First Published: February 19, 2010 in the Opelika-Auburn News

Every month I wonder how to choose the topics for the 400-plus words in my column. It’s always a problem of plenty, not scarcity.

This month, for example, I could focus on the City of Auburn’s recent approvals of land uses, development plans and value “assessments” of the West Pace project. Clearly many are interested in the outcome and consequences of that project.

Or I could remind readers of upcoming CompPlan2030 meetings, at which their input is requested for planning Auburn’s growth and development. Meeting details, maps and other documents are online at http://www.auburnalabama.org/CompPlan2030/default.asp.

De-annexation has been a hot topic in Auburn, with one property owner being allowed to remove his property from the city limits, another being denied the same action.

Our state Senate unanimously approved SB61, this year’s version of the ALFA-supported ‘hog farm bill,’ deceptively titled the “Family Farm Preservation Act.” Thankfully, the bill doesn’t have House approval. Yet.

To help everyone track our legislators’ votes on this and other bills, I could suggest useful Web sites such as Conservation Alabama’s http://www.conservationalabama.org and Alabama Arise’s http://www.arisecitizens.org/.

In addition, all facets of state legislation – text and amendments of bills, roll call votes, etc – can be accessed via the state’s ALISON legislative database (http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/ACASLoginFire.asp).

This is a local and statewide election year. As noted recently in this paper, it’s not even clear who will run for election or re-election.

Those are only a few of the current political issues percolating. And I haven’t even begun to comment on local business or the arts & culture scene.

Perhaps I should I direct attention to the numerous outstanding exhibits and programs being offered at the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, which rival those of museums in much larger cities. These are offered at no charge, by the way, thanks to the generosity of JCSM’s Business Partners and other sponsoring organizations.

In these tight financial times, an appropriate focus might be the local businesses giving our community a broader selection of products, services and cultural offerings.

Tomorrow [Sat. Feb. 20] there’s an all-day opening celebration of “Mama Mocha’s Coffee Beanery” at The Gnu’s Room. Downtown Auburn and Opelika both have new and expanded restaurants. We have both German and Indian restaurants in our area now.

I’ve not even mentioned Auburn University’s numerous lecture series, the faculty’s discussions of procedural issues such as managing conflicts of interest, or the multiple searches for new deans. Dip into one of these topics. And email me about others in which you’re interested.

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.

First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Jan. 25, 2010

Alabama’s collective version of New Years’ resolutions seems to be calls for reform. Ethics reform. Constitutional reform. Environmental reform. Tax reform, especially as it relates to daily necessity – food.

Every year, the same needs, the same goals, the same optimistic enthusiasm. Every year, too, a disappointing repeat of the same failures to act.

Will we break the cycle in this election year, when typically much is promised and little delivered? Keep in mind nearly three in 10 Alabamians who qualify to vote aren’t even registered. And only slightly more than half of those registered actually vote.

That said, there are opportunities for positive change on both state and local levels.

The Alabama Environmental Management Commission (EMC), ADEM’s governing board, could choose a strong environmental advocate as the new ADEM director.

Also, ADEM could increase fines for permit violations, such as last year’s $502,000 formal administrative penalty for the Mimm’s Trail development on Shell Toomer Parkway. (See case#04-2009-4789 at http://www.epa-echo.gov/echo/.)

State legislation for constitutional reform and removing the tax on food again awaits consideration. For details, see http://www.constitutionalreform.org/, http://www.untaxgroceries.org, or view pending legislation at http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/ACASLoginFire.asp.

In my estimation, ethics reform is the most important civic New Years’ goal. This must include tougher open meetings and open records rules.

No matter what laws we have, they mean nothing if citizens don’t have detailed information of our elected and appointed officials’ business, family and financial connections.

Consider this sample of actions in recent years, including criminal proceedings, which highlight current issues and reflect growing public concern.

The Adamsville City Council was alleged to have violated the state’s open meetings law.

Multiple criminal investigations are pending involving Jefferson County and Birmingham officials.

