gulf shores: Guidelines for encounters between developers and elected officials would mirror that of Orange Beach

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
By RYAN DEZEMBER
Staff Reporter
GULF SHORES -- City Councilman Robert Craft asked his colleagues Monday night to consider adopting guidelines for meetings between developers and elected officials similar to those approved in March by neighboring Orange Beach.

Craft said he would like to see a set of rules in Gulf Shores governing encounters with those bringing zoning and development matters to the body. He suggested "the kind of formula for which we, as council people, can meet with developers: only during business hours, at City Hall, and only after they've met with staff."

All three of those conditions are part of the rules Orange Beach approved shortly after former Mayor Steve Russo, City Attorney Larry Sutley, developer Jim Brown and Joe McCarron, a former councilman, were indicted on public corruption charges in January by state and federal prosecutors. Another developer, Ken Wall, was also later charged and all five men have pleaded innocent.

Also, according to Orange Beach's policy:

Elected officials must be accompanied by one of their peers or an appropriate city employee, such as a planner or building official, when meeting with developers.

Phone calls to elected officials from developers must be limited to scheduling meetings under the conditions set out in the guidelines.

Any deviations from the rules must be reported at the council's bi-weekly work sessions.

"I think it makes sense and it takes me out of the position of giving poor advice," Craft said. "I'm much more comfortable sitting in a group, knowing that they've gone through staff recommendations and that's what Orange Beach did and I'd like to see us do the same."

Mayor G.W. "Billy" Duke III said he was indifferent about adopting the rules, but would provide a copy of Orange Beach's policy to council members for their consideration.

"It doesn't matter to me one way or another," Duke said, adding that he'd support such a policy if council members and city planning staff favored it.

Councilwoman Carolyn Doughty said she liked the idea of adopting the rules because, like Orange Beach officials have noted, they would prevent "he-said, she-said" disagreements when building plans or rezoning matters are brought to the council or Planning Commission.

In a few instances leading up to Orange Beach's approval of the rules, developers had claimed that elected officials endorsed their plans in informal meetings that took place prior to the official approval proceedings, though the officials said to have given the thumbs up often had different stories.

Gulf Shores Planning Director Steve Foote said that he'd be "more than glad" to see adoption of the rules, which would force those with building plans to work with his office prior to seeking support among elected officials.

"Sometimes we're not sure what's going on with a project and I think it'd be helpful," Foote said.

The soonest the policy could be voted on is the council's next regular meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday.