How small-town Alabama residents have fought 20-YEAR battle against developers to retain 'simple country life' amid annexation fears

For more than 20 years, a group of residents have been fighting a battle to preserve one of the last bastions of rural peace on Alabama's small slice of the southern coast.

Fort Morgan is not a city or even a town - it's an 'unincorporated community' of around 650 people in Baldwin County sandwiched between the blue waters of Bon Secour Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. 

It occupies a narrow, sandy peninsula traversed by a single two-lane highway. The western tip is punctuated by an early-1800's pentagonal fortress, while urban life begins 10 miles to the east. 

The highway is lined by well-kept, multicolored homes with picturesque ocean views. Local father-of-five Bryce Porter said residents are drawn to the area for its beautiful natural surroundings and the slow pace of life that comes with it. 

But this came under threat in 2003 when residents woke up one morning to find that the highway had been annexed to a city overnight - impacting the residents living on it as well as those on the tiny tributary roads which trail off towards the beach. 

For more than 20 years, a group of residents have been fighting a battle to preserve one of the last bastions of rural peace on Alabama 's small slice of the southern coast. (Pictured: Fort Morgan, the beachfront area in question)

Joe Emerson (pictured) president of the Fort Morgan Civic Association, said its not about the small number of houses defecting to the city, but the wider threat they represent to the communal way of life

Local father-of-five Bryce Porter said residents are drawn to the area for its beautiful natural surroundings and the slow pace of life that comes with it. (Pictured: Porter with his family)

The city of Gulf Shores was behind the annexation, after officials there were approached by real estate developers who wanted to expand their condominium empire from the neighboring tourist city into Fort Morgan. 

State Senator Chris Elliott said Gulf Shores is the 'fastest-growing city in Alabama', and tensions between the growing metropolis and some Fort Morgan residents have been a constant since the 21st century.  

Judges at the Supreme Court of Alabama repealed this in 2013 after years of legal wrangling by furious residents. But this wasn't the end of their battle. 

Bryce said it created 'long memories of hurt feelings' and residents have been on the alert for further attempts to parcel parts of their land ever since. 

Tensions flared last month after the city again attempted to annex a handful of properties 'by stealth', according to local residents. 

The annexation only involved 16 properties owned by eight people who had all agreed to be part of the city of Gulf Shores to take advantages of the superior services there, including the schools. 

But politicians attempted to seal the deal through the back door without properly consulting the neighbors it would impact, according to Porter, who launched a petition against it with 1,500 signatures. 

Porter said the 'abhorrent' legislation was introduced 'surreptitiously' through a short-running notice in the local paper, which did not include a map of the area which would be affected and without consulting the wider community. 

'It rankled me,' Porter told DailyMail.com. 'I don't like the way people in my community are being treated.'  

It rankled other residents too. Porter said the Fort Morgan Civic Association called two meetings about the move and how they could resist it. 

Fort Morgan is not a city or even a town - it's an 'unincorporated community' of around 650 people in Baldwin County sandwiched between the blue waters of Bon Secour Bay and the Gulf of Mexico 

The highway is lined by well-kept, multicolored homes with picturesque ocean views

Fort Morgan occupies a narrow, sandy peninsula traversed by a single two-lane highway. The western tip is punctuated by an early-1800's pentagon-shaped fortress (pictured) while urban life begins 10 miles to the east

The city of Gulf Shores (pictured) was behind the annexation, after officials there were approached by real estate developers who wanted to expand their condominium empire from the neighboring tourist city into Fort Morgan

He said meetings are normally only attended by 20 people or fewer, but 75 people turned up to the first gathering and more than 100 came to the second. 

'People were shouting. Anger was the primary emotion,' Porter said.  

'It's not selfishness,' he added. 'We are a very giving community of people. When Hurricane Sally hit in 2020, there was a massive amount of damage. 

'People helped other people like I've never seen in my life. It's a very generous community of people.

'I respect the property rights of my neighbors, but there should be a community conversation.' 

Porter said it's also a safety issue, since Fort Morgan isn't equipped to handle an influx of tourists which selling off parcels of line could give rise to. 