It would take an entire column to list them.

Local columnist and long-time newspaper publisher Paul Davis took decisive action to improve the open meetings policy of the Alabama Department of Mental Health’s advisory board.

The Montgomery County Board of Education is fighting allegations they met in secret via serial meetings of a non-quorum of members.

This newspaper brought public attention to the Auburn City Council’s similar use of serial meetings to reach consensus outside of a public meeting, including by e-mail, fax and phone.

Public officials frequently and intentionally circumvent the intent of the open meetings law by meeting in small groups (i.e., fewer voting members than required to trigger an open public meeting). Such serial e-meetings need to be definitively prohibited.

2010 -will this be Alabama’s new year of reform?

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.

First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Friday, Dec. 18, 2009

Last week Trey Glenn resigned from his position as director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)., giving rise to thoughts about ADEM’s efficacy on the local level, most recently at AU’s airport expansion site.

Glenn’s attitude and actions at ADEM often disappointed. He squandered multiple opportunities to strengthen ADEM’s environmental regulation and enforcement.

Different leadership could have stimulated stronger and quicker enforcement of the laws protecting Alabama’s natural resources.

That latter element – the extended time over which environmental violations are allowed to continue and repeat – is a point of concern.

A recent local example of this involves our airport, which has been the site of land disturbance and construction.

In late 2006 ADEM first notified airport operator Auburn University of deficiencies in permitting and sediment controls.

AU and ADEM then batted the issue back and forth, with subsequent violations noted, until November of this year.

Finally, at that point, AU and ADEM negotiated a proposed settlement agreement covering AU’s improperly implemented and maintained erosion and sediment controls.  That agreement is now up for public comment. (http://adem.state.al.us/PublicNotice/Dec09/pdfs/12auburn.PDF.)

In the agreement, both AU and ADEM stipulate to multiple deficiencies over multiple years, which resulted in “discharges of sediment and other pollutants in stormwater runoff to a UT [unnamed tributary] to Moores Mill Creek and a UT to Sougahatchee Creek.”

It’s proposed that AU pay a $20,000 fine, with the possibility of up to a further $12,000 penalty. Additionally AU is to “take immediate action to prevent . . . sediment and other pollutants in stormwater leaving [the airport] Facility.”

Certainly the proposed agreement and fines are a step in the right direction. But repeated violations from October 2006 to December 2009?

Alabama deserves better.  Perhaps the next ADEM director will provide just that.

*      *     *

I got a good chuckle from Rep. Mike Hubbard’s comment that questions about his involvement in AU’s athletic broadcasting deals are “100% politics.”

Well, yeah, Mike, it is due to politics – your politics, including your involvement in crafting the laws exempting such contracts from state bid laws.

Folks, “follow the money.”  More on this in future columns and on my website (http://placeforum.org/blog).

