DAPHNE, Ala. — Construction on a Bayside Academy development is going along smoothly, according to city and Bayside officials.

The Daphne Bulletin on Friday received an e-mail from a concerned Daphne resident who questioned the project, having heard rumors of a stop-work order and other blemishes in connection with construction of new classrooms. The paper checked out the allegations and officials reported no wrongdoing.

Ashley Campbell, the city’s site containment inspector, said the city has disallowed further inspections until workers finish storm drain construction and landscaping.

“This is normal,” she said. “No stop-work order has been issued.”

Campbell said she checks landscaping to ensure that erosion doesn’t cause water quality issues.

“Any time construction is adjacent to a body of water, it’s a critical area,” she said. “You’ve got to be really careful.”

Certain checks are designed to prevent environmental issues, she said. One of which involves implementing construction phases so that a small amount of land is exposed at a time.

“Bayside is using a series of silk fences,” she said. “They take them down while they’re working and put them back up before they leave.”

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management requires construction workers to follow Best Management Practices. Guidelines include the use of silk fences and covering dirt with gravel to prevent erosion, she said.

“ADEM requires they follow BMPs and Bayside is doing just that,” she said.

“People just don’t know what’s going on,” Campbell said, of concerns similar to those expressed by the resident who contacted the Bulletin. “They get concerned when they see a backhoe on the beach.”

“We meet with engineers all the time,” Tom Johnson, Bayside headmaster, said.

“We’ve had our city and fire inspections; everything’s up to code.”

“We have to go through the process just like anyone else,” he said. “In this day and age does anyone think you can just put a building up and no one notice?”

The project in question, he said, is a 15,000-square-foot building that will add 16 classrooms and restroom space to the private school’s campus — an upgrade, he said, is needed, as most of Bayside’s buildings are at least 35 years old.

The new building will house classrooms for third through sixth grades.

Johnson said Bayside has aimed to blend the new building with surrounding areas.

“It’s an attractive building,” he said. “It will have porches and a balcony with a nice southern touch.”

Are you concerned about something in the Daphne or Belforest area? Send us a story tip. We’ll check it out.

Call 626-9300, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Alternatively, you can e-mail bulletin@gulfcoastnewspapers.com.