Mobile Development Thread

[phoenixboi08]

Originally Posted by (Tim)

I like the whole sha-bang! Hope this is done in my lifetime.

I have a good feeling that the city is taking this all VERY seriously. I think this will happen. I LOVE the idea of turning the civic center area into an entertainment district. It would revitatlize the downtown core and

[Scottybo]

ANNEXATION - ROUND 2

http://www.wkrg.com/local/article/annexation_round_2/16901/

News 5 has confirmed the City of Mobile will launch a new annexation plan tomorrow morning.

City Spokesperson Barbara Drummond would not get into specifics but tells us the city's new annexation plan will be quote -- "very aggressive."

Last September, despite a ton of opposition, the city annexed a chunk of West Mobile, including Mobile Terrace, Cadillac Park, the business corridor along Schillinger Road areas along Airport Blvd.

[Bogue]

I've heard several vague references about going more out in the Tillman's Corner/Theodore area, so it's not so very surprising. I think it's a good move. Lot of growth out that way lately. Plus I think I remember an article indicating that there was support in the area for becoming part of the city. I like the aggressive stance the city's taken on annexation so long as it doesn't take away from basic protection and services w/in the current city confines.

[Bogue]

Also, I would think they'd be somewhat keen to get out US 98 a bit more and to get a bit more down towards the new town on the bay.

[Scottybo]

Originally Posted by Bogue

Also, I would think they'd be somewhat keen to get out US 98 a bit more and to get a bit more down towards the new town on the bay.

I was thinking the same thing. I'm a resident of Semmes and I can see an extension north on Schillinger out to Moffett - 98. That intersection has a lot going on and a hotel as been under construction for a few months and is almost ready.

[Port_of_Bama]

I believe Tillmans Corner will be the next annexation attempt T-Corner has over 15,000 residents. It shouldent be any problems with annexing that area the people who live ou there are addressed as living in the city of Mobile anyway.


I was D.T to day and that Fantacy sure looked good coming down water street west bound ! The new gangway are what ever it is was what was stopping us from getting a bigger ship. So why is it that the Fantacy fits so perfectly with out the 3 mill gangway espansion ?

[Scottybo]

WKRG just showed a map of the annexation plan and it does run down Hwy 90 out to the Hamilton Blvd/Hwy 90 intersection in Theodore and also runs down Three Notch and Rangline Rd. Most of Theodore Industrial Complex included.

Here is the map: http://www.wkrg.com/news/flash_paper/08-14-08_Theodore_annexation/

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by Scottybo

I was thinking the same thing. I'm a resident of Semmes and I can see an extension north on Schillinger out to Moffett - 98. That intersection has a lot going on and a hotel as been under construction for a few months and is almost ready.

I agree they need to widened that area of Shillingers as well !

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by Scottybo

WKRG just showed a map of the annexation plan and it does run down Hwy 90 out to the Hamilton Blvd/Hwy 90 intersection in Theodore and also runs down Three-Notch Rd.

Hmmm so how many people do you think that will incorporate ?

Maybe 10,000 or so even though T-corner has over 15 K

[Scottybo]

The map doesn't show it hitting many of the large subdivisions in T. Corner or Theodore, so I'd say only about 3-4K. If they would have gone further west on Three Notch and Old Pascagoula, maybe 10K, but I don't see it getting that high with the borders on WKRG's map.

[Port_of_Bama]

Originally Posted by Scottybo

The map doesn't show it hitting many of the large subdivisions in T. Corner or Theodore, so I'd say only about 3-4K. If they would have gone further west on Three Notch and Old Pascagoula, maybe 10K, but I don't see it getting that high with the borders on WKRG's map.

Well I guess 4 K is better than nothing we need to be at the 200 K mark again.

[phoenixboi08]

I drove into downtown from MLK today...MAN!!!The skyline is AMAZING from that perspective. I wish I had my camera...

I think the city is taking the "plan" pretty seriously, although, it would have been nice to get some original renderings not just examples of existing buildings. But then again, I guess it's all about having an imagination.

[pkp]

Meant to post this a while back, but I would encourage everyone to visit Parkside on Conti Street Downtown. It is a very well done home decor store - very nice for anywhere, especially downtown. Also, Cathedral Square Gallery's new location across from Wintzell's is very nice - hoping someone moves into their old spot soon.

[CottonCity251]

Originally Posted by phoenixboi08

I drove into downtown from MLK today...MAN!!!The skyline is AMAZING from that perspective. I wish I had my camera...

I think the city is taking the "plan" pretty seriously, although, it would have been nice to get some original renderings not just examples of existing buildings. But then again, I guess it's all about having an imagination.

I think they'll show more renderings in their October meetings. I think the city is more agressive about putting this plan into action. Mayor Jones said this plan will be put into play(budget) unlike the String of Pearls.

[Muskavon]

Originally Posted by phoenixboi08

I think the city is taking the "plan" pretty seriously, although, it would have been nice to get some original renderings not just examples of existing buildings. But then again, I guess it's all about having an imagination.

It would have to be excessively expensive to have someone produce pages full of original renderings that won't be built just for an example document.

