Editor:

On Aug. 21, the Baldwin County Commission voted on their agenda under staff recommendation to use state code 11-19-3 and 4 to backdoor zoning to the area outside of Fairhope city limits.

The state law 11-19 states: “The county commission in each county of this state is hereby authorized and may adopt zoning ordinances and building codes for flood-prone areas which lie outside the corporate limits of any municipality in the county.”

They intend to use a surge pattern of a Category 4 hurricane. This will almost certainly encompass the entire area that opposed zoning last year. Our area currently has building permit authority from the city of Fairhope and Baldwin County departments. They have recently updated their building code. The coastal area along the bay is a zoning district. So what is the purpose to adopt a flood prone district outside of the municipally of Fairhope? The adoption of state law 11-19 designating our area a flood-prone area will allow the Baldwin County Commission authority to adopt zoning ordinances in the proposed area. The adoption of the flood-prone area will mean homeowners having to carry flood insurance. If the area does not create a plan to require homeowners to purchased flood insurance when designated a flood prone area, they (the homeowner) may be barred from future disaster assistance. That’s the rule from the National Flood Insurance Program. There might be special building code requirements such as additional height on the bottoms of building in the flood-prone areas.

Again, I am saddened by the misguided attempts to ruin citizens and most especially residents of this area with modest incomes. The citizens have seen appraisals go from every four years to annually. The county commission has not passed a resolution on going back to four-year appraisals. They passed a resolution to use state law 11-19-3 to go around a vote of the citizens of the area to zone.

The cost of insurance has gone through the roof and beyond. Where’s the relief! Some carriers are not insuring wind damage. Where’s the relief! This proposal will increase every homeowner’s insurance or possible cancellation in the area of proposal. Where’s the relief!

The RFP for a consultant to propose building codes, collect data, design the flood-prone boundary area, etc. closed Sept. 21. The county commission will be hiring a consultant very soon. The consultant will propose the flood-prone boundary and rules upon completion of their contract. The County Commission will vote on the flood-prone area after the consultant finish the works.

The public need to speak up on these unwarranted government regulations. We had a public forum on the future of south Fairhope. No city official was invited. There are other civic groups doing research on the various options, proposals and talking to city officials. We talked about this flood-prone proposal and the options for our south Fairhope community in the forum. The participants expressed a desire to get the word out on the proposal. There was a disbelief that this can happen without a vote. We are doing more research on the flood-prone zone proposal. We need input and ideas from the citizens outside of Fairhope on our future and options. My e-mail is ques26@hotmail.com.