Untitled

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The preparation of this document was financed through a Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) from the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Housing and
Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, by the Alabama Department of Economic and
Community Affairs and with matching funds provided by the City of Brundidge.
CDBG Project No. SM-PF-PL-08-05
For additional copies of the plan contact:
Brundidge City Hall
146 South Main Street
P.O. Box 638
Brundidge, AL 36010
Phone: 334-735-2321
Fax: 334-735-5180
www.brundidge.org
Mayor
Honorable James T. Ramage, III
City Council
Hon. Lawrence Bowden, District 1
Hon. Arthur Griffin, District 2
Hon. Vernon Jackson, District 3
Hon. Cynthia Pearson, District 4
Hon. Steven “Nuco” Coleman, District 5
City Manager
Mr. Britt Thomas
Planning Commission
Robert Fleming
Delatha Mobley
Annette Bryan
Haisten Harris
Dorothyrine Munningham
Isabell Boyd
Herbert Reynolds
Ann Baker
Brundidge Comprehensive Plan Prepared By
South Central Alabama
Development Commission
5900 Carmichael Place
Montgomery, Alabama 36117
334-244-6903
www.scadc.net
Skipper Consulting, Inc.
3644 Vann Road
Suite 100
Birmingham, Alabama 35235
205-655-8855
www.skipperinc.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
City of Brundidge Comprehensive Plan Summary 2010
Chapter 1:
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1
Authority to Plan
Purpose of a Comprehensive Plan
Brundidge Planning Process
Planning Context
Study Area
Chapter 2:
Resource Inventory and Evaluation............................................................. 17
Demographics
Physical Resources
Evaluation - Assets and Liabilities
Chapter 3:
Community Studies ..................................................................................... 23
Economic Development
Housing
Community Facilities
Utilities and Infrastructure
Transportation and Circulation
Land Use
Chapter 4:
Development Strategy.................................................................................. 51
Vision and Goal Framework
Development Priorities
Major Street Plan
Future Land Use
Future Development Strategy
Actions and Implementation Schedule
Chapter 5:
Appendices..................................................................................................... 71
A. Access Management Criteria
B. Off Street Truck Parking Facility Design and Construction Guidelines
1. INTRODUCTION
The City of Brundidge began a comprehensive planning process in response to the need to
address a number of development issues that had arisen in the city, but with the realization that
there are vital elements in the city that need to be protected. While Brundidge citizens are eager to
promote continued economic development, they are not willing to promote unbridled growth at
the cost of the unique features that make the city a special place to live, work, play and raise
families. Therefore, local leaders and citizens sought the development of a comprehensive plan that
maximizes economic opportunities while protecting the City’s natural and cultural resources, and
most notably its famous antique center.
The citizens of Brundidge entered into the planning process with the understanding that there
would be hard decisions to make; and, that not all of those decisions would make everyone happy.
In order to be fully-informed while making those hard decisions, the City of Brundidge utilized a
planning process that encouraged an open forum for the exchange of ideas and concerns among
citizens. Known issues to be resolved included residential development and population growth,
redevelopment projects, tourism, and traffic conflicts. Local leaders envisioned an opportunity to
address these issues, coordinate local problem resolution and meet potential prospects in an
organized and cohesive effort.
The result of the City’s planning efforts is a coordinated plan for growth and development that
promotes new commercial and industrial development yet does not detract from the City’s strong
downtown retail center nor does it detract from the City’s natural environment. The Brundidge
Comprehensive Plan includes detailed study elements on economic development, housing,
community facilities, utilities and infrastructure, transportation / circulation, and land use. Emphasis
was placed on the community facilities, housing, and transportation elements as they were identified
as the most urgent issues in meeting the immediate needs of citizens. A separate transportation
study was conducted concurrently with the comprehensive plan, the results of which are included in
the transportation element and implementation strategy. The Brundidge Comprehensive Plan
concludes with a future development concept and an implementation strategy which outlines actions
over a short and long-term time line.
