Area Recovers from Severe Storms
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COMMUNITY CALENDAR: Ongoing and Upcoming Events, PAGE 4 UAB cardiologists say new calcium supplement study no reason to panic The Islander PAGE 15 INSIDE JANUARY 11, 2017 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ Council wrestles with drainage GSPD luncheon issues, zoning The Gulf Shores Police and Fire depart- ment recently enjoyed adjustments an appreciation dinner from members of the By CRYSTAL COLE community. For more “Excavating [email protected] on this, turn to Page 34. Area recovers the wetlands Residents of the Bayou would help Creek subdivision may soon see some relief from the water get from severe storms drainage issues in their out of that neighborhood after the whole ditch because the Orange Beach City Council Polar Bear Dip voted unanimously to make pipe has been silted in at a $19,500 one-time appro- the end.” A huge crowd turned priation. out for the Flora-Bama’s Rex Walker, president of Kit Alexander, Director annual Polar Bear Dip the Bayou Creek Property of Engineering and on New Year’s Day. To Owners’ Association, said Community Development see all the excitement while he and other home- for the City of Orange and revelry, turn to owners had worked to try to Beach Page 33 and check out manage the wetlands area this year’s event. near their neighborhood that serves for drainage yards there.” purposes, it had been diffi- Kit Alexander, Director cult for them to work in. of Engineering and Com- “The only thing we’ve munity Development for done is go in and cut down the City of Orange Beach, pine trees and basic pop- said the elevation of slabs corn trees we’ve cut down,” with some of the newer Walker said. “This is the construction in the subdivi- ‘Painting in Pastel’ first time we’ve been able to sion has also contributed to have a Corps of Engineers the drainage issues. Gulf Shores pastel permit to do anything with “The elevation of the artist Tommy Vogel BY CRYSTAL COLE/GCM STAFF PHOTOS heavy equipment in there, slabs in this part means will conduct a class The new year came into Baldwin County with a group of severe storms last week that but it’s silted in so high the swale in this location is “Painting in Pastel” this brought with them high winds, lightning and flooding in some areas of the county. Wind now that on the north side, high,” Alexander said. “The morning. The six week damage was the major threat to the Island, with business signage, roofing and fencing there’s problems all over pipe he was speaking about class is Jan. 11 through sustaining some damage across Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan and Orange Beach. with water drainage. And is the same thing - there’s Feb. 13, from 10 a.m. the pipe that goes under the a swale back here that ac- until noon at the Gulf By CRYSTAL COLE tained substantial damage. The tor- road on the south side of cepts these lots that goes Coast Arts Alliance Art [email protected] nado-like winds and torrential rains the street - where it drains under the street and over to the wetlands. Excavating Gallery. Students will blew down a portion of the zoo’s under the road to 200 feet to Last week’s severe storms blew the wetlands would help the complete a painting in perimeter wall, uprooted trees and the back of Lot 50, the wet- through our area with flash flood water get out of that whole each class. All supplies snapped limbs, crushed fences, dam- lands are higher than the warnings, tornado warnings and high aged animal habitats and cages and end of the pipe so there’s no ditch because the pipe has are included in the $120 wind alerts, with most of the damage flooded the zoo grounds. Thankfully, way that water can drain been silted in at the end.” fee. Call 251-948-2627 for occurring in the Gulf Shores and Or- no animals were harmed. into the wetlands. Actually, Walker said part of the more information, and ange Beach areas of the county. it just stays at that constant for the complete events The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo sus- SEE STORM, PAGE 5 level behind all of those SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 2 calendar from across the Islander coverage area, turn to Page 4. Gulf Shores, development partner apply for hotel to anchor proposed beach project DEATHS PAGE 21 Courtesy OF THE CITY OF GULF Boulevard and West 1st mingham-based developer SHORES Street. Ron Durham and architect Burton C. Beck Sr., Ed.D. If approved, the hotel will Mack McKinney in response Adelynn Gay Boudin The City of Gulf Shores serve as an anchor on the to a Request for Proposals is- JoAn Marie