----

As far as the last annexation, did the county/city ever come up with a reasonable agreement on how to share some taxes regarding schools over there? I'm not at all opposed to the idea of a city annexing more but just hunting and picking off commercial areas bothers me. The two biggest negative of the approach...1) yeah, the city gets the lump of the taxes of the area, but leave the county to figure out how to pay for the services to all the residents of the surrounding places where the actual people live. Such as the school problem. 2) In some ways it's really sort of a shady way to operate, IMO. You target areas with few residents in a commercialized area (who typically are below the average standard of living) to limit the vote and produce a known result. Yet it has a real effect on the masses who live in and around the nooks and crannies created...and they don't vote.

Of course it is unfortunate the masses don't see the benifits of being under one unified local government and that's what motivates this tactic in the first place, but considering the reality...I'm not sure if taking the cream of each area and leaving the rest to fend for themselves really ultimately helps the public. But hey, maybe a few years of getting worse service will motivate those masses to want to join the city program. But would the city really want to have to serve them at that point (why extend themselves when they don't have to)? It's a tough issue, in my opinion.

[bayou15]

1)Mobile needs to just annex the whole county , like Nashville and Jacksonville did, and get it over with. City of Mobile population 415,000. We already have a good connection with the city/county leaders(minus Dean). Thanks Dean for making South MOCO a joke !

The only down fall i see they agreed on is that Damn courthouse land. I'll geaux to my grave mad about putting a park there. Again , the land is so big in size u can have both park and highrise condo/ retail mall there. O well maybe when the park gets built all of us can get together have a keg party with the BUMS and the HOMELESS, cause Im sure they will be happy!!


Later..... 15days left till Death Valley comes alive !!

[bayou15]

Can someone summerize (sp?) this for me? about building the planes in Mobile. my head hurts....http://www.mobilebaytimes.com/roundup080608.html

[Bogue]

As far as the last annexation, did the county/city ever come up with a reasonable agreement on how to share some taxes regarding schools over there?

Not really sure what you're talking about specifically, but as I understand it w/ the exception of a new district in Saraland, the entire county is one big school system (biggest in AL) and I believe there's a special tax that goes into a countywide fund for education. I think there are only 4 public HS's outside the city limits that are under the control of the county BOE, but I might be missing one. (one in the south of the county, one in Citronelle, & 2 in Pritchard, right?)... Someone else may be able to elaborate on this.

As for other services, the city's police jurisdiction usually stretches outside its borders so any annexation would put more neighborhoods under the watch of the Mobile PD. I think it's also a push so that we don't end up like other cities in the area and get surrounded by small cities. By taking the commercial areas away, it helps keep the neighborhoods from incorporating on their own. Sort of machiavellian, but the neighborhoods that don't want to be incorporated are still left to their own devices w/o being forced into the city. Eventually they'll either opt to do so or move further away from town.

Can someone summarize this for me?

Basically, a report says that building commercial jets does not hinge on whether EADS wins the tanker contract and an official w/ EADS is saying that isn't so. The tanker contract is massive, no doubt, but it's the commercial plane construction part that could be the most important long-term benefit. EADS wants to build planes in the US b/c one Euro is worth about 2 dollars right now (I'm rounding). They can pay employees the same numerical value here and still cut their costs there in half b/c of the difference in the currency exchange. It's also in their interests to create an industrial base to compete for future American defense contracts as well. It's an eventuality that they'll locate in the US, but Mobile as the site for that is what might hinge on the tanker contract.

...and I agree that the whole county would be best served by disincorporated its municipalities and re-incorporating as one single city-county. That would streamline govt. and it's been done in a number of places around the country to great effect.

I think the city is more agressive about putting this plan into action. Mayor Jones said this plan will be put into play(budget) unlike the String of Pearls.

What was in the original SoP that didn't get built? Just curious.

[Bogue]

Here's the article where Mayor Jones talks about the plan.

http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1218791760149730.xml&coll=3

The last part should help explain why it's so important.

58,000 people inside the city limits receiving city services while paying half as much to the city to pay for those services.

[Muskavon]

Originally Posted by Bogue

Not really sure what you're talking about specifically, but as I understand it w/ the exception of a new district in Saraland, the entire county is one big school system (biggest in AL) and I believe there's a special tax that goes into a countywide fund for education.

Here is a current WKRG article that sorta hints at the problem that happened with last year's annexation. I really don't understand the mechanics of it, but it is something that needs to get worked out:

http://www.wkrg.com/mobile_annexation/article/could_annexation_hurt_schools/16956/

Could Annexation Hurt Schools?

After last school year's teacher lay offs and numerous budget cuts, the last thing the Mobile County School System needs is another setback. But after losing 2.5 million to annexation last year, Mobile County School Board member Bill Meredith worries over whether it could happen again.
"How about refunding the lost revenue that's what I'd like, that's what I would've liked last time and then we wouldn't have had such a drastic cut in teachers,"Said Meredith to News Five.
City leaders believe an annexation could benefit the school system in the long run. A strategy that city attorney Larry Wettermark says includes banking on the 33.5 million dollar Thyssenkrupp deal.
"If the annexation is successful the school system will receive 8 mils more in property tax, which is a more stable tax base, which a more stable tax base and bring a number of industrial tax payers that they do not have now,"Said Wettermark.
But in the meantime, city leaders admit they're trying to avoid the affects an annexation could bring.
"Unfortunately the annexation laws do result in a short term short fall for the school system, Mayor Jones has scheduled a meeting with Superintendent Nichols to discuss that."
A spokeswoman for the City of Mobile tells Newsfive Mayor Sam Jones and Superintendent Dr. Roy Nichols will meet later this month to go over annexation plans.