Updated: Roundabout Gas Station Construction Resuming

Fairhope, Alabama

Update: An official from the building department confirmed a building permit was issued last week; the developer is paying for the hook-up to the city sewer system.



Oberg Road at Fairhope Avenue


CR13 AT FAIRHOPE AVENUE

It appears as though construction of the new gas station/convenience store northwest of the new roundabout is beginning again: It had started last Summer and became an issue in the August 2016 municipal election -- but was halted for a while because of permitting issues (no land disturbance permit obtained -- click).

Since the property owned by the Zeigler Corporation Inc. is outside of city limits, the planning department has little influence over what gets built there;  likewise with the Baldwin County planning department since zoning has never been adopted by county residents east of town.

If all existing, applicable requirements stipulated in city ordinances are met, a building permit must be issued.

Landscaping problems
According to Fairhope police this roundabout seems to be working well and no major accidents have been reported there.

LANDSCAPING PROBLEM REPORTED

According to a city spokesperson, some of the landscaping installed last Spring in the roundabout's center did not survive due to soil/water table issues and will have to be replaced: bald cypress trees and other more tolerant plants are under consideration.


SECOND CR13 ROUNDABOUT COMING SOON

Construction of the city's second major roundabout about a quarter mile north along CR13 at the Gayfer Road intersection is scheduled to begin later this year: its south side is also outside of city limits in the un-zoned county (the northern quarters are in city limits, zoned for residential use according to online records).

A vehicle storage lot already exists at the southeast corner of that intersection.

Its design is expected to be similar to the first one, but cost will be considerably less due to better site conditions.

CR13 itself in that block is scheduled for paving and limited widening  as well.



Another one coming to CR13 at Gayfer Avenue 



Comments

Anonymous said…
Question:
If the intersection is within the Fairhope Police Jurisdiction, does the Fairhope Planning Commission have any approval authority?
Thanks
Publisher said…
Yes, only over the subdivision of property.
Anonymous said…
Cannot believe any person would be allowed to ruin nearby neighbors living and traffic, plus school, flow with a commercial business on that corner! I noticed a portapotty and wondered if there was building resuming...what a shame someone is so greedy and uncaring as to impose their ugly on others not wanting, needing, necessary, nor will it benefit any property/homes nearby! Fuel/convenience already only blocks away in both east and west directions. Just another entrance for more crime to our once beautiful, peaceful Fairhope.
Anonymous said…
Don't see anything wrong with it. There are storage lockers next door anyway.
Anonymous said…
Fairhope needs this, all the other station charge 10 to 15 cents more per gallon than out of town stations.
KI4HBS said…
I've been all over this country. I have never seen a commercial, residential establishment on a roundabout. It defeats the whole purpose of a roundabout. Hopefully it will be engineered in such a way that no entrances or exits will be on the roundabout....
Anonymous said…
I completely agree with the last poster……to have traffic move in or out of the roundabout totally defeats the purpose of keeping the traffic moving smoothly. I can't imagine who is in charge of approving this stuff…..clearly the board is only serving the developers and collecting 'gifts' in the process. Why are Fairhope residents so stupidly numb? They will wake up in a few years and their property will be worthless b/c they won't have sewer service from their homes!!! Wake Up, Fairhope!!! Your city council and planning commission could care less about your problems!
Jimmy said…
I'd be willing to bet those whining and complaining about this going in, didn't care about our Fairhope that existed before they moved in and built their McMansions. Yeah, I think it's a bad idea putting one there, but don't admonish a land owner for exercising their rights, just as you did by building your homes here.
Anonymous said…
Not a bad idea and very doubtful on the so called traffic problem. Same thing as walmart, the few cried about it but the same ones are shopping and probably the person in the 20 or less register with a full basket holding up the line. Easy fix on all the problems, buy the land and then leave it a empty lot. The few whiners buy all the land when it is for sale and then don't build on it.
Anonymous said…
Takes all of a first grade education to call people stupily numb and why because they have a differance in opinionly.
Anonymous said…
Gas station entrance right in the middle of a roundabout. Why sure! Only in Alabama folks. Intelligent zoning and traffic planning be damned as long as the local property owner has his "raighhhtss'.
Anonymous said…
I googled and found several gas stations built in the middle on roundabouts arround the US. Ignorly, only in Alabama
Tim said…
I googled and found it's only 9.5 miles to I-10 if you'd like to saddle up your high horse & go elsewhere. No one is forcing any of you to stay here. You are free to leave. Not everyone in Alabama is stupid and ignorant as you seem to conclude. Obviously we must be doing something right to make you want to live amongst us.
Anonymous said…
How do you dum down Fairhope, tell anyone who's opinion you don't like to leave. Thrumpete.
Tim said…
My family helped build and manage this town. It's where I was born, raised, and I'll be buried. I have a vested interest in this place, whereas most of you moved in with your money, changing things around, and complaining about people that are natives and what they choose to do with their land. I've lurked on here for years, watching you comment. You complained about the Laundromat, you complain about the farming equipment on the roads, you complained about the soccer complex, you complained about the new fire station, you complained about the tennis courts, you complained about the dollar general move, you complained about Publix, you complained about the sidewalks, you complained about Page & Pallet, you complained about First Baptist Church parking, you complain about people fishing on the pier, you complain about music outside, you complain about parking, you complain about You complained about the old Thomas Home / Auto building, you complained about the kids park, you complained about the geese, you complained about the old Primary School, you complain about the planes, you complain about the skate park, you complain about music @ fly creek, you complain about Faulkner College, you complain about the old filling station downtown. Seriously, that's all you people do is whine and complain about stuff! Fairhope is not the utopia Kant has pimped us out to be. If it's so awful, just leave! Quit looking down on how others live their lives, and what they do. Just because you moved in, spent 600K on a house, and shop downtown all day while the rest of us are out working doesn't make you as important as you think you are. This city owes you nothing.
Anonymous said…
Tim, you have a right to your opinion, as do the rest of us, but I'm not leaving, that 9.5 miles is the same distance for you if others are bothering you so much!
Anonymous said…
So, an aposing opinion is complaining, I always thought it was the viewpoint of others. The only complaining on here is the opposition to any other opinion than ones own.
Anonymous said…
Is it just me or does anyone else see all this back and forth as being the exact same thing going on at the national level? The democrats lost the election and they are talking about how will we survive tomorrow, what will we tell our kids, let's protest, etc. A new mayor is elected, all of a sudden we are in a death spiral, a gas station is coming, the tree lights sucked, let's boycott her store, etc. Fairhope is a microcosm of the country at large right now.
Anonymous said…
Seems like lots of jealous sour grapes type of posts here from people that resent others for having possibly higher incomes and bigger newer homes. If you don't like all the newcomers coming to Fairhope than by all means feel free to leave. Nobody will miss the constant complaining and jealous resentment about newcomers and their big houses and money. By the way Fairhope was created by newcomers moving here to improve things and it will always be that way do if you don't like it, it may be time to hit the road. If your direct ancestors crosssed over a land bridge from Siberia 12,000 years ago than and only than you are a native, otherwise, please get a clue, you are a newcomer.
Publisher said…
Let's not start this back n' forth again.