Burt announced Friday that it has two-acre site for a proposed sued by the city in the spring Faye Alice Cannon joined with a private devel- mixed-use development that of 2015. Carlos Rutherford opment partner to apply to will include a restaurant, “We issued the RFP in Dorman team with an international street level retail and a third hopes of finding the right Ruth Douglas hotel brand to construct a floor pool deck overlooking partner and project to ad- Donna Lynn Francis 240-room full service hotel, the public beach. vance our efforts to enhance Richard Alan Olson spa and meeting facility on The estimated $80 million our beach area and continue city-owned property located project is being proposed by a Carl Blaine Taylor A mock-up of the proposed project, announced Fri- at the corner of West Beach development team led by Bir- SEE HOTEL, PAGE 2 day by the City of Gulf Shores. INDEX Gulf BALDWIN LIVING, 6-7 OPINION, 8-9 Coast CLASSIFIED, 22-23 PUZZLES, 32 Media HEALTH, 14-16 SPORTS, 10-12 VOLUME 41 • ISSUE 3 LEGALS, 24-31 TV LISTINGS, 17-20 1 SECTION • 36 PAGES 2 • The Islander • January 11, 2017 • Gulf Coast Media resolution. be getting involved in to fix Panning staff called “When a developer comes Wharf already enjoys. COUNCIL “This resolution does not it for everyone in that sur- the zip line construction a in, they want as few park- “We made it to where you CONTINUED FROM 1 stand as precedent to any rounding area like we have “minor modification” to ex- ing spaces as they can get,” can walk around holding issue stems from a 10 foot future commitment of city before. I feel strongly that isting plan at the Wharf. Kennon said. “Then, once alcohol in a cup all around easement in their subdi- resources to the privately this should be our problem The newly moved zip line people come in, they want the development, so to me vision that is used to get owned facility,” Silvers and we need to fix it.” will have more than 6,000 as many parking spaces as we’re already walking out- drainage to the wetlands said. “This appropriation Councilman Jeff Boyd linear feet of zip line that they can get. It’s funny how side next to children with from about 60 neighboring is done only to address agreed with Kennon. will originate in the park- that happens.” open cups,” properties. the limited public purpose “We’ve done this for ing lot behind the Cowgirls Silvers also raised the Mitchell said. “I have a He added that with the outlined above, as long as every other project in the restaurant. question about storage for problem speaking out of plan developed to address we can show it will serve a four years I’ve been here,” “I’m glad they found a items like boats, which he one side of mouth with this the issues, some of the public purpose. With that Boyd said. “I personally home,” Kennon said. “I do said residents to that devel- project when we’ve already problems could be ad- wording in there, it makes think we should just take think this is a good place for opment would likely want made The Wharf an enter- dressed easily. me feel better than I did a it. When we’ve come across them.” to have. tainment district. I’ve seen few weeks ago.” drainage issues as a city, “This is Orange Beach, people walking around with “We talked about tak- Questions about parking ing some equipment and Mayor Tony Kennon we’ve helped. Every one so they’re going to want alcohol and children coex- going in to make the trench said he sees the project as a that we’ve come across requirements for to have a boat,” Silvers isting.” deeper on the new homes city project because of the that was a victim situation, residential developments said.“What’s going to hap- She added her concerns that have the increased drainage coming into the we’ve helped. I think we Council members punted pen with storage because that not granting the li- height requirement, which neighborhood from outside approve this and I think we a decision on a planned they’re going to try to keep cense could cause the the- should help some there properties. figure out a way the city unit development proposal it there if they can get away ater to leave. with flow to the wetlands,” “If it only dealt with takes it over.” at the end of Canal Square with it. We have to protect “Most people are not Walker said. “That should Bayou Place, it’d be a totally City staff stressed this Lane, as questions about from that.” going to buy alcohol there correct some of the prob- different scenario, but these plan was by no means a parking space requirements The proposal was held because they can’t imagine lems on the north side of poor folks bought a house permanent solution to the arose.