Missing Ono Island cats spark outrage

Sunday, March 23, 2008

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

ONO ISLAND -- With people like the "Cat Lady" around, this gated community has generally been a pretty good place to be a feral cat.

There are frequent feedings, only a smattering of natural predators, and plenty of scrubby, rolling terrain in which to take cover.

But according to some people on the island, things changed last week with the arrival of a trapper hired to clear out as many of the wild Ono cats as he could.

Since then, tales of vanished pets and decimated colonies of free-roaming cats have persisted.

"I've just got a black hole in my heart," said the Cat Lady, whose name is Mary Hall.

She said that six of the 12 cats that she feeds in her yard are missing.

"I knew the stink that was going to come up," said Gary Casper, the licensed trapper who was hired by the Ono Island Property Owners Association to corral feral cats on the island as well as on state-owned property on Perdido Key. "The POA didn't know the stink that was going to come up."

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

The boat ramp, the mouse and the cat

By HARDY JACKSON
Special to the Press-Register

OK. Here are the facts, as best I can ascertain.

The beach mouse is endangered; we know that. So anything that would further endanger what is already in danger cannot be allowed.

Recreational boating is a big deal down along the Alabama Gulf Coast. It entertains folks and brings in a lot of money.

Orange Beach has two public boat ramps, at Cotton Bayou and Boggy Point. When the weather warms and the weekends come, the public, for whom the ramps were built, uses them -- a lot. Cars and trucks and trailers spill out of the parking area, line the shoulder of the road, obstruct traffic, and inconvenience everybody.

Solution? Build another public ramp.

Where? Well, how about on five acres of state-owned land on Perdido Key, which has easy access to the Gulf?

But there is opposition.

Across the way is Ono Island, a gated enclave where multimillionaires have mega-mansions. They don't want the ramp. And on Perdido Key, near the place where the ramp is to be built, are the Caribe Resort condominiums. Those folks don't want it, either.

Why? Because it would further endanger the endangered Perdido Key beach mouse.

Say what?

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

The good, bad and ugly outdoors stories of 2007

Sunday, December 30, 2007

by Jeff Dute, Outdoors Editor

I told myself I wasn't going to fall into the trap of feeling compelled to write a "Top 10" list of outdoors stories of the year, being that this will be my first New Year's spent at the Press-Register. I really wanted to do something original and maybe even a little thought-provoking.

I started thinking about just what did happen this year in the outdoors in southwest Alabama and across the state and realized it was a pretty original and thought-provoking year.

THE BAD -- I think the Conservation Department blew a great chance to give the people of Alabama a first-class boat ramp on the coast when it passed the buck to the Baldwin County Commission to decide whether the City of Orange Beach could build a three-ramp facility on about five acres of state-owned land on Perdido Key.

Politics got in the way of what should have been a no-brainer call on the state and local levels.

The Baldwin commission's 2-2 vote on asking the state for permission to begin the permitting process shut down Orange Beach's efforts for now, but I am encouraged by that city's commitment to providing much-needed launch facilities on the Alabama coast.

Despite opponents' disingenuous environmental arguments against the ramp's proposed location, I still believe it is without a doubt the best place to build a new launch facility.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

County lands in debate on boat launch

Orange Beach officials request opportunity to move forward; opponents want to stop process

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

By VIRGINIA BRIDGES

Staff Reporter

BAY MINETTE -- A request from a state official has put the Baldwin County Commission in the middle of a debate over the city of Orange Beach's proposal to build a boat launch on Perdido Key.

Orange Beach officials have requested permission from the state's commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources to submit a permit application to build a five-ramp boat launch on state park property on the north side of Perdido Key, about a half-mile from Perdido Pass. The plan includes landscaping, rest rooms, an office and a 112-space parking area covered with a permeable surface intended to allow the natural drainage and migration of water into the ground.

Commissioners said they planned to vote at their formal meeting next week on whether and what request they support. The 8:30 a.m. Tuesday meeting will be held in Bay Minette in County Commission's chambers off Courthouse Square.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Click here to see an aerial view of the proposed boat launch.

