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County Leaders Talk Roads, Taxes, Zoning And More At Town Hall Meeting
July 2, 2008
Roads, zoning, taxes and economic development topped discussion at a town hall meeting with top Escambia County leaders Tuesday night in Molino.
District 5 Commissioner Kevin White, Commission Chairman Gene Valentino, County Administrator Bob McLaughlin and a host of department leaders met with about three dozen concerned citizens at Molino Park Elementary School.
“There’s a lot of rezoning on the south end,” asked Patty Helton Davis, a North Escambia resident and Atmore real estate agent. “Why not on the north end?”
Davis said current zoning laws allow just one property division of ten acres, a law that hurts those in the north end that own large parcels of land. They are unable to subdivide their property in order to sell it.
“It really does hamper a lot of people,” she said. “It hurts a lot of elderly people.”
“The Land Development Code (LDC) needs to be rewritten,” White said.
“Individuals can apply to have their property rezoned,” said Lloyd Kerr, directory of planning and zoning. “But we are looking at the entire LDC.”
“But that’s a lot of expense on the individual landowner,” Davis reponded.
Many others expressed their concerns about various North Escambia roads at the town hall meeting.
Regi Burkett, chief of the Century Volunteer Fire Department, said the shoulders of Highway 4, Highway 4A and Byrneville road need attention because of deep ruts alongside the roads in many locations.
“These roads need some attention up there,” Burkett said. “We are having a lot of accidents up there.”
Another resident expressed his concerns about Pine Barren Road between Breastworks Road and Highway 4 near Northview High School. While it has been paved for several years, it has never had lines painted or reflectors installed.
“When it rains, you see nothing,” he said. “There are a lot of school buses that use that road, and a lot of kids driving to the high school.”
Other road discussions at the meeting centered around paving dirt roads in North Escambia.
One resident questioned why a portion of Cedar Tree Lane remains unpaved while both ends were paved.
“It all comes down to right of way problems,” White said. “We never got the right of way on that section of road.”
Another right of way problem has prevented Fairground Road in Molino from being paved due to two landowners, Rich Andrews from the county’s engineering department said.
“I’m one of those two people,” one man said. “But you tried to take all of the right of way from my yard and none from my neighbors.”
“If you will take half of the right of way from my yard and half from my neighbor’s, I’ll sign the agreement tonight,” he said.
Another resident asked why Highway 97 from Molino to the Alabama state line had not been widened to four lanes, especially with the growth of the Rivercane area and casino north of Atmore.
“That’s a state highway,” McLaughlin said. “But it’s the second priority for widening in a two county area.”
McLaughlin said he has a meeting scheduled with Congressman Jeff Miller to discuss possibly widening the road under an agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation, much like was done between Florida and Alabama when Alabama 113 was approved for four lanes.
The acquisition of the old Molino school was also discussed. White said the Escambia County School Board was asking $400,000 for the old Molino School and $4 million for the old Wedgewood Middle. The county had made a $2 million offer for both schools and is awaiting action by the school board.
One resident asked why there is no recycling bin located in Molino while one is located at the Oak Grove Convenience Center and at the Century Courthouse. They suggested the back parking lot of the Molino Volunteer Fire Department as a possible location. McLaughlin said he would investigate the idea.
“What about property tax relief,” one man asked.
“You are probably looking at a one mil rollback if I had to guess,” White said.
Valentino said he believes the county has saved as much as it possibly can with the elimination of many positions. The county is back to 2002 staffing levels with early retirements and other cuts.
“I’m scared to cut any further,” Valentino said. “If we cut further, we’d be cutting essential services.”
Pictured above: Commissioner Chairman Gene Valentino (left) and Commissioner Kevin White address a town hall meeting Tuesday night at Molino Park Elementary. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Comments
3 Responses to “County Leaders Talk Roads, Taxes, Zoning And More At Town Hall Meeting”
Another road on the north end that has a mile of pavement in the middle and both ends are dirt road is Occie Phillips Road. The right of way has been signed over and is waiting on the county. At this time, with budget constraints, it will never be paved. The north end is a forgotten territory.
A recycling bin has been placed behind Molino Park Elementary for the school as well as the community.
I wonder if any of those “essential services” include the conference at Doral Golf Resort and Spa (story posted 6/26/08) that Valentino attended.
Regi Burkett is right about Hwy 4 and Byrneville Road. The roads are so narrow. If you have a log truck or something you’re really in trouble: you’re worried you’re going to be hit on the left and worried you’ll run off the road and lose control on the right. Flooding is terrible on Hwy 4 too.