Fairhope, Alabama
Updated 5 times:
(1) More video added below; edited for clarity. (2) In a Facebook post, Bobby Green said he promised the planning commission and council he would only "help with the development, not own it." The Times can find no such statements in recordings or minutes of the meetings, in fact the evidence is to the contrary by promising to continue their own good stewardship of the property. Green also claimed he contacted the Times prior to our posting yesterday: he did not, all information came from numerous public meetings, videos, minutes, and notes taken personally. (3) Video of the October 2017 council meeting was added below. (4 ) The Times has been provided an e mail dated last October to city officials from the Greens indicating their intentions to sell the property. Investigation continues. (5) Mayor Wilson and Mr. Dyess acknowledged receiving the e mail but council members did not. Wilson said the city is formulating a response now (Nov. 26). Councilmen Burrell and Conyers were looking for more information and considering options they said. Conyers wanted to know more about why the original plans for self-development fell through (if the Greens had health issues for instance). The Greens did not reply to e mail questions about it.
Check back here for updates or follow up posts to this developing story.
GREEN NURSERIES NOW FOR SALE
After being rezoned for commercial use (B-2) almost a year ago by the city council, the Green Nurseries property on Greeno Road is now for sale for $2.9 million, according to signs posted there recently and online advertisements.
During a planning commission meeting in August of 2017 using a power-point presentation, owners Bobby and Debra Green indicated they intended to develop the property themselves, "organically," ... incrementally, in phases into a "micro-village" concept with a garden retail/restaurant theme.
During that meeting Bobby Green said the first phase would be "to upgrade existing structures ... emphasizing retail" and expected an "eclectic progression of development ... over the coming years." (video below)
Citing the family's ownership of property since 1932 and track record for environmental stewardship, they asked the commission for its "trust" to continue in that vein after the rezoning.
During the October 23, 2017 city council meeting, Debra Green assured the city council "the property is not for sale (video below)." Councilman Burrell questioned why there was no accompanying site plan to guarantee what's built in case it was sold someday (one was not submitted or required according to planning director Dyess).
Burrell: "Every parcel along Greeno will come to us ... say the same thing ... trust us ... are they any less reputable?"
Two months later in January of this year (2018), the city council accepted the Planning Commission's recommendation and unanimously approved the rezoning with some restrictions: no convenience store, auto repair, or dry cleaners.
SOME CITIZENS NOT PLEASED
One citizen familiar with the situation contacted the Times to express disappointment that the Greens' apparently do not intend to follow through with the plans they presented to the commission and council; the possibility of using a little-used section of the city's zoning ordinance concerning "misrepresentation" of plans may be in order to nullify the rezoning has been raised too by the planning department. [Article II, C1(g)]
OCTOBER LETTER TO COUNCIL REVEALED (Update 4)
Some time after we made this post, we were provided an October 8th e-mail letter to city officials indicating the Greens intent to sell the property because their original plans had "fallen through."
New plans for unspecified "deed restrictions" and other "architectural controls" on what is built are also mentioned for after the sale.
To date, we do not know if there was any formal reply, but we have made inquiries. One city official informed us no reply was given ... on their part at least (Mayor).
No mention of this letter was made during any subsequent public meetings of the council or planning commission.
AUGUST 2017 PLANNING COMMISSION VIDEO:
OCTOBER 2017 COUNCIL MEETING: "PROPERTY NOT FOR SALE"
Updated 5 times:
(1) More video added below; edited for clarity. (2) In a Facebook post, Bobby Green said he promised the planning commission and council he would only "help with the development, not own it." The Times can find no such statements in recordings or minutes of the meetings, in fact the evidence is to the contrary by promising to continue their own good stewardship of the property. Green also claimed he contacted the Times prior to our posting yesterday: he did not, all information came from numerous public meetings, videos, minutes, and notes taken personally. (3) Video of the October 2017 council meeting was added below. (4 ) The Times has been provided an e mail dated last October to city officials from the Greens indicating their intentions to sell the property. Investigation continues. (5) Mayor Wilson and Mr. Dyess acknowledged receiving the e mail but council members did not. Wilson said the city is formulating a response now (Nov. 26). Councilmen Burrell and Conyers were looking for more information and considering options they said. Conyers wanted to know more about why the original plans for self-development fell through (if the Greens had health issues for instance). The Greens did not reply to e mail questions about it.
Check back here for updates or follow up posts to this developing story.
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| 415 N. Greeno Road |
GREEN NURSERIES NOW FOR SALE
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| Sales brochure |
During a planning commission meeting in August of 2017 using a power-point presentation, owners Bobby and Debra Green indicated they intended to develop the property themselves, "organically," ... incrementally, in phases into a "micro-village" concept with a garden retail/restaurant theme.