#     #    #

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 2009 — Meetings

MONDAY, DEC. 7, noon- AUBURN PLANNING COMMISSION PACKET MEETING (AGENDA DISCUSSION)
Held in the conference room, Development Services Bldg, 171 N. Ross St. Open to all.
Agenda & full packet: www.auburnalabama.org/pc/agenda.asp
Agenda includes:
CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATION
OLD BUSINESS
1. West Pace Village PDD   PUBLIC HEARING  PL-2009-00660
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr. for West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council to apply the Planned Development District
(PDD) designation to approximately 165.55 acres
2. West Pace Village  PUBLIC HEARING  PL-2009-00670
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr. for West Pace, LLC and Lynch Properties, Inc.
General Location: North of Shell Toomer Parkway and east of South College Street
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) [pending approval of Case PL-2009- 00660] with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for outdoor recreational uses, including a park and bicycle/jogging/hiking paths; for institutional uses, including private libraries and museums, and aquariums; for indoor recreational uses, including a skating rink (roller & ice), bowling alleys, billiards, gymnasium, and indoor athletic facilities; for office uses; for commercial and entertainment uses, including an auto accessory store, barbershop/beauty shop, building material sales, clothing stores, copy shop, electronics repair, florists, garden supply, general merchandise stores, health & personal care stores, hotel/motel/condotel, office supplies/stationary/gift stores, package store, pet/pet supply store, restaurant, restaurant-lounge, restaurant- pub, specialty food stores, sporting goods/hobby/book/music stores, tavern, lounge, banks, dry cleaners, grocery stores,professional studios, and  theaters/indoor auditoriums; for road service uses, including ATM’s, auto dealerships, auto repair/paint/body work, convenience/small grocery stores, gasoline/service stations, bank with drive-thru, and fast food restaurant; for a commercial recreational use, specifically an amphitheater; for agricultural support uses, including farm equipment sales/rental/leasing, farm equipment sales/repair, and farm produce sales (permanent); for a nursery use, specifically retail; for a commercial support use, specifically a wholesale distributor; and for a regional shopping center use
CONSENT AGENDA
3. Town Creek, Plat No. 1 PL-2009-00832
Applicant: Jack Johnson for Dr. John Cottier
General Location: Off of Brookside Drive, southeast of the Jule Collins Smith Art Museum and west of Town Creek Park
Zoning District: Development District Housing (DDH)
Action Requested: Final plat approval for a 28-lot conventional residential subdivision
NEW BUSINESS
4. Lundy Chase, Phase III   PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00833
Applicant: Blake Rice for Crosswoods Development, LLC
General Location: South of Lundy Chase Subdivision, Phase One and north of Willow Creek Subdivision
Zoning District: Neighborhood Conservation (NC-20)
Action Requested: Preliminary plat approval for a 38-lot conventional residential subdivision
5. C B & T Bank East Alabama  PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00817
Applicant: Ronnie Wilson for C B & T Bank East Alabama
General Location: 2579 East University Drive
Zoning District: Comprehensive Development District (CDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (bank with drive-through)
6. Hiett Automotive   PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00834
Applicant: Tony Hiett for Cynthia Thrash
General Location: 960 Opelika Road
Zoning District: Commercial Conservation (CC)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a road service use (automotive sales)
7. 300 N. Donahue Drive    PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00802
Applicant: Lindburgh Jackson for Kathy Matthews and LaKeshi Robinson
General Location: 300 North Donahue Drive (adjacent to the CSX Railroad & north of Glenn Avenue)
Zoning District: Redevelopment District (RDD)
Action Requested: Recommendation to City Council for conditional use approval for a performance residential use (duplex)
8. Longleaf Crossing, Phase 5 Waiver  PUBLIC HEARING PL-2009-00844
Applicant: J.A. Conner, Jr., for Tiger Crossing
General Location: At the west end of Longleaf Drive at Cox Road
Zoning District: Planned Development District (PDD) with Comprehensive Development District (CDD) underlying
Action Requested: Waiver to the design speed on a collector street (Longleaf Drive) from 35 mph to 20 mph
OTHER BUSINESS
CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATION
STAFF COMMUNICATION
ADJOURNMENT

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 4:00 pm – AUBURN CEMETERIES ADVISORY BOARD
Held at the Dean Road Rec Center. Open to all.

MONDAY, DEC. 7, 7:00 PM — LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF EAST ALABAMA / MEETING & HOLIDAY GATHERING
Held at Piccolo, the jazz bar at the AU Hotel. All are welcome.
Catch up with your League friends by joining them near the fireplace in the new jazz bar at the Auburn University Hotel. The atmosphere will be cozy, the menu options are tasty, and the crowd will definitely be interesting. Invite a friend (or two) and join  a casual evening of holiday cheer, starting at 7.
Piccolo menu:   http://www.auhcc.com/dining/documents/MenuTemplateOpening.pdf

==========================

Thanks for your interest and support.

PLACE Forum
Email: placeforum@gmail.com
Web: http://placeforum.org/blog/
Dec. 7, 2009

Lisa Brouillette
Columnist / The Opelika-Auburn News — Published: November 24, 2009

Cities annex property to exert controls, define service areas and obtain revenues for water and sewer infrastructure.

