Orange Beach, landowner settle suit over eminent domain
John Mullen • April 29, 2023
City will ultimately pay $3.3 million for 16.66 acres
Orange Beach, Ala. – (OBA) – Orange Beach and landowner Georgene Conner have settled a lawsuit over an eminent domain claim by the city for 16.66 acres in the Powerline Road area.
According to an item on the May 1 city council regular meeting agenda, the city will pay Conner $3.3 million for the property. The settlement says the city already paid just over $2 million and must now repay the rest or about $1.2 million.
The council will meet in a joint work/regular session on May 1 at 5 p.m. at city hall in council chambers.
During the regular session, the council will discuss:
- Reappointing Sherry Brandler to the library board and her current term expires on May 31. Her new term would expire on May 31, 2027.
- Authorizing an addendum to the employee health plan for pharmacy claims services.
- Awarding a bid of $91,013 for warehouse repairs to the Public Works building to Sun Coast Builders
- Declaring certain property owned by the city as surplus and authorizing its sale at auction on govdeals.com. This lot includes nine vehicles, mostly pickup trucks, a 15-passenger van and two U-haul trucks.
- Authorizing a contract with MINT Décor for the interior design of city hall.
- Authorizing a memorandum of understanding with Gulf Shores International Airport if a crash or fire is classified as a level 3 alert. Baldwin 911 would then dispatch units from fire departments in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
- Authorizing the execution of an amended agreement with the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program.
- Resolution approving the submission of the 2022 Municipal Water Pollution Prevention (MWPP) annual report.
- Authorizing a public notice for a meeting to related to economic development at The Wharf and the property it recently acquired north of the Intracoastal Waterway near the failed Bama Bayou project.
- A resolution establishing fees for use of the Performing Arts Center and its equipment.
During the work session, the council will discuss:
- Moving the July 4 council meeting date to July 11.
- Setting a meeting for the Solid Waste Authority with a suggested date of May 16.
- Awarding the bid for Fire Station No. 1 roof repairs.
- Adopting a financial management policy as recommended by the city’s auditors “for the purpose of providing direction in budgeting, reserve balances, debt management and accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices.
- Hiring The Appraisal and Consultant Group to determine the value of the Orange Beach Event Center for a price between $12,000 and $20,000.
- Authorizing a contract with Joan Hill to provide water aerobics at the Orange Beach Aquatic Center.
- Changing the speed limit on portions of Alabama 180 in the area of the construction of the new roundabout. The proposed changes would have the limit from State Route 161 to Bay Circle at 35 mph, from Bay Circle to Wilson Boulevard at 40 mph and east beyond Wilson at 45 mph or greater.
- Setting public hearing dates of May 16 for the Rollins Road planned unit development and a conditional use permit for Liberty Linen Warehouse & Boat/RV Storage addition.
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