Launch proposal opposed

Sunday, December 02, 2007

By RYAN DEZEMBER

Staff Reporter

ORANGE BEACH -- Plans by the city to build a $2 million public boat launch on Perdido Key have met formidable opposition from an unlikely tandem: the moneyed residents of Ono Island and the endangered Perdido Key beach mouse.

To be sure, city officials knew from the start that the 5 state-owned acres upon which they propose building a boat launch and parking lot are within the 1,300 acres of habitat that federal scientists have deemed crucial to the mouse's survival.

Like anyone wanting to build a house or condo tower in the habitat, the city must seek the blessing of federal regulators, said Orange Beach Coastal Resources Manager Phillip West.

Click here to read the full article from the Mobile Press-Register.

Letter to the Editor: Proposed Orange Beach Boat Launch

Following is a letter to the editor written by Gene Meyers of Paradise Marine in Gulf Shores.

SHOULD A VOCAL MINORITY WITH POLITICAL CLOUT BE ABLE TO HALT A PUBLIC PROJECT THAT WILL BENEFIT ALL OF ALABAMA’S CITIZENS?

Click here to view the ad that appeared in the Mobile Press-Register.

Why YOUR support is needed, and YOUR voice must be heard in Montgomery!

If you are a boater, or concerned citizen, you need to read this information, as the consequences will impact your boating enjoyment, and your rights as an Alabamian. The proposed 5 acre Boat Launch Facility would be located on Old River between the Caribe Resort and Ono Island Bridge. The property was to be provided by the State of Alabama and leased to the City of Orange Beach, who would fund and build the project. For the boating public and our community this project is long overdue. Public access to our state’s waterways is shrinking at an alarming rate. Developers have purchased marinas, boat yards and waterfront property and converted these properties to condominium projects. State and local municipalities must be pro-active and take bold steps to address this alarming decline. Without proper access, the average working man and his family is limited in their ability to boat, fish, and play on these waters.

The project opponents, mostly Ono Island residents and members of the Perdido Key Coalition claim that our area boat ramps are under-utilized. Nothing is farther from the truth as any local boater can tell you. (See for Yourself) The lack of parking at these facilities is the most pressing issue and getting worse all the time. On a busy summer weekend hundreds of trailers and tow vehicles park illegally on the side of the roads around the Cotton Bayou boat launch. This causes major public safety concerns for the City of Orange Beach who walk a fine line between both public safety and tourist relations. There are many unfortunate instances when vehicles get towed. These kinds of conflicts do not bode well for a tourist community that depends on a constant flow of satisfied visitors.

In Baldwin County boat registrations are growing at a rate of 2.6%. Baldwin County’s population is also growing at an astronomical rate and many of these citizens have been drawn here by the lure of our inshore and offshore waters. These water access shortcomings can only be addressed by a consistent commitment from the Conservation Department. They must maximize the diminishing opportunities they have to provide fair and equal water access as our state's population grows and our tourism stream increases.

We all know that the City of Orange Beach's foundation and heritage is tightly intertwined with recreational boating and fishing. They understand this and have eagerly provided the initiative, resources and most importantly the foresight, to address the issue. The City has done some impressive work in the design stages of this facility proposal. It is a showpiece to be proud of! It is cutting edge in its visual appeal, physical layout, and proposed operational procedures.

One argument we have heard regularly from project opponents revolves around the impact this project will have in what they claim to be one of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the area. We all can agree that this is a beautiful piece of natural property; there is no doubt in our mind. On the other hand by "offering" this parcel to the public good you will allow many more citizens the ability to enjoy, and utilize an even bigger resource, our state’s countless square miles of recreational waterways.