A recent case did the reverse, though, relinquishing Auburn’s control over a property and raising questions of public interest.

Lee County District 1 Commissioner Mathan Holt and his wife Jill requested the Auburn city council remove their 40-plus acre property on Highway 14 from the city limits.

This seems to run contrary to Auburn’s aggressive annexation policy, which urges annexation to ensure city control over land use and development.

But the council agreed to shift the city’s boundary to exclude the Holts’ land, which includes residential and commercial enterprises. Only council members Sheila Eckman and Gene Dulaney voted no.

It’s seldom done, but a city may legally “reduce its corporate boundaries,” effectively de-annexing property.

It appears the Holt case is only the second “de-annexation” in Auburn.

The first was related to a lawsuit between the city and the property owners, involving the land ultimately de-annexed. And the de-annexation was at the council’s behest, not the property owners’.

Although not explicitly noted as the justification for the Holt de-annexation, the Holt property’s city sewer connection provoked much discussion and some dispute.

Confusion over agreements between the Holts and the city about connecting to the city sewer dates back several years.

However, currently only land within the city limits is allowed to be connected to and be serviced by the city sewer.

So to comply with regulations for city sewer service, only the annexed portion of the Holts could be connected. Also they’d have to pay costly sewer access fees, including for their large RV park.

Holt said he “never purposely violated the law and that there are things that have not been brought out that make his situation unique.”

Which leads one to wonder: What wasn’t brought out and why wasn’t it?

As shown in the council resolution, reduction of a city’s corporate boundary is to be for “the public health and public good of the City.”

Perhaps that other information to which Holt referred would have clarified the public good of de-annexing his property.

As it stands, the only evident benefit is to the Holts.

The city and citizens have lost tax revenue, land use and environmental control over a large property abutting the city limits.

The council plans to craft a policy to cover any future de-annexations. That’s a good idea they should implement right away.

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.

First Published: October 16, 2009 in the Opelika-Auburn News

What a ruckus flared about that new business, Kalli’s Love Stuff, on South College Street in Auburn.

I’ll leave to others the question of whether or not the store’s adult novelties and vibrators violate state laws.

I find it difficult to believe no one knew what the store’s contents would be. But I find it equally difficult to believe the uproar over those contents.

Underlying the controversy, believe it or not, is our zoning ordinance.

If a new business conforms to certain general categories, its location is permitted automatically in certain zoning districts.

That means no additional scrutiny for compatibility with its surroundings, no public hearings, no conditional use approvals from the planning commission or city council.

Often this is a good thing, as it allows landlords flexibility in finding suitable locations for business tenants, with little delay.

However it also can allow rapid changes of use, which can be problematic or surprising, as seems to be the case with Kalli’s.

But this is hardly the first time such a change in business type has occurred.

Remember Hooters? Its location, which was in the same shopping center that now houses Kalli’s, originally was approved for an oil change business. Then the plans switched, showing it as an unnamed restaurant, which ultimately became Hooters.

Some might consider that bait-and-switch. Others probably just consider it good business. Either way, it’s allowed under our zoning ordinance.

* * *

Bobby Lowder’s connection with Auburn University popped up in the national news again recently, this time in Fortune Magazine.

Along with a summary of the company’s collapse, the Oct. 12 article on the former Colonial Bancgroup CEO detailed his relationship with Auburn University.

Lowder, a current member of the university’s board of trustees, also still chairs its finance committee.

Makes you wonder what financial advice he’s providing AU, and where it will lead, doesn’t it?

* * *

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says it will no longer be endorsing political candidates. Instead it will provide “just the facts, ma’am” about those running for public office.

What a shame. What a waste of expertise and experience.

Reporters and editors know more than politicians’ public facades. They know the issues, the context, the background that gives meaning to political action or the lack thereof.

They know the stories that can’t be printed.

Facts are important and should fill the news pages. Editorial pages, however, should brim with informed opinion and, at election time, endorsements.