While its mostly a quiet retreat for the handful of visitors who do holiday there, it's plagued by crowds at Spring Break which cause a danger on the highway. 

Porter said his wife and kids got into a car accident after a Spring Breaker illegally road a golf cart down the middle of the highway some time ago.  

He pointed out that the 16 properties who wanted to join Gulf Shores aren't contiguous with the city limits, so their incorporation would essentially make them a city island bubble within Fort Morgan. 

Porter said that residents are worried that Gulf Shores businessmen would build rental cottages and possibly even high rises, leading to rapid commercial development. 

 'We don't want to live on Gulf Beach Boulevard, part two,' Porter said. 

Porter said the 'abhorrent' legislation was introduced 'surreptitiously' through a short-running notice in the local paper, which did not include a map of the area which would be affected and without consulting the wider community. (Pictured: Porter with his family) 

The city of Gulf Shores (pictured) was behind the annexation, after officials there were approached by real estate developers who wanted to expand their condominium empire from the neighboring tourist city into Fort Morgan

State Senator Chris Elliott (pictured) said Gulf Shores is the 'fastest-growing city in Alabama', and tensions between the growing metropolis and some Fort Morgan residents have been a constant since the 21st century

Joe Emerson, president of the Fort Morgan Civic Association, said it's not about the small number of houses defecting to the city, but the wider threat they represent to the communal way of life. 

'While this particular action was about 16 properties, this opens the door gate for the City of Gulf Shore to move out here through annexation actions,' the 42-year-old lifelong Fort Morgan resident told DailyMail.com. 

'Once we lose this stretch of beach, that's it. Its a very unique and special place. It's worth fighting for. The most important thing is that the people of Fort Morgan be considered.' 

Emerson added that the Fort Morgan Planning and Zoning Advisory Committee, established by the civic association in 2015, should have been notified about the annexation. 

As a realtor himself, Emerson said he respects the rights of property owners to choose whether they want to be part of the city limits, but the process shouldn't be done by 'stealth' and everyone impacted should be involved. 

'Ever since 2013, it's been a money grab,' Emerson said. 'We have one of the last stretches of white beach on the Gulf coast and it's about wanting to preserve our way of life.

'It's the type of place that you can't really compare to anywhere else. We just want to be left alone.' 

Emerson said that due to the uproar, the state Senate asked for a community meeting with only 24 hours notice. 

'We had 250 people show up on a Friday at 2 o'clock. That's the level of feeling people have about this,' he said. 

The Bill to annex the 16 properties was tabled by Alabama State Representative Frances Holk-Jones (pictured) on behalf of the homeowners

Fort Morgan is an 'unincorporated community' of around 650 people in Baldwin County sandwiched between the blue waters of Bon Secour Bay and the Gulf of Mexico

The Bill to annex the 16 properties was tabled by Alabama State Representative Frances Holk-Jones on behalf of the homeowners.  

'With Fort Morgan, I don’t think anyone has a desire to see large-scale development or pave paradise and put up a parking lot,' she told DailyMail.com.

'I do think there is some misunderstanding about the legislation that was proposed because it certainly didn’t do anything like that. 

'The proposed legislation covered 16 parcels owned by eight entities, most of who are individuals who live on the properties in question; the bill also did include one property owned by the City of Gulf Shores. 

'Each of these property owners asked for their property to be annexed into the city for various reasons, including for their children to attend Gulf Shores Schools and being able to receive City of Gulf Shores fire and police protection.'

'This is a private property issue, and these property owners have the right to request to be annexed,' she added. 

'It’s not right to refuse them that right just because their neighbor doesn’t approve.'

Ultimately, lawmakers did not pass the bill due to the strength of opposition by residents. 

State Senator Chris Elliott said he sympathizes with both the residents who wanted to join the city, and those who opposed it. But he believes the tug-of-war between the two will never end.  

'It's been an argument that has gone on for decades,' he told DailyMail.com. 'I can't see that annexation will go ahead; I don't see that changing.'