Don't Relax
TimberCreek POA Meeting August 10th 2010
Please don’t relax and think this is all over, it isn’t.
The TimberCreek POA lawyer reported to the POA that he had met with Allen Cox’s lawyer and found that the application for a Conservation Easement for the Magnolia 9 had in fact NOT yet been applied for. Sure, they have been in touch with the North American Land Trust and had a look at a checklist of things they need to do, but that is all…
The amount of tax credit that TimberCreek Land Co. will receive is, of course, directly linked to the value of the land so their message to TimberCreek residents is… “If you would just let us build the service road the value of the land would go up and we would put the Magnolia 9 into a conservation easement, we promise…” Of course these are the same people that said there wouldn’t be any commercial development between Green Court and Highway 181. These are the same people that said, once the Holiday Inn was built between Green Court and 181 that there wouldn’t be any more development and that the Hotel would ensure it was well hidden from view with trees and landscaping. These are the same people… well, you get the idea.
Regular readers of this blog, and those that attended the meeting in early June, may recall Mr.Cox stating that the Conservation Easement had been applied for but it would only be concluded in January 2011 as “The NALT committee doesn’t meet until then”. A simple enquiry with NALT proved that they in fact meet once every 3 months.
Now that the local elections are over and we have at least two new Baldwin County Commissioners we are in a very dangerous position. The County engineer, Cal Markert, still hasn’t amended the paperwork with the Army Corps of Engineers so, on paper at least, the plans are still in place to go ahead with the road.
Where the money will come from given the condition of the Baldwin County budget is a mystery. Or is it? There are hints of closed door meetings between the various interested parties and our local City and County elected officials and even the suggestion that the City of Spanish Fort is in favor of the road and would be a willing contributor.
But we have the support of the Baldwin Commission, right? Well, think about it. Ed Bishop, who proposed the motion to scrap the project will be replaced by Bob James and Wayne Gruenloh (who also voted against the project) makes way for Tucker Dorsey. The business interests of Messrs James and Dorsey? Road construction & property development…!
Again, please don’t relax and think this is all over, it isn’t.
In other news during the POA meeting a resident voiced his safety concerns over the increasing number of golf carts that are being driven around the neighborhood. Enquiries had been made with the Daphne Police Department and it turns out it is in fact illegal to drive these carts on the roads. The POA discussed the option of a neighborhood ordinance to ban such vehicles. Disappointingly, one member said that he owned a golf cart and would continue to use it irrespective of POA directives (or apparently the law of the land). Elected officials telling people to do as they say not as they do… now where have I heard that before? I’m looking at you Barry from Hawaii (allegedly).
Ian: Thanks for your report on the POA meeting, Spanish Fort Council meeting, etc. I agree with you that most Timber Creek residents have let their guard down about the service road. It is still on the books and County Engineer Cal Markert is still actively pursuing the Section 404 permit from the Corps of Engineers to build the road. Hopefully the two new Baldwin county Commissioners will also oppose the service rod but we do not know. I was alarmed at the POA meeting the other night. I got the impression that some are willing to go along with the service road to get the conservation easement on Magnolia 9. If the POA does that they will be favoring the quality of life of residents near Magnolia 9 over the Timber Creek residents on the west side of Timber Creek. One only needs to look at the map to see that all the land on the strip north of I-10 is slated for commercial development. And several hundred acres on the west end of Timber Creek is likewise slated for development. So, the only fair choice for the POA is to stay with their original position and oppose the service road.
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You are correct about the continued danger that the "service road" north of I-10 may be built. County Engineer Cal Markert refuses to withdraw or modify his permit request to the Corps of Engineers which would authorize the road. Markert refuses even though the County Commissioners voted to kill the road. Makes one wonder who is in charge?? Unbelievably, one resident,just after the Aug. 10 POA meeting stated that he did not care if the "service road" were built if the Magnolia 9 golf course had a conservation easement. What! IF the conservation easement actually becomes reality and the service road is built, what is the result? The result would be that the quality of life for the Timber Creek residents on the west end of our subdivision would be sacrificed for the quality of life of those adjacent to Magnolia 9 golf course. I hope all residents of Timber Creek and the POA will hold firm against the "service road". To do less will create divisions within our wonderful community. That's a problem we must avoid.
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