Commission approves pond at Westbrook development

A grading and drainage plan to include a detention pond west of the Westway shopping center on U.S. 84 West, was approved by Dothan planning commissioners on Monday.

Now all developer Tom West needs to do is convince Publix developer Aranov, which is developing the adjacent site, to not build a planned and approved pond behind the new grocery store. West would prefer to see one pond serve the whole property, which public officials agreed would be better than having two ponds on the site.

“We hope Aranov will agree to it,” West said after the Monday meeting. “It is better for the subdivision if this will go.”

West also developed Westbrook Subdivision and owns lots there, behind this commercial property. Engineer Ron Reeves said about 14 acres from Westbrook would drain to the pond.

The pond will be left dry and it will not be fenced. Landscaping will be left as shown on plans submitted last week, with a 10-foot undisturbed buffer and another 20-foot landscaped buffer with a berm.

This item was originally up for approval last week but officials delayed it so Reeves could put together more information. A 50- to 75-foot swath would be cut to the pond and the pond site itself would be cleared. That would be done on the back of the property and it would abut no occupied homes. West has constructed one speculative home that would touch the pond site.

“It backs up to vacant lots,” West said. “Anybody buying a home in there would be able to see what’s there. There wouldn’t be any surprises.

The Publix development would not be given a certificate of occupancy without a pond on site. “The burden is on Mr. West because Aranov is ready to build as approved,” Planning Director Todd McDonald said. “The land where the first pond was going will be cleared anyway because they need the dirt.”

Burning on the Publix site began Sunday and District 5 Commissioner Taylor Barbaree asked that it become part of the requirement in such developments that neighbors be notified when there will be burning. He suggested residents of Grove Park and Westbrook be notified.

Not knowing which way the wind might blow and how far airborne particles may drift, McDonald suggested the developer be required to take out a public notice in the newspaper as notification to neighbors. The fire department issues burn permits.

When it comes to in-town burning, which is illegal, McDonald said the large developers usually are not the problem.

“It’s the guy building a house who throws a couple of tires in there with his wood scraps.”