Editor: 

Two things bother me about the current Bayside Academy Performing Arts Center project, and Belrose Stream, a perennial flowing artesian well.

One is that Headmaster Tom Johnson and the engineer for the project submitted an ADEM application and filed with the City of Daphne that said the site was not of historic significance.

That’s not true.

The site is wedged between Bayside’s administration building — which is on the Alabama Historic Register — and Belrose Stream. The school commissioned a survey of the stream about five years ago and the archeologist from Glass Associates found hand-blown bottles and at least one Mississippian-period Indian artifact. Moreover the sign erected by the Bicentennial Committee at Bayside’s entrance describes the Howard Hotel’s importance as one of the last remaining Spring Hotels and, in ancient times, a place where early ships would come for fresh water. A lesser known story is that when starving Union troops arrived, the hotel owner, a union sympathizer, came to their aid. The troops built a wharf at Howard’s and it was a major supply station that served more than 10,000 troops in the final days of the Civil War and the battles at Spanish Fort and Blakeley.

The Bicentennial plaque, the archeological survey, New York Times articles, the fact that the administration building is on the Alabama Registry — I don’t see how anyone in good conscience could say this site was not of historic significance. When I pointed out that the paperwork was incorrect at a Daphne Planning Commission meeting, my concern was just swept aside and city planners gave Bayside the green light. After the meeting, Mr. Johnson said he was unable to find the Glass Associates report, which was produced during his administration.

My second concern is that streams need to be protected with green buffers along their watershed and not used for city run-off. Such protections are given to wetlands, which are narrowly defined by soil types and peculation tests. Streams are not considered wetlands and it was the definition of a wetland that Architect Bruce Knodel used when designing this project.

In order to put a road in leading to the Performing Arts Center, much of the vegetation in the ravine leading to the stream was stripped and replaced with a retaining wall.

A buffer would allow natural habitat for animals dependent on the stream, prevent nonpoint source pollution from entering our waterways and guard against loss of property when a bluff sloughs off. Buffers also avert using taxpayer money — as was the case at Villa Mercy Stream (near Mercy Medical) and Yancey Branch — for correcting manmade problems with public-works projects.

Streams made into concrete troughs such as the one found at Eslava Creek in Mobile are unappealing. The project stopped at Belrose Stream stopped 10 feet short of the stream bed and I am grateful for that.

The project is a compromise that prevented the school from extending the existing parking lot over the stream. Even if this project were the best solution under the circumstances, I am tired of the school administration’s repeatedly circumventing ADEM regulations, elected officials’ acceptance of it and the short-sightedness of the Daphne Planning Commission when it comes to our natural resources.

I want to see innovative ideas that would buffer our waterways and recirculate runnoff on site.

My vote in the next election goes to those with the most innovative ideas on this.

Jean-Marie McDonnell

Daphne