Authority to Plan
Community planning is a process in which consensus is built among citizens, local officials,
businesses, industries, land owners and land developers regarding the future growth and direction of
a community, town or city. The cities of Alabama find their authority for planning, zoning and the
regulation of subdivisions in powers granted to municipalities by the State Legislature. Title 11,
Chapter 52 of the Code of Alabama, 1975, as amended, outlines the powers, duties and
responsibilities of municipalities in the regulation of land in and around the corporate limits.
Section 11-52-2(a) of the Code states:
“Any municipality is hereby authorized and empowered to make, adopt, amend, extend, add to,
or carry out a municipal plan as provided in this article and to create by ordinance a planning
commission with the powers and duties herein set forth.”
1
Section 11-52-8 of the Code states that it shall be the function and duty of a municipal
planning commission to make and adopt a master plan for the physical development of the
municipality. The word “shall” in this section of Alabama’s administrative code provides not only
the authority, but also the responsibility, of municipalities to plan for the long-range growth and
development of lands within their jurisdiction. In the preparation of the Brundidge Comprehensive
Plan, the City of Brundidge has availed itself of these powers and duties granted by the state
legislature. In doing so, the City has taken a very positive step forward in charting its own destiny.
Purpose of a Comprehensive Plan
Section 11-52-9 of the Code of Alabama states that the general purpose of a municipal
comprehensive plan is to “guide and accomplish the coordinated, adjusted and harmonious
development of the municipality and its environs which will, in accordance with present and future
needs, best promote health, safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity and general welfare as
well as efficiency and economy in the process of development, including, among other things:
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adequate provision for traffic;
the promotion of safety from fire and other dangers;
adequate provision for light and air;
the promotion of the healthful and convenient distribution of population;
the promotion of good civic design and arrangement, wise and efficient expenditure of
public funds; and
the adequate provision of public utilities and other public requirements.”
The development of the Brundidge Comprehensive Plan and its subsequent implementation
provides the foundation for making long-term decisions regarding capital improvements, the
provision of services and attaining the vision held by citizens of what they want their community to
become. It is clearly recognized, however, that this comprehensive plan may contain some ideas or
recommendations that may or may not come to fruition. As with any long-range plans, personal or
for a community, events may take place that change the course of plans. It is intended that the
citizens of Brundidge utilize the comprehensive plan as a guide for making decisions. Should events
occur that alter the long-range plans of the City, then it will be necessary to update the plan based
on the impact of those events and new directions set forth for the City. The Brundidge
Comprehensive Plan was prepared with the purpose of attracting and managing growth and
development in and around the city. The plan provides local officials and citizens with a vision and
five missions for the future of Brundidge and guidelines for actions to attain that vision.
Vision:
Brundidge, Alabama….forerunners and leaders in a dynamic
environment where progress embraces tradition.
Mission:
Brundidge will retain its character and ensure a unique
quality of life through:
• Progressive Economic Development;
• Providing Adequate Utilities and Infrastructure;
• Maximizing Land Use;
• Implementation of Recreation Facilities; and
• Periodic Needs Assessments and Utilization.
2
Brundidge Planning Process
Sound community planning typically involves a cyclical three-part process of policy, planning
and management. In the policy portion of the process, an inventory and evaluation of the existing
conditions and features is conducted, community issues are identified, including both problems and
possibilities, and public policies are established through goals and objectives. The planning portion
of the process involves the development of an overall strategy for growth and development by
proposing solutions and selecting actions that lead to the attainment of the public policy. These
actions are then compiled into an overall strategy for growth and development with a time frame
and responsible party generally assigned to each action. The management portion of the process is
the implementation of the actions as they are outlined in the overall development strategy.
Management includes monitoring the results of the actions as they are implemented and making
adjustments, as necessary, and as conditions change.
