Fairhope, Alabama
Update 2: Purchase of this property was approved by council resolution on April 12th, item 24 on a lengthy agenda for that meeting. It was briefly discussed near the end of the prior work session, but no details were given (location was only called "Morphy Avenue"). The Times questioned the resolution later because no mention was made of the property's cost, physical address, or what it was to be used for (see at very bottom). (Costs of property are often not mentioned in a "competitive bid/purchase" environment but usually given when it is actually purchased.)
The city's Board of Adjustments is scheduled to decide whether to allow utility usage there at its May 17 meeting. The property is currently zoned R-3.
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| New location 8300 Morphy Avenue. |
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| Current substation to be relocated. |
NEW LOCATION
The city has purchased property at 8300 Morphy Avenue for the relocation and expansion of its existing electrical substation on Fairhope Avenue under the water tank; there is insufficient room for much needed capacity expansion under the water tank, and a falling object hazard has always existed there as well.
Using part of the city's large "Winn Dixie" drainage basin nearby was originally proposed (behind the ABC liquor store on Lottie Lane), but those plans fell through due to design complexities there.
Councilman Burrell: "The issue was putting it into a drainage basin, and the enormous amount of earth work that would be needed. That work would then lead to even more work on the retention area. The new site is still directly on the path it needs to be on. We feel this is a much better location for numerous reasons. The Mayor is planning to speak with local residents, but I feel this will not interfere with neighbors much at all. You won’t even notice the substation when traveling down Morphy Ave as it will be well off the road and hidden by trees. The substation will add no additional traffic and adds no population, and only the occasional vehicle. While not yet 100% certain, I believe the power lines will be underground so there will be no unsightly lines overhead, either."
To keep up with growth on the east side of town, the existing transformer is to be upgraded along with larger regulators, circuit breakers, and other associated equipment.
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| New location. |
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| Drainage basin found unsuitable. |
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| Resolution to purchase. |
Comments
The baldwin district attorney knows what's been going on.