Editor:

The old adage foretells that sometimes, if you give someone enough rope, they will hang themselves.

Recently it was announced that the landowner/developer of the Parker Road Publix Project, who is not a Fairhope citizen, has offered to donate land adjacent to the site for the purpose of locating a fire station. While this appears philanthropic, it is insidious at best, since, in my opinion, it only further violates the stated intentions of the master plan which attempt to safeguard the community from such manipulation and exploitation toward their detriment.

The developer wants a fire station at Parker Road so he can build an 800-home subdivision behind Publix. Environmental concerns aside (Fly Creek is dying from runoff), Highway 98 cannot encumber another 2,000 subdivision cars without adversely affecting commute times and road safety.

The master plan clearly states that Fairhope is to remain cognizant of its small-town feel and honor its stated village intentions. The Publix Project, in this regard, violates the letter and spirit of the master plan because it is not a village, is not within the three designated village areas, and is really a big box strip center that has already spawned one gray box in the strip center that once held Food World.

With one major lawsuit looming in federal court and perhaps others to follow, one can only wonder how much rope is left in Fairhope.

Fairhope