ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — The Baldwin County Planning and Zoning Commission tabled the RV Resort petition for 30 days after a lengthy presentation by Geographic Solutions and questions from the commission and from the audience, who had signed up to present their case on Thursday evening. 

The commission called for better definition of setbacks from the wetlands, the use and function of permanent constructions, and the space and facilities for the maintenance operations. The commission also thought that not enough studies had been done on County Road 6. 

Residents of Woodland Point, which is adjacent to the proposed project on the west and south boundaries, voiced their concerns. Lou Pinella was concerned most about flooding on Shady Woods Court when site preparation and laying of RV pads began. Mary Bolander, also of Shady Woods Court, was also concerned about flooding and about losing the 60-foot easement which runs parallel to Shady Woods Court from County Road 6 to the end of the planned unit development (PUD) subdivision. She mentioned the gas line which had denied building beyond the cul-de-sac at the south end and seemed to be headed directly to the clubhouse on the proposed motorcoach resort. 

Geographic Solutions’ Scott Jackson assured Bolander that  the integrity of the easement had been factored in even though the original purpose of the easement was no longer valid. He said that the gas line across the proposed site is inert and is not related to the gas line which serves Shady Woods Court. After the meeting Jackson told The Islander that he forgot to say that the proposed lake within the complex would take care of a lot of flooding, because it will depend on volumes of water to maintain an acceptable level. 

Commissioner Arthur Oden presented two letters addressing the matter of the project. Edwin and Elizabeth Johnson of Plash Island were pro-project, and Sherri Smith of Shady Woods Court was anti-project. In an interview with Smith, The Islander learned that her concerns were centered around excessive traffic on County Six which is already in need of repair and that there is no plan for future reconditioning.

Geographic Solutions anticipates an egress to Bon Secour Village to the south where battery-powered carts can be used to solve the internal traffic problem and also anticipates a community which will not be on the roads during traditional “rush” hours. Turn lanes and merge lanes were mentioned as partial solutions to the county road traffic problems.

Fred W. Bolt talked to The Islander in Robertsdale prior to the meeting. Bolt is senior vvice president of the mixed use division of Colonial Properties.  Colonial has built 324 units on County Road 6 at State Highway 59. Bolt said that they are dedicating egress corridors to their development and hope to extend these to County Road 8 to the north of Colonial and Traditional Properties. He agreed that a traffic light is needed at County Road 8 and State Highway 59. 

For those who have not been following the motorcoach (RV) resort, here’s the current concept:  “This proposed Planned Residential Development (PRD) (RV Resorts of America) will consist of a “Class A” motorcoach resort located on 240 acres adjacent to the City of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The resort will contain approximately 771 motorcoach lots. The resulting density equals roughly3.2 dwelling units per acre. The project will consist of 5 phases….” (From Geographic Solutions, Inc., Revision of Oct. 4, 2007).