Is Fairhope growth planned or just more suburban sprawl? (Mobile: lease, houses) - Alabama (AL) -Mobile County - City-Data Forum

2kayaks · 03-16-2009, 06:17 AM

Is growth around Fairhope planned (central shopping areas/villages with infrastructure like sidewalks and bike paths to link to residential areas) or just more suburban sprawl that we see most other places? Do many people bike/walk from home to store - or is by car the only safe alternative?

Keeper · 03-16-2009, 07:00 AM

There are a few subdivisions which have an address of Fairhope that are too far (at least for me) to walk or ride a bike to downtown. If you live in Fairhope proper you can walk or bike downtown. It has a wonderful downtown. There is a new walmart which the city kept out until recently.

2kayaks · 03-16-2009, 07:04 AM

Thanks Keeper. Do you know of any plans to provide bike paths or bike lanes from these subdivisions to shopping centers or downtown? Do many of the roads have wide shoulders or dedicated bike paths?

downtowndoll · 03-16-2009, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2kayaks

Thanks Keeper. Do you know of any plans to provide bike paths or bike lanes from these subdivisions to shopping centers or downtown? Do many of the roads have wide shoulders or dedicated bike paths?

They have better than most Alabama towns, but the sidewalks are mostly along HWY 98 and just aren't used much as far as I can tell (my mom lives over there in Rock Creek). I lived over there for a little bit while we were renovating our historic home. I just was not impressed with life over there. Maybe if you lived in the historic Fruit and Nut area.......then I'd like that but it's so expensive and the homes weren't built well (it was a resort area long ago).
There are some nice trails along the Bay but not the whole way. People on bikes get hit a lot; I'm reading all the time about someone being hit over there.

They are trying to control suburban sprawl but don't seem very successful about it. People unsuccessfully fought a new Wal-Mart. Personally, I cannot see much difference between their areas and any other in Alabama. They continue to put in subdivisions willy-nilly and now they can't even sell the lots because the demand is gone.

I would contact their Chamber of Commerce to find out future plans. It's a nice place and the seed of the idea is there, but it's disappointing people don't get how surburban sprawl raises ours taxes, etc. I applaud you for thinking ahead.

The city of Mobile has bike trails and plans for more, but we are just not there either. Midtown has the infrastructure but our government isn't very proactive about it. Most of the council members live in subdivisions and have NO understanding of the national push for combatting urban sprawl so what can we expect?

unstoppablemobile · 03-17-2009, 04:12 PM

Fairhope proper (west of 98) still has its charm especially in central downtown. But as for everywhere else, its just like the rest of Mobile and especially Baldwin county.. sprawl sprawl everywhere. Though I will say those new neighborhoods and "lifestyle centers" sure do know how to clear cut everything in sight!

downtowndoll · 03-23-2009, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unstoppablemobile

Fairhope proper (west of 98) still has its charm especially in central downtown. But as for everywhere else, its just like the rest of Mobile and especially Baldwin county.. sprawl sprawl everywhere. Though I will say those new neighborhoods and "lifestyle centers" sure do know how to clear cut everything in sight!

I went to see my mom in Fairhope this weekend and she pointed out the new Publix that is on 98 by Rock Creek.

I told her I was surprised that got approved by the powers that be in Fairhope and "didn't they fight it?" She said they tried but too many people in Fairhope wanted it, just like the Super Walmart.

So much for fighting urban sprawl in Fairhope!

Southlander · 03-23-2009, 12:38 PM

"Suburban?" LOL! Fairhope is too far from ANYTHING to be suburban!

humacaena · 03-24-2009, 08:26 PM

Many people, including myself, are welcoming Publix. The Food World has closed, as it the company, Brunos, is in chapter 11. So a new wonderful store is great! The Wal Mart is 3 miles out of town, so it is not downtown as some of you might imply. There is a lot of Fairhope that is not Rock Creek. I leased a home there while our home intown was being built, and it is another large subdivision just like many in other cities...including Mobile. Some people like that lifestyle, with the golf and tennis clubs. Others like the intown living. There is also Scenic 98...with beautiful bike paths all the way south into Point Clear and past the Grand. Many people walk or bike by the pier and south on Mobile street. Again, a small town with a bit of everything for every taste. And all price ranges...believe me.

downtowndoll · 03-30-2009, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by humacaena

Many people, including myself, are welcoming Publix. The Food World has closed, as it the company, Brunos, is in chapter 11. So a new wonderful store is great! The Wal Mart is 3 miles out of town, so it is not downtown as some of you might imply. There is a lot of Fairhope that is not Rock Creek. I leased a home there while our home intown was being built, and it is another large subdivision just like many in other cities...including Mobile. Some people like that lifestyle, with the golf and tennis clubs. Others like the intown living. There is also Scenic 98...with beautiful bike paths all the way south into Point Clear and past the Grand. Many people walk or bike by the pier and south on Mobile street. Again, a small town with a bit of everything for every taste. And all price ranges...believe me.

I was responding about "urban sprawl" to the original poster who asked about that because they are aware of the problems with it. There is a grass roots movement to make people aware of the problems with building houses/ developments endlessly and about how to plan in a more efficient way. How many times do people move in their lifetime? I myself built 3 houses in 10 years with no clear idea of how I may or may not be affecting the environment. This is why I now live in the historic district because at least now I know how to make decent decisions about commute times, etc. Some of what you describe is "urban sprawl" and while it may seem "nice" and "not downtown", is actually not good planning in the long run for cities or our taxes.

Check out a book on urban sprawl so you know what we are talking about.
How Urban Sprawl is Undermining America's Environment, Economy and Social Fabric by F. Kaid Benfield. You may find yourself tiptoeing around that subject soon at a party in the Fruit and Nut district. LOL! My mom has told me funny stories about people that won't talk to the people that come in from elsewhere and build some monstrosity in their district. My mom personally doesn't care about urban sprawl which is why she now drives 30-40 minutes back and forth to Mobile for work.

Allowing Publix & Walmart in Fairhope proper was a sellout. And also allowing a giant Rock Creek in the city limits of Fairhope wasn't the best idea either. And there are people there who get very angry about that it is even happening because they understood the problems with urban sprawl and also how big stores eat up the smaller companies.

Fairhope's development was different from what was happening in Daphne and Spanish Fort, which is obviously over-developed. The cute little shops in their wonderful downtown were developed mostly because the city fathers wouldn't allow big box people in the area. This gave Fairhope an edge over the other places.

unstoppablemobile · 04-07-2009, 09:51 PM

You want to talk about idiot overdevelopment, look further east at Crestview and Defuniak Springs down to Santa Rosa Beach... totally clueless. I refuse to visit my bud in Crestview as traffic is a complete catastrophe. I personally HATE new developments and their cookie cutter homes with the clear cut everything attitudes. Give me streets and neighborhoods with character. My dads neighbor owned 18 acres of land in western mobile county, the dingleberrys who he sold it to, cut down dozens of live oaks that were easily 50+ years old and had beautiful canopies. Now its just treeless with dozens of unlived in homes.. totally wasted in every regard. Honestly I dont see why new construction is even sought now due to the huge number of overbuilt homes still out there. I just dont get sprawl!