During that meeting Bobby Green said the first phase would be "to upgrade existing structures ... emphasizing retail" and expected an "eclectic progression of development ... over the coming years." (video below)
Citing the family's ownership of property since 1932 and track record for environmental stewardship, they asked the commission for its "trust" to continue in that vein after the rezoning.
During the October 23, 2017 city council meeting, Debra Green assured the city council "the property is not for sale (video below)." Councilman Burrell questioned why there was no accompanying site plan to guarantee what's built in case it was sold someday (one was not submitted or required according to planning director Dyess).
Burrell: "Every parcel along Greeno will come to us ... say the same thing ... trust us ... are they any less reputable?"
Two months later in January of this year (2018), the city council accepted the Planning Commission's recommendation and unanimously approved the rezoning with some restrictions: no convenience store, auto repair, or dry cleaners.
 |
| Greens' first "micro-village" plan |
SOME CITIZENS NOT PLEASED
OCTOBER LETTER TO COUNCIL REVEALED (Update 4)
Some time after we made this post, we were provided an October 8th e-mail letter to city officials indicating the Greens intent to sell the property because their original plans had "fallen through."
New plans for unspecified "deed restrictions" and other "architectural controls" on what is built are also mentioned for after the sale.
To date, we do not know if there was any formal reply, but we have made inquiries. One city official informed us no reply was given ... on their part at least (Mayor).
No mention of this letter was made during any subsequent public meetings of the council or planning commission.
AUGUST 2017 PLANNING COMMISSION VIDEO:
OCTOBER 2017 COUNCIL MEETING: "PROPERTY NOT FOR SALE"
Comments
No way unless a big box store wants it.
It is disheartening to know that you live in a community, pay taxes on your land for almost 70 years, you and everyone in your family are good citizens and suddenly you find yourself painted with a scarlet letter. It is hurtful.
The last time I checked the title to this property remains in your name.
Whether you developed it yourself or sold it to be developed; the concept has to be approved. You did that.
If more people would be concerned about optimizing their personal homes and property, they wouldn’t need to worry about yours.
~sat in Sunday school class with you for for many years. And I can not explain why people find the need to be so ugly. SAD!
For all you do or do not know, sometimes God's warped sense of humor takes precedence, but you'd all have us or our family just die, and leave that small parcel to the City. After all, it's best for the collective, right? Don't dare use resources to help save lives of children or grandchildren. None of you know what or why, just ASSume!
Mr. Watkins posted something without facts, and has been asked to contact us for FACTS, without any response. Takes a real man (coward) to do that. The only thing he has accomplished is create more controversy and attempt to destroy our reputations. Question is WHY, James, what is your motive and who put you up to this?....my numbers are 251-928-8469, 251-928-9409, my emails are debra.green@greennurseries.com; deegeegreen@bellsouth.net. Man up, post this and call me to get the facts. Anyone else interested in FACTS is also welcomed to call or email, cowards; however, will just post garbage under anonymous and make ASSumptions. I do not do facebook, otherwise, would have posted somewhere else.
This post was triggered when citizens noticed "for sale" signs going up on your Green Nurseries property, contrary to statements you made during prior public meetings.
Today is the first direct communication we received from the Green's about it, an e mail.
This post is well supported/documented with actual meeting video, meeting minutes, etc.; Mrs Green's comments above speak for themselves.
We did discuss this matter with the city's planning director and two city council members; none indicated they had any knowledge of why the property is now for sale.
We have invited Mrs. Green to provide further data to support her claims that supplemental, private agreements were made with the city; we will pursue it with city officials as well. Any such discussions should have been made in a public forum to comply with state open meeting laws, which unfortunately often are not taken seriously here.
Every citizen (including myself) of Fairhope has a stake and interest in Planning and Zoning matters, how their city develops. The media is tasked with defending their interests. Unfortunately, no traditional media attends many public meetings, to act as watchdog.
Those participating in public government meetings or political matters become public figures in that context, subject to criticism.
Comments are only opinions, not to be taken too seriously we would hope.
remain private. Since the Council bent the standards some to place the current zoning in place if they are OK with the Greens’ reasoning I would trust their judgment. Probably wouldn’t hurt to include the Mayor.
There is nothing stopping the sale of the property. It’s a matter of price. I hope this will work out for all concerned. If the Greens want to keep everything private I am not going to complain but they should expect some push back from a number of people.
"Sunshine is the best disinfectant ... ."
Frankly, none of them seemed so bad to us, not necessarily "angry."