Working with professional planners from the South Central Alabama Development
Commission (SCADC), the City of Brundidge followed this three-step process in the preparation of
the Brundidge Comprehensive Plan. Over a period of six months, three planning workshops were
conducted and attended by members of a comprehensive plan steering committee. The public
workshops were approximately 2.5 hours in length and included presentations of data, community
surveys, completion of individual and group exercises, and consensus-building. City Council,
Planning Commission and Steering
Committee members were notified of
the meeting dates and times by letter.
Although committee members were
notified by mail, the workshop meetings
were open to everyone. The general
public was notified by a meeting schedule
and reminders that were included in the
City’s water bill and flyers that were
posted throughout Brundidge.
3
4
Topics for discussion at the first
planning workshop included a
long-range visioning, inventory
and analysis of existing
conditions, identification of assets
and liabilities, and preliminary
goals and concepts. The second
planning workshop addressed the
community elements of economic
development, utilities and
infrastructure, transportation,
housing and community facilities.
A goal framework was presented
and expanded. In the third and
final planning workshop, the land
use element was addressed and
attendees participated in the
development of a draft
development concept.
Meeting notices for a planning workshop
and open-house meeting.
Following the planning workshops, the City conducted two open-house meetings in a comeand-go format that allowed citizens to visit, ask one-on-one questions, make comments and
suggestions, and follow the progress of the comprehensive plan. The first open house was held on
Thursday, April 15, 2010 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The focus of the workshop was to review a
communitywide vision and mission, a development concept and a goal framework for the various
elements of the comprehensive plan. Citizen comments from the open house were used to refine
the development concept into a full development strategy. The development strategy and a detailed
transportation study were presented to the city council, planning commission, industrial
development board and the comprehensive plan steering committee prior to a final public
presentation and review at a second open house meeting on June 3, 2010. Comments and
suggestions were again used to refine the final action strategy.
After the planning workshops and open-house meetings with the comprehensive plan steering
committee, a public hearing was held to present and discuss the final draft of the Brundidge
Comprehensive Plan on February 15, 2011. The plan was adopted by both the Brundidge Planning
Commission and the Brundidge City Council on December 20, 2011.
Although the final tangible product of the planning process is a comprehensive plan, the
greater result is the on-going process for anticipating and managing the future of Brundidge and
staying in a position to maximize opportunities as they arise. The community planning process
enables a community to nurture and protect those features that are positive; to address and change
those things that are negative; and to seek and attain the possible. Community planning is a dynamic
process that must be continually molded to fit the growing needs of a community.
Page 4: Pictures from Planning Workshops held on January 14, February 11, and March 11, 2010.
Page 5: Pictures from Open House Meetings held on April 15 and June 3, 2010.
5
Planning Context
Brundidge was originally known as Collier’s Store
and was founded in 1851 when George C. Collier moved
to the area and opened a general store. In the 1921
book, History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama
biography by Thomas McAdory Owen and Marie
Bankhead Owen, Mr. Owen wrote that Brundidge was a
‘post office and incorporated town in the southeastern part of
Pike County, located on the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad 12
miles southeast of Troy.’ He also stated that ‘Brundidge
was located on the old stagecoach road from Troy to Dale
County, and was long known as Collier's Store, but changed to
Brundidge, in honor of an early settler.’ That settler was
James McGinnis Brundidge (1812-1901) who founded the
local Masonic Lodge. According to Mr. Owen, the
population of Brundidge almost tripled over 40 years,
from 300 persons in 1870 to 815 persons in 1910. By
this time, Brundidge was home to the Bank of Brundidge (State), the Brundidge News which was a
weekly Democratic newspaper established in 1898, a cottonseed oil mill, a sawmill, a grist mill,
cotton ginneries, cotton warehouses, several stores, several churches, the Pike County High School
and public grammar schools. Mr. Owen noted that of the early settlers in Brundidge, many of them
were ‘well-to-do and of a high order of intelligence and culture.’ Early settlers included physicians,
ministers, educators and plantation owners. He described the area as having large plantations that
raised cotton, sugar-cane, corn, peanuts, melons and fruit, and cattle and hogs. The area was known
for its cane syrup and peanut crops which were sold to manufacturers of oil.
