Baldwin County Farmers Raise Property Rights Concerns Over Draft Master Plan Ahead of Sept. 1 Vote

Update, Aug. 7: The Baldwin County Planning Commission postponed consideration of the draft master plan at its Aug. 6 meeting following continued objections from landowners and requests from multiple municipalities for additional review time. Planning Commission Chairman Steven Pumphrey attributed the delay to strong objections from property owners and requests from municipalities seeking more time to review the plan.

Testifying before the commission, Woerner Farms CEO Allen Woerner again raised concerns about insufficient notification to stakeholders and potential impacts on property values and rights, saying “it was always about the land,” and he committed to continued monitoring and engagement with county leadership. Commission member Greg Seibert clarified that while the master plan itself is not a zoning ordinance, it establishes policy guidance that could influence future zoning decisions.

Incoming Commissioner John Harris again advocated for broader community input before the plan’s approval, saying the county needs to protect the interests of long-standing residents. Outgoing Commissioner Matt McKenzie acknowledged the significant public response, noting his office received extensive contact from farmers, citizens and developers.

Pumphrey indicated the master plan will return for reconsideration, with another public hearing scheduled.

The Baldwin County Commission is working on updating its master plan, a document required by state statute that dates to legislation from the 1990s giving the county rare authority to enact zoning.

The Baldwin County Draft Master Plan lays out a $1.33 billion transportation vision that includes improvements to County Road 64 and I-10 and the modernization of 45 specific intersections, along with eight broad land-use categories: Farmland Preservation, Rural Preservation, Conservation Buffer, Rural Neighborhood, Highway Corridor, Urban Growth, Unincorporated Village Node and Regional Economic Opportunity Area. County engineer Frank Lundy said his team has worked on the draft for a year after determining updates to the 2023 version were needed because of rapid growth.

Since 2000, developed spaces have increased by 40%, agricultural lands, timberlands and open lands have decreased by 21%, population has increased by 91%, jobs have increased by 80 to 100%, and daily traffic has increased by 100%. “Those are the trends that we’re seeing,” Lundy said.

“By 2050, so really over the next 20, 25 years, we can predict based on where we’ve come from over the last two decades, that 87,000 dwelling units are going to be needed. People are coming here, so we have to prepare for that.” Municipal leaders are taking a close look at the draft plan.

Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich said he plans to send a letter to the commission asking for more time for cities to review the details. “The mayors were asked for input, but we are still going over this plan,” Hellmich said.

“I would hate to see them pass it this quickly.” That request took formal shape this week when the Baldwin County Mayor’s Association sent a letter to the County Commission, county administrator Roger Rendleman and county engineer Frank Lundy asking that the draft plan be tabled until elected officials can thoroughly review it. Thirteen mayors signed on: the mayors of Fairhope, Perdido Beach, Loxley, Elberta, Daphne, Robertsdale, Silverhill, Spanish Fort, Bay Minette, Summerdale and Magnolia Springs, along with Hellmich of Foley; the mayor of Orange Beach was unable to attend the meeting where the letter was finalized.

“Although the Comprehensive Plan primarily addresses unincorporated Baldwin County, many of its recommendations for future growth areas, transportation corridors, residential density, utilities, conservation and economic development, will directly influence the municipalities that make up Baldwin County,” the letter states. “For that reason, we believe meaningful collaboration between the County and its municipalities is essential before the plan is finalized.” The letter also flags a recurring friction point for the mayors: developments that win subdivision and building approval through the county only to later seek annexation into a nearby city once construction is complete.

With new commissioners set to join the Baldwin County Commission in November, the association asked that incoming members be given the opportunity to review and discuss the plan before it is adopted, and that other affected stakeholders be included in the process. A group of Baldwin County farmers also wants more information before the plan is approved.

Those who oppose the current draft are concerned it could impact property values within the “Farming Preservation” category and take development rights away from landowners. The Woerner family, with roots in Baldwin County dating to the early 1900s, owns around 1,500 acres included in the master plan’s “Farming Preservation” category.

Woerner Farms CEO Allen Woerner said the issue is one of private property rights without compensation that could impact future generations. “The hope and the belief was ‘We’re in Baldwin County, and one day this dirt’s going to be worth more than it is today,’” Woerner said.

Woerner has gathered other landowners, totaling 10,000 acres of affected properties, asking county officials to hear farmers and other stakeholders before making a decision. He said he was disappointed with what he called a lack of proper notice about the plan, calling it “a strategic ambush.” Incoming Baldwin County Commissioner John “Tater” Harris said he hopes the commission will allow for further discussion before the plan is approved.

“I think we’ve got to be very cognizant of respecting people’s property rights at the same time with the growth that we have in the county,” Harris said. The Planning & Zoning Commission was scheduled to consider the Draft Master Plan for approval at its Aug. 6 meeting at 4 p.m. at the Baldwin County Central Annex Auditorium in Robertsdale.

If planning and zoning sends the measure to the Baldwin County Commission, the plan could be considered for final approval at the Sept. 1 commission meeting at 10 a.m. at the Baldwin County Administration Building in Bay Minette. The public can access and review the plan at baldwincountyal.gov/departments/planning-zoning.

How Zoning Works in Unincorporated Baldwin County

Unlike most Alabama counties, Baldwin County has authority to zone property in unincorporated areas, but county zoning applies only in planning districts where voters have approved it. Land inside city limits is governed by each municipality’s own zoning and planning rules.

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