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com or visit her Web site http://placeforum.org.

Come join civic discussions … except you

[First published in the Opelika-Auburn News, Friday, Sept. 18, 2009]

At this week’s Auburn City Council meeting, Auburn resident Clara Clothiaux asked a half dozen or so questions of clarification about the proposed West Pace project and its tax district, which were up for vote that night.

The questions were posed clearly, concisely and politely, within the time allotted for citizen communications. They referred to the hundred-plus pages of complicated legal documents and complex details of this major project.

Councilmember Arthur Dowdell’s reaction was to pepper her with questions: Was she at the previous council meeting? Did she hear the West Pace presentation given at that meeting? Why didn’t she ask her questions then? Why was she asking these questions now?

That’s right. He didn’t answer her questions. Instead his remarks implied she didn’t have the right to ask questions about an important issue on the night council was scheduled to vote on it.

Their interaction was relatively brief. But it was long enough to show anyone present how they might be treated if they asked questions of council.

Fortunately Councilmember Dulaney stepped in and assisted Dr. Clothiaux in getting answers to her questions. Those answers, by the way, made the proposed project more understandable to the general public.

This wasn’t the first time a citizen has been challenged publicly by one of our elected officials for exercising the right to ask questions of them. And, sadly, it probably won’t be the last.

But it should be.

I’ve said this before, but clearly it bears repeating.

Anyone who discourages citizens from asking questions and engaging in civic discussion shouldn’t be in public office. It’s that simple.

Our city has made great strides in providing information and documents to its citizens via its website and the public library. This aids citizens in understanding their government and its actions.

And, thankfully, incidents like the one described above happen less frequently now than in the past. But even once is too often.

Let’s keep moving in the right direction. Let’s encourage citizens to air their opinions and ask their questions and, as important, let’s treat them respectfully when they do.

Oh, for the record, not that it should matter, Dr. Clothiaux had attended the previous meeting and reviewed the relevant documents.

And, in an ironic twist, at the same meeting Councilmember Dowdell twice called for new people to come forward and serve on city boards.

Is it possible he doesn’t see the connection between his behavior towards a citizen asking questions and people’s reluctance to come forward and join the civic discussion?

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com .

WHY CAN’T WE DISAGREE WITHOUT SPEWING HATE?

“The Last Jewish Holocaust Survivor in Lee County Speaks.”  Oh, the thoughts and emotions that sentence evokes.

On the most basic level, it’s merely the topic of next Monday’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Auburn program. (Event info: 334-844-3102, www.olliatauburn.org).

On a deeper level, though, that simple declarative sentence reminds us of the power of free speech and the sacrifices made for it.

Finally, it reminds us the rights of all people must be protected. Not just the rights of those similar to us, or those with whom we agree — the rights of all.

When differing views aren’t tolerated, dialogue becomes monologue. Communication becomes diatribe.  Worst of all, a healthy contrast of ideas becomes an unhealthy attack on individuals.

We’ve all been guilty of this at times.  Over the past few months, though, way too many of us have been guilty of it.

This showed in the recent disputes over the Confederate flag and the talk given by Matthis Chiroux, an Iraq War resister who grew up in Auburn.

Disturbingly harsh and venomous remarks, even threats, cropped up in conversations and the online comments to this paper’s news articles on those subjects.  Must we actually be reminded that free speech does not excuse hate speech?

The paper itself came under fire because it had the audacity to do its job and cover the news by reporting on those stories.

I’m fortunate. I was brought up in a culture of free speech and a free press.  But I don’t take for granted the American right to free expression – public or private, spoken or written.

That’s not surprising, as I’ve lived in places where expressing your views could be dangerous, even life-threatening.

I lived in the Philippines during Ferdinand Marcos’ regime.  In that time and place, whether local or foreign-born, you had to be careful what you said.

Similarly, the need for a free press was unmistakable after experiencing Indonesia’s repressive government censorship.  The impenetrable black ink rolled across great swaths of ‘inappropriate’ newspaper and magazine pages shocked me.