The agricultural – industrial character of
Brundidge has not changed much over the last 100
years. Today, the corporate boundaries of Brundidge
encompass 9.74 square miles, the majority of which is
either undeveloped or in agricultural land uses giving
the city appear an agrarian appearance. In comparison
to its small size and population, however, Brundidge
has a high proportion of local industry and attracts
workers from around the region. Brundidge’s recent
history of mixing agriculture and industry clearly dates
back to 1928, when native J.D. Johnston started the
Johnston Peanut Butter Mill in the upstairs of a
downtown building in Brundidge. One of the first
peanut butter mills in the southeast, Johnston Peanut Butter Mill responded to the growth in
popularity of peanut butter as an inexpensive source of protein. The Mill was an integral factor in
the livelihood of Brundidge families in the 1930s as jobs became scarce during the Great Depression.
The competition from larger processing companies eventually drove smaller mills out of business in
the late 1940s and 1950s. Local industries in Brundidge currently employ between 750 and 1,000
workers, although the majority of the industries are no longer agriculturally based.
6
Brundidge is better known today as “Alabama’s Antique City” and has a substantial downtown
retail district due, in part, to antique shops. The city’s location on U.S. Highway 231 between Troy
and Dothan draws a significant amount of ‘beach-bound’ through traffic to support the downtown
area and provides regional access to 17 major cities. Brundidge is bisected by Alabama Highway 93,
which runs north-south, and Alabama Highway 10, which runs east-west. Downtown Brundidge is
located around the intersection of these routes, just one mile east of U.S. Highway 231. Major cities
located within a 60-mile radius of Brundidge include Troy, Dothan, Enterprise, Montgomery and
Auburn. Brundidge is also accessed by a rail line operated by CSX Transportation and which has a
gross traffic density between 5 million tons and 20 million tons as of 2008. Railroad interchanges
are located just north and south of Brundidge in Troy and Waterford/Dothan.
Regional Location
Study Area
Section 11-52-8 of the Code of Alabama states that a municipal comprehensive plan may
include plans for the physical development of areas outside of its boundaries which, in the judgment
of the planning commission, bear relation to the planning of such municipality. And, Section 11-52-9
further states that in preparing a comprehensive plan, the municipal planning commission shall make
careful and comprehensive surveys and studies of present conditions and future growth of the
municipality and with due regard to its relation to neighboring territory.
7
Together, these two sections of the Code mandate, through use of the word shall, that a
municipality considers its surrounding area in making future plans for growth and development. The
reason for this is two-fold: one, so a municipality does not unduly impact its neighbors; and, two, so
a municipality can effectively plan for its long-range growth by helping guide the development of area
adjacent to its boundaries that has the potential to come within the corporate limits at a future date.
In planning for lands outside the corporate limits, a municipality has the opportunity to determine
how the surrounding area could affect its future plans; and likewise, the municipality has the
responsibility to ensure that its future plans do not have an adverse effect on the surrounding area.
Although the Code does not state a specific distance or territory to be covered under the
planning jurisdiction, the police jurisdiction is generally accepted as the planning jurisdiction.
Therefore, the primary study area for the Brundidge Comprehensive Plan includes the land within
the corporate boundaries of the city and the secondary study area extends one-and-one-half miles
beyond the corporate boundaries of the city, which is equivalent to the City of Brundidge police
jurisdiction.
