1,000 signatures reached
To: Baldwin County Legislative Delegation
AGAINST Fort Morgan Annexation!
We, the undersigned, urge you to VOTE AGAINST or otherwise take action to halt, impede, or abandon the proposed legislation for annexation of Fort Morgan properties by the City of Gulf Shores that will be introduced in the 2024 Regular Session of the Legislature of Alabama, sponsored by Rep. Frances Holk-Jones. As a member of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation, you have the power to stop this abhorrent legislation from proceeding.
Why is this important?
Encroachment upon Fort Morgan by the City of Gulf Shores has long been contested by the residents and property owners of Fort Morgan, including a successful lawsuit in 2012 that challenged the city's attempt to annex the Fort Morgan Road (ref: https://law.justia.com/cases/alabama/supreme-court/2012/1101440.html ). Residents of Fort Morgan have also established the Fort Morgan Civic Association (FMCA), whose Planning and Zoning Advisory Committee was established in 2015 by an act of the Alabama State Legislature (ref: https://www.fortmorgancivic.org/planning-zoning-info.html ) to challenge zoning changes and other actions that would likewise threaten the rural nature of this historic and beautiful area.
And now, we are once again facing an attempt by the City of Gulf Shores to annex parts of Fort Morgan, this time through legislative annexation. We need our elected officials to take action AGAINST this legislation in order to preserve the pristine natural beauty and rural character of the Fort Morgan peninsula.
Despite the actions of the very few property owners listed in the bill, annexation by the City of Gulf Shores is widely opposed by the vast majority of property owners in Fort Morgan. A recent special meeting of the FMCA on Friday, April 12, 2024 resulted in approximately 70 members being present to discuss the topic with Cliff McCollum, Director Of Constituent Services for the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation. Many of the members present spoke out against the legislation.
Additionally, it appears that the sponsors and stakeholders of this legislative annexation have been negligent in their legal duty to notify the FMCA as per the 2015 legislation referenced above. To date, none of the groups involved in the annexation attempt has contacted the FMCA to serve notice about the proposed changes. Public Notice was published in the newspapers of Gulf Coast Media, but publication arguably does not meet the standards and requirements of notifying the FMCA directly, as indicated in the 2015 legislatio. Cliff McCollum noted in the FMCA special meeting on 4/12/2024 that “they should have” notified the FMCA, per the law. To date, neither the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation, the City of Gulf Shores, nor any of the other property owners seeking annexation has contacted or properly notified the FMCA about this proposed change in county and city boundaries. And while it is not required by law, clearly a forum for public discussion on the topic is needed in order to hear arguments for and against annexation. As servants of their constituencies, the members of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation should see fit to conduct a public hearing on this divisive topic. I strongly believe that these issues and inconsistencies in the Public Notice represent a failure to adequately notify the FMCA and serve the public interest as required by state law. For that reason, we again implore our elected officials in the Alabama state government to take action AGAINST this legislation in the interest of the public.
Additionally, residents here caution that any commercial development of the land on Fort Morgan peninsula further threatens the habitat of the Alabama beach mouse, an endangered species that is protected by federal law (ref: https://www.fws.gov/species/alabama-beach-mouse-peromyscus-polionotus-ammobates ). The annexation of Fort Morgan properties by the City of Gulf Shores will allow the City to change zoning without FMCA approval, and to promote commercial development in locations within the beach mouse's protected habitat area, which will increase the existential threat to this delicate species of animal. Again, we urge you to take action AGAINST this legislation and protect our local endangered species.
And now, we are once again facing an attempt by the City of Gulf Shores to annex parts of Fort Morgan, this time through legislative annexation. We need our elected officials to take action AGAINST this legislation in order to preserve the pristine natural beauty and rural character of the Fort Morgan peninsula.
Despite the actions of the very few property owners listed in the bill, annexation by the City of Gulf Shores is widely opposed by the vast majority of property owners in Fort Morgan. A recent special meeting of the FMCA on Friday, April 12, 2024 resulted in approximately 70 members being present to discuss the topic with Cliff McCollum, Director Of Constituent Services for the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation. Many of the members present spoke out against the legislation.
Additionally, it appears that the sponsors and stakeholders of this legislative annexation have been negligent in their legal duty to notify the FMCA as per the 2015 legislation referenced above. To date, none of the groups involved in the annexation attempt has contacted the FMCA to serve notice about the proposed changes. Public Notice was published in the newspapers of Gulf Coast Media, but publication arguably does not meet the standards and requirements of notifying the FMCA directly, as indicated in the 2015 legislatio. Cliff McCollum noted in the FMCA special meeting on 4/12/2024 that “they should have” notified the FMCA, per the law. To date, neither the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation, the City of Gulf Shores, nor any of the other property owners seeking annexation has contacted or properly notified the FMCA about this proposed change in county and city boundaries. And while it is not required by law, clearly a forum for public discussion on the topic is needed in order to hear arguments for and against annexation. As servants of their constituencies, the members of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation should see fit to conduct a public hearing on this divisive topic. I strongly believe that these issues and inconsistencies in the Public Notice represent a failure to adequately notify the FMCA and serve the public interest as required by state law. For that reason, we again implore our elected officials in the Alabama state government to take action AGAINST this legislation in the interest of the public.
Additionally, residents here caution that any commercial development of the land on Fort Morgan peninsula further threatens the habitat of the Alabama beach mouse, an endangered species that is protected by federal law (ref: https://www.fws.gov/species/alabama-beach-mouse-peromyscus-polionotus-ammobates ). The annexation of Fort Morgan properties by the City of Gulf Shores will allow the City to change zoning without FMCA approval, and to promote commercial development in locations within the beach mouse's protected habitat area, which will increase the existential threat to this delicate species of animal. Again, we urge you to take action AGAINST this legislation and protect our local endangered species.