The same people who mask their opposition to this project by cloaking themselves behind the "environmental flag" cannot have it both ways. At one time Ono Island was also a precious and pristine resource until progress and demand allowed it to be heavily built upon and intersected with a network of man-made, environmentally unfriendly canals. Many of these opponents have their piece of paradise, living adjacent to the water. Ono Island residents who oppose this project also have their own private boat ramp facility. They have no boating access problem. Shouldn’t they understand that everyone must have the same privilege to utilize the resource without having to own expensive waterfront property?

Here is an interesting paradox that surfaces regarding this issue. The current entrance and bridge to Ono Island is located on what was also once pristine state property. Years ago when the state offered this parcel, it opened the island up for use by private individuals and developers, not the public. Without that easement grant, Ono Island would not be what it is today, a private gated Island community. The Conservation Department now has the same opportunity to offer a nearby parcel for the benefit of the entire state, not just a few citizens. Wouldn’t this provide a much better return on public investment? After all isn’t it the responsibility of the state to provide for the maximum benefit of the majority of its citizens?

Most of the opponents of the Boat Launch Facility are residents of Ono Island, but not all Ono residents oppose it. Those that do are a very vocal minority and they wield a considerable amount of political clout. They are making their opposition known and getting the ear of state officials. Our voices of SUPPORT must be heard if we are to continue to have convenient access to Alabama’s waterways. If you are a boater, fisherman, or concerned citizen, this issue affects YOU! YOUR support is vital. We urge YOU to write, email, and phone your SUPPORT for this project to Governor Bob Riley, Commissioner M. Barnett Lawley, and the officials of the City of Orange Beach.

* Visit our Government Officials Page for email addresses, mailing addresses, and phone numbers to voice your SUPPORT.

If state officials make the decision to proceed based on the public benefit and consider investment versus the return we have a good chance to get the boat launching facility we so badly need. To have a handful of people thwart this much needed, well planned, and environmentally friendly project would be a travesty. All Alabamians have the right to equal access opportunities to all of Alabama's outdoor resources, not just a privileged few.

We are very passionate about this issue. We stand firm in our belief that every citizen has the right to access our State's natural resources, we also stand firm in our belief that every citizen has the right to be heard. We believe that both sides of every issue should be presented in a fair and accurate manner. Therefore, we are providing a link to our opposition’s web site: www.perdidokeycoalition.com

City of Orange Beach Fall Public Meetings

Submitted by Ken Grimes, Special Projects Coordinator

Communicating current information on key projects underway in the City of Orange Beach led to the planning of the Fall Public Meeting Schedule which is underway.

On September 18 a crowd of nearly one hundred gathered to hear the facts and proposal regarding the proposed Old River Boat Ramp on the north side of Highway 182 east of the Caribe development. Mayor Pete Blalock and members of the city council answered questions following a presentation by Phillip West, Coastal Resources Manager, for the City of Orange Beach. Feedback in the session was overwhelmingly in favor of the proposed amenities with comments like “every person has the right to access the public waterways and we commend the city on planning such a first class facility with every detail in place to minimally impact the environment of the area” adds Gene Myers.

Next in the series of Fall meetings is the Monday, September 24th “Wolf Bay Bridge Meeting” at 6pm in the Orange Beach Community Center. Third is the Tuesday, October 2nd “Medical Services Update” meeting at 7pm in the Orange Beach Community Center. The final scheduled event is the Thursday, October 18th “Town Hall Meeting” at 6pm in the Orange Beach Community Center.

The Town Hall meeting is slated to be a general discussion of issues facing the city and updates on other activities. “The attendance at our first meeting on the proposed Old River Boat Ramp was strong and we encourage residents to attend these meetings on key projects for Orange Beach. Our goal is to communicate as much fact as we can while providing opportunities for input on each critical project” adds Jeff Moon, City Administrator for the City of Orange Beach. Moon adds “as a reminder for our citizens, the regular City Council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 5pm at City Hall and are open to the public.”

For more information be sure to check out www.cityoforangebeach.com or call the City’s InfoLine at 980-INFO for upcoming events and notices. Be sure to tell a neighbor about these important meetings on projects affecting Orange Beach for many years to come.