Bolton Fence Rejected - Again
By Sue Clark on Jan 26, 2008 in News 
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More Posturing in Biloxi
The Sun Herald has reported that Hayes Bolton’s plans for a fence were rejected, again, by the Biloxi Architectural and Historical Review Commission this past week. The ARC said that Bolton’s plans were not in keeping with the historical nature of the Biloxi lighthouse. The contentious nature of this relationship between the city and the owner of oceanfront property across from the light is beginning to border on the ridiculous. Negotiations are based on give and take, meeting each other halfway, until a satisfactory agreement is reached. This does not seem to be the case here.
The Fence Issue
Bolton has submitted plans for a plain wooden slatted fence to cover up what the city calls an “unsightly junkyard.” This appears, according to the story, to be the exact same set of plans previously submitted and rejected. The ARC wants the fence to be built of solid panels between brick columns. It’s not an unreasonable request. Especially if it forestalls the effort to take the property by eminent domain. Anattractive fence would do wonders to stave off criticism of the property.
But Bolton says the fact the city has tried to take over the property changes the nature of the negotiations over the fence. In other words, why build it if the city wants to buy it since they’ll just tear it down. According to Bolton, his family has received letters from the city. He also said, “they’ve never contacted us for a sit-down.” The mayor admits not having done so, saying only that he’d heard that the family wanted $4 million for the land, but that he never confirmed this through actual contact.
Someone Needs To Give
It does not seem unreasonable to comply with the ARC’s design suggestion. The Council has indicated it will probably revisit the takeover issue again, when a full council is present. The motion to exercise eminent domain possibly failed (it was a tie vote) due to the absence of Councilman Jerry Stallworth. In the story, Community Development Director Jerry Creel told the ARC, “We feel like that’s going to be brought up again at some future date. We just don’t know when.”
Without knowing the parties involved, and only knowing what I’ve read in the stories, I’d say that Mr. Bolton is suffering from Oppositional Defiance Disorder. The history of this story indicates that Bolton has been defying court orders to clean up his property. And while I do not condone the eminent domain takeover of the property, I do feel that Bolton would be better served by a little cooperation rather than this contentious posture.
And while the council wisely voted against the land grab, the mayor doesn’t seem to have much sense of the right way to do things. You don’t put up motions based on what “you heard.” Let’s hope the individuals in this case actually sit down and work out this issue without all the buffoonery that’s gone on in the past. The Biloxi Lighthouse deserves better.
Photo Credit: Biloxi Lighthouse Before Katrina by no_ill_fx on Flickr. Some rights reserved.
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