FAIRHOPE – At the city council meeting Monday night, many citizens spoke to the council about drainage problems.

Two separate subdivisions, Spring Run and River Oaks Phase II, sent representatives to speak on their behalf.

Steve Pecot, a Fairhope resident and environmental analyst, spoke on behalf of the River Oaks residents. He said the development is struggling with a broken drainage system and runoff form adjacent developments.

“The obvious signs are two caved-in pipes and two large, five-foot deep sink holes,” Pecot said. “Residents have spent thousands of dollars of their own money in attempt to alleviate flooding on their own property as well as the neighborhood at large.”

Pecot said last year the neighborhood was inspected, and the residents were told that because no homes had flooded, the system was working as designed.

“Recent consultation with an erosion specialist revealed missing and/or broken drainage systems along our boundary, runoff from road fill from city property onto our own retention area, serious concerns about maintenance of the retention area directly north of us and several more examples,” Pecot said.

Pecot requested to be put on the work session for the next council meeting. Mayor Tim Kant said he believes this is not a unique situation to their subdivision.

“I think you’re going to find that all these retention ponds that the city and the county have been approving over the last 20-plus years are now coming back to roost,” Kant said. “They’re wearing out. I don’t know what the immediate solution is, but we’re going to have to start addressing how we’re going to deal with storm water moving forward. If one retention pond doesn’t work, the one down the stream is the one that gets impacted.”

Next to speak was Ken Graves, president of the homeowner’s association for Spring Run Place. He presented photographs of his backyard to the council members for review after a flooding incident.

“We had people buy, then sell and leave because they weren’t going to put up with it anymore,” Graves said. “Most of us living there now are senior adults, and we can’t afford to move. It’s just a fact.”

Graves said he has to utilize a pump to remove excess water from his property. He said there is also an issue with a pond, approximately the size of two lots in the development, which backs up with overflow water during a storm. The water then sits for days on end, and Graves said the only remaining option is to call Baldwin County Health Department for assistance.

A public hearing was held for the application of a franchise to operate a paddleboard instruction and rental at the main pier. A couple of audience questions were answered before a motion for immediate consideration was made and the application approved.

Also approved at the meeting was a sign ordinance, which removed the sign guidelines from the zoning ordinance into a stand-alone order. The new ordinance also pushes its effected area from the city’s corporate limits to its police jurisdiction. Signs in place currently which do not adhere to the standards will be covered under the non-conforming clause and allowed to remain as-is.

Another ordinance which was swiftly approved was a film ordinance, enacting an application process for those wanting to film in the city, as well as a $1,000 fee. Councilwoman Diana Brewer expressed concerns over deterring potential filmmakers with the fee.

Sherry Sullivan, director of community affairs and recreation, said she felt the fee was necessary for the resources used.

“You get people who need a street blocked or extra waste receptacles,” Sullivan said. “We’ve even had the fire department go out and wet the road for a county music video. So, $1,000 was the least we could ask for the services we provide for them.”

Resolutions passed include an approval of consulting services for natural gas distribution pipeline compliance, the purchase of one transformer, which was destroyed by a single car accident and authorization for Kant to execute a contract with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The contract would be for an emergency watershed protection program for the 2014 storm damage at the sewer plant and the Woodlands. The total approved budget for the project is $557,912, with 75 percent coming from the NRCS and the city providing the remainder. Provided in the contract, the projects must be completed by this fall.