Fairhope, Alabama
SEPTEMBER PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
Yesterday, the planning commission approved the 240 unit Retreat at Fairhope Village apartment project -- part of the second-phase of the original 'Fly Creek Village' PUD of 2006.
City staff and third-party review engineer 'SE Civil' said the plan met all technical/legal requirements of city ordinances and regulations; it was not about whether "we like the project or not" at this point according to commission chairman Turner.
A 'gabion wall' is to be constructed along the creek to distribute runoff water evenly all along the creek: an earlier plan was rejected because it did not meet this criteria (aka 'non point-source discharge').
Other low impact development techniques (LID's) will be used as well.
The possibility of including some of the green space in a conservation easement administered by the Weeks Bay Reserve was also mentioned by the project's developers.
CONSTRUCTION ISSUES DISCUSSED
A temporary catch basin will be installed along the creek to catch sedimentation during construction and no red clay will be brought in, according to project engineers (Dewberry/Preble Risch): The buildings will be constructed sequentially and not visible from Highway 98.
ALDOT has already approved modifications to the Fly Creek Boulevard intersection.
The site plan will not need any further approval by the city council, according to planning director Wayne Dyess.
(A lawsuit by the 'Friends of Fly Creek' organization alleging that the overall approval process last year was defective, was judged invalid by a jury in Bay Minette two weeks ago.)
SEPTEMBER PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
Yesterday, the planning commission approved the 240 unit Retreat at Fairhope Village apartment project -- part of the second-phase of the original 'Fly Creek Village' PUD of 2006.
City staff and third-party review engineer 'SE Civil' said the plan met all technical/legal requirements of city ordinances and regulations; it was not about whether "we like the project or not" at this point according to commission chairman Turner.
A 'gabion wall' is to be constructed along the creek to distribute runoff water evenly all along the creek: an earlier plan was rejected because it did not meet this criteria (aka 'non point-source discharge').
Other low impact development techniques (LID's) will be used as well.
The possibility of including some of the green space in a conservation easement administered by the Weeks Bay Reserve was also mentioned by the project's developers.
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| gabion wall example |
CONSTRUCTION ISSUES DISCUSSED
A temporary catch basin will be installed along the creek to catch sedimentation during construction and no red clay will be brought in, according to project engineers (Dewberry/Preble Risch): The buildings will be constructed sequentially and not visible from Highway 98.
ALDOT has already approved modifications to the Fly Creek Boulevard intersection.
The site plan will not need any further approval by the city council, according to planning director Wayne Dyess.
(A lawsuit by the 'Friends of Fly Creek' organization alleging that the overall approval process last year was defective, was judged invalid by a jury in Bay Minette two weeks ago.)
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| Fly Creek Blvd. at US 98 |
Comments
No growth is not good for anyone but unbridled growth can wipe out many of the benefits that Fairhope citizens are enjoying. This and otehr decisions can be the beginning of the end of Fairhope as we inherited from our founders.
This comment was edited by the Publisher.