But that was years ago, an ocean away. Not now. Not in my country.

Here, now, free speech is protected by law. Whether it’s protected from intolerance, ignorance and just plain mean-spiritedness remains to be seen.

However we’ve overcome challenges to free speech before.  We’ve tried to address the practical ways free speech might be limited by class, race, lack of job security, etc.  We’ve learned that with free speech comes the responsibility to speak up for those whose voices aren’t being heard.

I’m hopeful we’ll come to our collective senses, that we’ll remember how much we can learn from listening to those who disagree with us.

In the meantime, I remain, respectfully, ‘willing to agreeably disagree.’

June 19, 2009 column: Lisa Brouillette

First published in the Opelika-Auburn News

Instead of ‘Thank God for Mississippi,’ alluding to that state’s tendency to rank even lower than Alabama on many national scales, maybe we should say ‘Thank God for Jefferson County.’

In addition to JeffCo’s serious financial woes – loss of occupational tax, overwhelming sewer bond debt, possible bankruptcy, etc. – Birmingham recently topped the list nationally for health risk from industrial air toxics.  Even worse, those risks were disproportionately borne by the area’s minority and low-income residents.  (Justice in the Air, 2009.  For additional source details, see below.)

Another Alabama example of such economic and racial injustice is the proposal to dump loads of toxic TVA coal ash in rural Perry County’s landfill.  Barbara Evans, of the nonprofit environmental law firm WildLaw, wrote an excellent description of this situation.  She pointed to the heart of the problem: Alabama’s lack of adequate local government controls on landfills and other environmental hazards.

To quote Evans, “It’s Perry County today and your county tomorrow. Rural Alabamians feel like they are under attack. If it isn’t landfills, it’s rock quarries or corporate hog farms.” (Mont. Advertiser, June 16, 2009)

I’m sure that comment hits home, literally, for the determined environmentalists who worked so hard this past legislative session for local authority over quarry siting and permitting.  Efforts of such statewide groups as Conservation Alabama and local group Save Our Saugahatchee pushed this issue closer to passage than ever before, ready for success next year.

Alabama’s archaic state constitution is the problem: it concentrates power in the state legislature and limits local authority.  Constitutional reform legislation failed this year.

But ACCR – Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform  – this month showed just how such reform could be accomplished. Over 250 delegates from the 105 Alabama house districts participated in a mock constitutional convention.  Go to ACCR’s website – www.constitutionalreform.org – to see and comment on the delegates’ draft constitution.

You can also comment on an important new Lee County document – its first ever Lee County Master Plan. The plan will guide future government efforts in housing, transportation, planning, recreation, the natural environment, growth, and other quality-of-life issues. If properly drafted and implemented, the Master Plan could help Lee County avoid problems such as Jefferson County’s. For details and to comment, go to www.leeco.us/masterplan/.

Another local example of avoiding mistakes such as JeffCo’s is the Auburn Water Board’s recent difficult decision to increase water rates. That action will keep the utility financially viable and its bond rating high.

Want an entertaining way to support our local economy?  Head to Downtown Auburn tonight for SummerNight! 2009 – an evening of fun, food, music, and art.

#     #     #

References:

STATE OF THE AIR  - American Lung Association – www.stateoftheair.org/ — www.stateoftheair.org/2009/states/alabama/

American Lung Association Releases Annual State of the Air Report - Last month, the American Lung Association released their annual “State of the Air” report, ranking and grading 17 Alabama counties.  The report and rankings were based on the number of days from 2005 to 2007 in which air quality monitors recorded unhealthy air.  Below are some of the results:
* The Birmingham Metro area ranked 5th in the country for pollution from fine particle pollution, or soot in the air.
* Birmingham ranked 20th nationally in ozone pollution.
* Baldwin County received an A for having low particle pollution levels.
* Mobile, Escambia and Dekalb counties all received B’s for low particle pollution levels.
* In the state of Alabama, 12 of 16 counties where ozone levels were checked received F’s for ozone pollution.
To view the entire report, visit the American Lung Association website at http://www.stateoftheair.org. If you want to personally take action and reduce air pollution visit http://www.alabamacleanair.org.