Brundidge Comprehensive Plan
Primary Study Area
8
2. RESOURCE INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
The inventory and evaluation of existing resources provides an in-depth framework for
making future planning decisions based on the presence of, or lack of, physical and structural
features. The investigation, mapping, description and analysis of these conditions provide a starting
point in the identification of issues that face the City of Brundidge. An inventory of the available
resources was conducted by the staff of the South Central Alabama Development Commission and
entered into a Geographic Information System (GIS) database, which was then used to help
determine the general suitability of the land in Brundidge for future development. The inventory of
existing conditions and resources was divided into two categories: demographics and physical
resources. After information regarding the existing conditions and available resources was
compiled, it was possible to perform an analysis to determine the assets and liabilities (or strengths
and weaknesses) of Brundidge in regards to opportunities for future growth and to identify
limitations to additional development.
Demographics
According to U.S. Census estimates, Brundidge has a 2010 population of 2,076 persons which
is a 11.3 percent decrease from the 2000 population of 2,341 persons. Even so, Brundidge is the
second largest municipality in Pike County following the City of Troy, which is the county seat.
Brundidge has a population density of 213 persons per square mile, with most of the population
located east of U.S. Highway 231 and concentrated along city’s main transportation arteries:
Alabama Highways 10 and 93, Veterans Boulevard, and Galloway Road. The U.S. Bureau of Census,
2010 Census and the American Community Survey, 2005-2009 are the sources of all data provided
in the demographic analysis, unless otherwise noted.
Over the last 100 years, population growth in Brundidge has been somewhat erratic, with
significant growth between 1920 and 1950, followed by more modest growth until 1980. Since
1980, the City of Brundidge has been experiencing decline in population. The most dramatic
population loss occurred between 1980 and 1990, with a decrease of 23.1 percent.
Population: 1900 to 2010
3,500
3,213
3,000
2,709
2,500
2,605
2,523
2,472
2,000
2,341
2,076
1,909
1,500
1,434
1,000
941
815
500
537
0
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Census; U.S. Statistical Abstract 2011; University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research
9
2010
In the first half of the 20th Century, the City of Brundidge exhibited stronger growth patterns
than the United States, the State of Alabama, Pike County, and the City of Troy. The exception to
this is the United States growth rate between 1900 and 1910, which was the height of the European
immigration movement to America. Between 1950 and 1960, however, Brundidge began losing
population, as did Pike County. Although Troy and the State had positive growth rates during this
decade, their corresponding growth rates were lower than they had been in previous decades.
Between 1960 and 1980, Brundidge again experienced strong growth, with a 7.4 percent population
increase between 1960 and 1970 and an 18.6 percent increase from 1970 to 1980. Likewise, Troy,
the state and the nation also enjoyed population growth during this same time period. Textile
industry closings in the 1980s, however, led to a drastic population loss of 23.1 percent in Brundidge
and a 1.6 percent decrease in Pike County. In comparison, Troy, Alabama and the nation continued
stable population growth. In the last 20 years, between 1990 and 20010, the population of
Brundidge has continued to decline, at a much slower rate, however, while the populations of Troy,
Pike County, Alabama and the United States have continued to increase.
Population Growth Rate Comparison, 1900 to 2010
Location
US
Alabama
Pike Co.
