RUN AWAY TRAIN

December 20, 2018

I apologize that The Ripp Report missed the last two Wonderful Wednesday’s, we should be back on schedule by the first of the new year.

Baldwin County has 14 municipalities, 14 Mayors, a County Commission and 15 different Planning and Zoning departments, throughout Baldwin County, all work independent of each other.

Municipalities

Please Read: baldwincountyal.gov/all-mobile/government/municipalities

For instance Daphne allows apartments to be built on Highway 98, within a mile Fairhope approves apartments also on 98. In between the approximately 500 apartments are three traffic lights and a school zone. Daphne and Fairhope never communicated with one another as to the traffic or other issues that were impacted by their independent decisions.

At least one person is paying attention, Miriam Boutwell. She has helped to establish, Plan Lower AL Now {PLAN}. Baldwin County desperately needs such an organization as , PLAN. Let’s hope the municipalities and county commission agree and participate.

Group formed to address South Baldwin growth - Lagniappe Mobile

In the past, if Miriam Boutwell was presented with a problem in her role as Foley’s community development director, she and her staff had to find a way to solve it. But with a new organization she helped establish, Plan Lower AL Now (PLAN), there might be another person within the group who has already …

Please Read: lagniappemobile.com/group-formed-to-address-south-baldwin-growth/

The need for PLAN becomes even more apparent when you consider the latest statistics involving residential growth within the county.

Some say Baldwin County is experiencing, “unprecedented growth”, a better description is a Runaway Train and there is no conductor.

Baldwin residential growth continues to soar - Lagniappe Mobile

PHOTO: State and local officials participate in the Dec. 10 groundbreaking on a new manufacturing facility in Bay Minette for Southern Visions, LLP, makers of Sweet Brew tea and lemonade. The numbers are staggering when it comes to residential growth in Baldwin County, with as many as 6,600 homes, apartment units or vacation rentals underway, …

Please Read: lagniappemobile.com/baldwin-residential-growth-continues-to-soar/

Foley: 545% Increase in the number of residential units, added in the last two years. In the final stages are 1276 lots I over 50 subdivisions.

Fairhope with 1200 residential lots in 17 different subdivisions.

Orange Beach “ 2018 the most single year development in the city’s history.”

Gulf Shores 1382 lots approved for 17 subdivisions.

Daphne 683 residential lots approved for 16 subdivisions.

Unincorporated Baldwin County has 693 single family permits issued with 4 multifamily housing.

The estimated population of Baldwin County was 212,000 in 2017. The Train is bring another 100,000 plus.

If you think traffic is bad now, just wait, there is a Runaway Train heading your way.

Somebody definitely needs a PLAN.