JUSTICE IN THE AIR http://college.usc.edu/geography/ESPE/documents/justice_in_the_air_web.pdf

RE: AIR QUALITY REPORTS FOR ALABAMA
The American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report (http://www.stateoftheair.org/) found that the Birmingham metro area has surged from 18th to the fifth worst in the country for particle pollution in the air. Birmingham was also listed at 20th in the country for ozone pollution.
Mobile and Baldwin counties received mixed grades from the report, with high scores on particle pollution but the lowest scores on ozone pollution.
A second report entitled Justice in the Air was released at the same time as the State of the Air report. It focused on air pollution in minority and impoverished communities. (http://college.usc.edu/geography/ESPE/documents/justice_air_web.pdf)
Both reports again brought into focus the issue of cumulative risk of air pollution on sensitive populations in Alabama. The Conservation Alabama Foundation continues to work with ADEM to find solutions to high levels toxic air pollution in some Alabama communities.

ALABAMA VOICES: LAX LAWS MAKE STATE DUMPING GROUND - by Barbara Evans, WildLaw (www.wildlaw.org) - June 16, 2009 http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20090616/OPINION0101/906160304/Alabama-Voices–Lax-laws-make-state-dumping-ground

LEE COUNTY MASTER PLAN – www.leeco.us/masterplan/

Column by Lisa Brouillette

First Published in the Opelika-Auburn News, May 15, 2009

Summer’s creeping up again and it’s not only the rising heat that’s provoking deja vu. It’s also annual rising anger at our do-little Alabama Legislature.

Recent headlines decry legislative double dipping, clamor for relief from the grocery tax, beg for constitutional and ethics reform. Sound familiar?
It should, because last May’s headlines said the same thing.

Our legislators must have collective amnesia.

They can’t seem to remember their promise to clean up PAC-to-PAC transfers and give us real ethics reform. Shame on them. And shame on us for tolerating their inaction.

Please, folks, mark your election-year calendars now with one simple note: Vote Them Out!

We have the power. We just have to use it.

Speaking of using our collective power, Auburn citizens have the chance this summer to do just that. Not with an election vote, but with participation in Auburn 2030.

Times change and our city’s vision for itself must keep pace.

Hence, Auburn 2030, an update of Auburn 2020, the city’s basic blueprint for it’s future.

This isn’t a nut and bolts regulatory document. It’s a more general “this is where we are, where we want to go, what we want to be” guide. Specific details of how to reach the city’s goals will be filled in by other documents, such as CompPlan 2030, a land use planning document also under review this summer.

Like its predecessors, Auburn 2030 is supposed to draw ideas from diverse segments of the city’s residents. So, step up! Call City Hall, ask to join Auburn 2030, help design Auburn’s future.

Back to deja vu, a quick glance at pending lawsuits brings on a tsunami size dose.

The lawsuit over connecting Scott Land’s commercial project via the residential Indian Hills neighborhood is still working its way through the courts.

Similarly, water service rights for both West Pace, Donahue Ridge and other projects remain tangled in the Auburn Water Board’s legal wrangling with Loachapoka’s Water Authority. And lest we forget, the proposed tax district for West Pace still thrashes in legal limbo.

Other legal issues which still echo from last year: individual and developer bankruptcies and foreclosures, with the added twist of tax delinquencies.

Although one could argue Auburn hasn’t been hit as hard as other parts of the state, we’ve still been hit.

Perhaps it’s not a killing body blow, but it’s certainly a solid jab to the gut.

But thankfully summer also heralds another type of deja vu, a delicious one – the first taste of sun ripened fruits and vegetables at local farm stands and the farmers’ market (which opens May 21). So buy your fill.

It’s a local economic stimulus with no downside.

Lisa Brouillette is a community activist, editor, and writer. Contact her at placeforum@gmail.com