19001910
1110.1%
19101920
15.0%
19201930
16.2%
19301940
7.3%
19401950
14.5%
19501960
18.5%
19601970
13.3%
19701980
11.5%
19801990
9.8%
19902000
13.2%
20002010
9.7%
16.9%
9.8%
12.7%
7.1%
8.1%
6.7%
5.4%
13.1%
3.8%
10.1%
7.5%
5.6%
2.6%
1.9%
0.8%
-5.8%
-15.1%
-3.7%
12.0%
-1.6%
7.3%
11.1%
Troy
21.1%
14.8%
2.1%
21.3%
21.3%
19.6%
12.2%
12.7%
0.8%
6.8%
29.4%
Brundidge
51.8%
15.5%
52.4%
33.1%
36.5%
-3.1%
7.4%
18.6%
-23.1%
-5.3%
-11.3%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Census; U.S. Statistical Abstract 2011; University of Alabama Center for Business and Economic Research
Brundidge has a majority minority population, with 62.9 percent of the population being
African American. Of the remaining population, 34.1 percent are white, 1.7 percent are persons on
another race, and 1.3 percent are persons of two or more races. As shown in the table below, the
racial distribution of the Brundidge population does not mirror that of Pike County or the State of
Alabama. The majority of the Pike County and State populations are white, at 58.2 percent and 68.5
percent, respectively. The African American population of Pike County is 36.6 percent and of
Alabama is 26.2 percent. Of the total population of Brundidge, it is estimated that 3.0 percent is of
Hispanic origin, in comparison to 2.2 percent in Pike County, 3.9 percent in Alabama and 16.3
percent in the United States. Only 2.2 percent of the Brundidge population is foreign-born, which is
similar to the State, at 2.9 percent, and Pike County, at 2.5 percent and in contrast to the US
population, of which 12.4 percent is foreign-born. Of the Brundidge population that is foreign-born,
all were born in a Latin American country.
Population by Race, 2010
Race
Total Population
White
Black or African American
American Indian and Alaskan Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
Some Other Race
Two or More Races
Hispanic Origin
Source: U.S. Bureau of Census; 2010 Census
United States
308,745,538
72.4%
12.6%
0.9%
4.8%
0.2%
6.2%
2.9%
16.3%
10
Alabama
4,779,736
68.5%
26.2%
0.6%
1.1%
0.1%
2.0%
1.5%
3.9%
Pike County
32,899
58.2%
36.6%
0.6%
2.0%
0.1%
1.0%
1.5%
2.2%
Brundidge
2,076
34.1%
62.9%
0.5%
0.6%
0.0%
0.6%
1.3%
3.0%
The population of Brundidge has a higher percentage of females than males. While the same
is true in Pike County, the state and the nation, the gap between the two population groups is more
significant in Brundidge, at 53.5 percent female, than in the other locations at 52.6 percent in Pike
County, 51.6 percent in Alabama, and 50.7 percent in the nation. In addition, the median age is
higher in Brundidge, at 44.6 years of age, than in other locations as compared to Pike County, at
32.5 years, the State of Alabama, at 37.2 years, and the nation, at 36.5 years. The median age of
females in Brundidge, at
Population by Gender 2009
45.5 years, is higher than
53.5%
that of their male
52.6%
54.0%
51.6%
counterparts, at 43.3 years.
50.7%
52.0%
The same is true in Pike
49.3%
48.4%
50.0%
47.4%
County, Alabama and the
46.5%
48.0%
United States. The
46.0%
difference between male
44.0%
and female median ages
42.0%
ranges from 2.2 years in
US
Alabama
Pike County
Brundidge
Brundidge and Pike County
Male:
Female:
to 3.2 years for the State.
Age Distribution, 2010
33.6%
35.0%
13.0%
12.8%
13.8%
21.0%
20.3%
19.8%
26.8%
27.0%
10.0%
16.2%
15.0%
26.7%
20.0%
22.1%
25.0%
26.9%
30.0%
39.7%
40.0%
39.8%
40.7%
45.0%
5.0%
0.0%
0 to 19 Years
Brundidge
20 to 34 Years
35 to 64 Years
Pike County
Alabama
65 Years and Older
United States
The age distribution in Brundidge is not surprising, given the older median age of the
population. As expected, the city has a higher proportion of persons age 65 and older, at 20.9
percent, than does Pike County, at 12.50 percent, the State of Alabama, at 13.5 percent, or the
United States at 12.6 percent. What is surprising is the age bracket that is missing from the
Brundidge population, which is the young working population at 18 to 34 years of age. This age
bracket makes up only 17.8 percent of the Brundidge population, as compared to 30.0 percent of
the Pike County population, and 22.9 percent and 23.3 percent of the state and national populations.
