Residents say developer's buffer not up to snuff

An attorney for the developer of Cottonwood Corners said Tuesday it is making a good-faith effort to be a good neighbor to a nearby residential neighborhood, but some residents disagree.

An area of land behind Cottonwood Corners designed to be a buffer between the development and Azalea Park has been declared in violation of a city ordinance regulating overgrown weeds and other growth.

In addition, residents claim the developer has not done enough to maintain all aspects of the buffer, not just the overgrown weeds.

City of Dothan landscape regulations require commercial developers to create a buffer when the development comes close to land zoned for residential use. The buffer usually consists of planted trees and shrubs, along with other requirements as needed.

Ed Price, attorney for developer Aronov Realty of Montgomery, said the developer has made numerous attempts to establish a buffer, but trees, grass and other planted shrubs have died due to a lack of rainfall.

“My client has done a number of things to assist the neighbors in the neighborhood. We have gone beyond what was called for in the planning. We continue to replant trees as they are needed. I believe we have done all we needed to do,” Price said during a public hearing on the matter held during the Dothan City Commission meeting.

Price also said the overgrown weeds have not been cut because the slope of the land makes the buffer impossible to mow.

Nearby residents disagree.

Martha McGrady Hawkins lives on Darlington Circle, and is one of a handful of residents who have complained about the buffer. Her back yard faces the buffer area. Hawkins said the development’s retention pond has led to a mosquito problem in the neighborhood, although she said the city sprays frequently to combat mosquitoes in the area. She also said the area has been overrun on more than one occasion by tiny frogs since the development has been built.

“It’s not just that. It’s a loss of privacy,” Hawkins said.

A handful of trees have been planted several feet from the residential property line, and some others have been planted near the rear of the development. A handful of pine trees also appear to have been planted along the banks of the buffer. Price said others have been planted, but died due to drought conditions.

Since the property has been declared in violation of the weed ordinance, the city will cut the weeds and then bill the property owner for the work performed. The property owner is the Dothan Commercial Development Authority, which has leased the property to Aronov for the Cottonwood Corners development. The Commercial Development Authority is a quasi-public authority and was formed to take advantage of financial incentives in the Stimulus Act. The authority has no real income. It must work with the developer to come to an agreement on any assessment with the city.

Meanwhile, Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce President Matt Parker said the authority would work with the developer to try to expedite the planting of more pine trees along the property lines to provide more screening.

District 3 Commissioner Albert Kirkland, whose district contains Cottonwood Corners, said the matter is something that should have been resolved by the developer a long time ago.

“It has been a fight every time we try to do something like this. It should not come to this,” Kirkland said.