Editor:

I am one of 11 children; my mother, Bonnie Fondren Hicks, was born at Darling’s Landing in Point Clear. My aunt, Dorothy Fondren Bloxham, lives in Fairhope and is a youthful 94 years of age.

In my teen years, we had dinners at the Central Restaurant, sodas at Walker’s 5 & 10, watched movies at the downtown theater and attended dances at the Casino at the foot of Fairhope pier.

Over the years, I watched as many stores closed and the streets became mostly empty.

When Jim Nix was elected as mayor, he had a vision and instigated change, which created a magnet for development and all the things that follow. The task of managing development and infrastructure necessary to support the growth is a huge job, one in which mistakes are and will continue to be made.

Last year, I attended interviews with teenagers from local schools who were asked to define their perfect city. Each and every one of them described a small, friendly, safe town with protected environment, where people worked together and took care of each other.

Attendance at the Planning and Zoning meeting Monday, Dec. 3, indicated residents’ feelings about their city. The development group, represented by Christopher Baker, made an excellent presentation with thoughtful planning, agreeing to use pervious parking for 100 percent of the parking area and a retaining pond that would assist with the collection of storm-water run-off into Fly Creek.

The speakers, eloquent and impassioned in their presentations, made points echoing the thoughts of many of us.

The board, speaking to the motion of Bob Clark, including Mayor Tim Kant, Councilman Bob Gentle, Jean Wilson and Dan McCrory, recommended the rezoning be denied.

They are to be commended for their action. The decisions made by this generation of leaders, create the environment that our children will inherit, both good and bad.

Although our “little” city is little no longer, we thank them for taking this huge step in preserving the downtown area, keeping it strong and vibrant, and in continuing the vision for our children.