The disabled population in Brundidge, at 32.2 percent of the total population age 5 and older,
is much than in Pike County, at 24.3 percent, or in the state, at 14.2 percent. Of the persons, age 5
to 20 in Brundidge, 12.0 percent have a disability, as compared to 8.8 percent in Pike County and
11
9.0 percent in Alabama. Likewise, in the 21 to 64 age group, 32.1 percent in Brundidge have a
disability, while 24.4 percent in Pike County and 23.2 percent in the state have a disability. The
same trend continues in the elderly population of Brundidge, with 53.8 percent of the persons 65
years old and older having a disability, as compared to 54.4 percent of the elderly population of Pike
County, and 49.5 percent of the state’s older population. Disability information was not included in
the 2005-2009 American Community Survey, therefore data was obtained from the U.S. Bureau of
Census, 2000 Census.
Percentage of Population with a Disability by Age Group, 2000
53.8
Age 65 and Over
54.4
49.5
32.1
Age 21 to 64
24.4
23.2
12.0
8.8
Age 5 to 20
9.0
0.0
10.0
Alabama
20.0
30.0
Pike County
40.0
50.0
60.0
Brundidge
As of 2009, there are an estimated 1,134 households in Brundidge, of which 54.1 percent are
family households and 45.9 percent are non-family households. The percentage of family households
in Brundidge is lower than that of Pike County, at 62.0 percent, the state, at 67.9 percent, and the
nation, at 66.7 percent. Of the family households in Brundidge, 51.1 percent are married couples and
42.3 percent have a female head of household with no husband present. Of the non-family
households in Brundidge, 93.3 percent are a householder living alone, which equates to
approximately 485 households. The average household size of all households is 2.30 persons and
the average family size 2.93 persons.
Household income in Brundidge is reflective of the high proportion of elderly population and
the high percentage of the population with disabilities. Of the 1,134 households, 45.1 percent have
no earnings, as compared to 23.0 percent in Pike County, 24.2 percent in the state, and 19.9
percent in the nation. There are 591 households that have a wage or salary income, equal to 52.1
percent of the total households. Of these, 8.6 percent are from self-employment. Self-employment
income is lower in Brundidge than in Pike County, at 11.8 percent, the state, at 13.7 percent, and
the nation, at 15.4 percent. With the lack of wage-earning households, there is a high reliance upon
some form of financial assistance among Brundidge households resulting a high proportion of
households with a fixed income. Of the city’s total households, 51.8 percent receive Social Security
income; 16.9 percent receive Supplemental Security income (SSI), and 3.0 percent receive public
assistance income. These percentages are all higher than the corresponding percentages for Pike
County, the State of Alabama and the United States. The percentage of households with retirement
income in Brundidge, at 14.5 percent, however, is slightly lower than Pike County, at 14.9 percent,
and considerably lower than the state, at 19.5 percent, and the nation, at 17.4 percent.
12
As would be expected, median income levels are low in Brundidge while poverty levels are
high. In Brundidge in 2009, the median household income was $19,409; the median family income
was $27,941; and the per capita income was $14,968. While these median incomes are lower than
in Pike County, they are drastically lower than the median income levels of the state and nation –
sometimes, less than half of the state and national levels, as shown in the table below. Poverty levels
are also high in Brundidge with 36.2 percent of the population living below poverty level, as
compared to 29.1 percent in Pike County, 16.8 percent in Alabama, and 13.5 percent in the United
States. Poverty levels are especially high among the elderly population in Brundidge, with 13.7
percent of the persons age 65 and older living in poverty.
