Baldwin County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Baldwin County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Hurricane Isaias recovery and employee admin leave
The commission lifted the local emergency, adopted the hazard mitigation plan, and fixed confusion over whether employees who worked during storm prep would also get admin leave.
County Road 55/54 roundabout and Eastern Shore Trail
Engineering design for the CR 55/54 roundabout and the Eastern Shore Trail Extension both moved forward on the consent agenda.
Escambia County hurricane debris in Baldwin landfills
Baldwin will take up to 500,000 cubic yards of Florida hurricane construction debris through December, spread across three landfills, at a special handling rate. One commissioner worried about using up local landfill space.
Gulf Coast Farm agrihood rezoning
The county accepted a notice of intent to request a planning and zoning referendum for Planning District 2, a step toward potentially extending zoning there.
Floodplain Ordinance Amendment
A small but important fix: mobile homes in mapped flood zones must now build to the actual flood elevation plus one foot, instead of just three feet above ground. This restores the county's CRS flood-insurance discount credit.
County Road 64 School Zone Speed Limit
The speed limit on County Road 64 will step down from 45 to 35 mph ahead of the new school's 25-mph zone, making the gradual slowdown safer for drivers and kids.
Domestic Violence Awareness
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Baldwin County. The Lighthouse serves over 1,500 people a year with shelter, crisis lines, and court advocacy — and leaders asked everyone to spread the word that help exists.
PFAS contamination near Navy airfield
A Harden Lane resident said the Navy tested everyone's water, found PFAS from firefighting foam at the airfield, and residents now use Culligan filters — plus complaints about snakes and coyotes from unkempt Navy land.
Harden Lane and County Road 36 flooding
Neighbors near the Harden Fields subdivision described chronic flooding — kids reaching the school bus by canoe, driveways washing out during Hurricane Sally, and unaddressed culvert requests. The engineer pledged a ditch inspection within days.