or forestry products, including normal private road construction, raising livestock or poultry or for other agricultural purposes; and (9) Completion of any development, not otherwise in violation of law, for which a valid building or zoning permit was issued prior to final approval of the rules and regulations pursuant to this chapter and which development was initiated prior to such approval. (b) Upon recommendation from the board, the department shall determine, by rule and regulation, from time to time, additional permissible uses within the coastal area.