Editor:

Not long ago when our community felt threatened by the corporate giant Wal-Mart, many organized to stop them. Fairhope residents were concerned about increased traffic, poor planning and a decreasing quality of life resulting from Wal-Mart’s newest development.

Many of these concerns were warranted, because Wal-Mart, in retrospect, has done a good job of managing these stated public concerns. Community organizers were successful in being heard, and Wal-Mart acted accoringly, promoting stewardship.

There is another large development project in Fairhope that, in my opinion, is much more threatening to our area’s well-being with respect to traffic, planning and life quality.

The Parker Road Project is a pefect example of what is wrong with our local planning apparatus as well as its many misguided players. The Parker Road Project does not comply with the comprehensive plan. Moreover, it does not follow the rules and regulations prescribed for the project by our own city planning department. Specifically, the inevitable water runoff and exacerbated traffic issues with respect to the plan, are egregious.

The developer intends to build 850 homes behind this big box strip center. The intersection at Parker Road and Highway 98 cannot handle the increased traffic, and neither can the Eastern Shore.

It is not the responsibility of the media to do the right thing in these instances. Instead, the people must be proactive toward demanding accountability and integrity from our public officials.

Our working papers prescribe to prevent such projects from happening, yet they do nevertheless.

I encourage concerned citizens to examine what is currently being done at the Parker Road site with respect to the plan approved by the city of Fairhope, and the comprehensive plan approved by the people.

There is little rhyme apparent; and the reason is greed.

Fairhope resident