Type of Household Income, 2009
United States
Type of Income
Total Households
# of HH
Alabama
%
# of HH
112,611,029
Pike County
%
1,819,441
# of HH
%
12,862
Brundidge
# of HH
%
1,134
With Earnings
90,209,008
80.1%
1,378,653
75.8%
9,910
77.0%
622
54.9%
With No Earnings
22,402,021
19.9%
440,788
24.2%
2,952
23.0%
512
45.1%
With Wage or Salary Income
86,671,258
77.0%
1,327,077
72.9%
9,547
74.2%
591
52.1%
13,347,071
15.4%
181,920
13.7%
1,131
11.8%
51
8.6%
With Self-Employment Income
With Social Security Income
30,470,729
27.1%
573,932
31.5%
4,026
31.3%
587
51.8%
With Supplemental Security Income
4,283,276
3.8%
97,133
5.3%
743
5.8%
192
16.9%
With Public Assistance Income
2,690,559
2.4%
26,548
1.5%
220
1.7%
34
3.0%
With Retirement Income
19,599,672 17.4%
With Other Types of Income
15,380,773 13.7%
Median Incomes (In 2009 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars)
355,442
271,826
19.5%
14.9%
1,918
2,318
14.9%
18.0%
164
151
14.5%
13.3%
Median Household Income
$51,425
$41,216
$28,065
$19,409
Median Family Income
$62,363
$51,989
$39,319
$27,941
Per Capita Income
$27,041
$22,732
$19,085
$14,968
Persons Living Below Poverty Level, 2009
United States
Persons With Income Below Poverty Level
Alabama
13.5%
16.8%
Pike County
Brundidge
29.1%
36.2%
Male
44.0%
41.9%
41.1%
43.0%
Female
56.0%
58.1%
58.9%
57.0%
Under 17 Years
34.3%
34.6%
30.9%
29.5%
18 to 64 Years
56.7%
55.6%
62.1%
56.8%
9.0%
9.8%
7.0%
13.7%
65 Years and Over
It is estimated that there are 1,647
persons in Brundidge that are age 25 and
older. Of these, 2 percent have had no
education of any kind, 34 percent do not have
a high school diploma, 39 percent have
graduated from high school or have an
alternate high school diploma, 14 percent
have attended college but do not have a
degree, 2 percent have an associate’s degree,
and 9 percent have earned a bachelor’s or
Educational Attainment in Brundidge, 2009
No High School Diploma
34%
High School Diploma, GED
39%
No Schooling
2%
Bachelor's Degree or
Higher
9%
13
Associate's Degree
2%
Some College, No Degree
14%
higher degree. In comparison to the nation, state and Pike County, Brundidge has low levels of
educational attainment. While the percentage of the population with a high school degree in
Brundidge is higher than the corresponding population in Pike County, at 34.2 percent, the state, at
31.8 percent, and the nation, at 29.3 percent, the portion of the population that has less than a high
school diploma is also higher than the comparison areas and the portion of the population that has
post-secondary education is lower. This is especially true for the portion of the population that has
a bachelor’s degree of higher, which is 8.6 percent in Brundidge as compared to 22.2 percent in Pike
County, 21.5 percent in the state, and 27.5 percent in the nation.
Educational Attainment Comparison, 2009
United States
Population, Age 25 and Older
No Schooling
No High School Diploma
High School Diploma, GED
Some College, No Degree
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
197,440,772
2,115,918
28,329,259
57,861,698
40,105,283
14,663,437
54,365,177
Alabama
3,049,663
28,049
556,159
971,298
631,854
205,605
656,698
1.1%
14.3%
29.3%
20.3%
7.4%
27.5%
0.9%
18.2%
31.8%
20.7%
6.7%
21.5%
Pike County
17,363
134
3,874
5,945
3,012
551
3,847
0.8%
22.3%
34.2%
17.3%
3.2%
22.2%
Brundidge
1,647
30
560
659
224
32
142
1.8%
34.0%
40.0%
13.6%
1.9%
8.6%
Physical Resources
Physical resources are those conditions that are inherent to the land. As such, they cannot be
easily changed. Changing the physical conditions as they currently exist for development is often
costly and may present new problems in other areas. The inventory of physical resources includes
climate, topography, vegetation, hydrology, geology, and soils. Understanding both the
opportunities and the limitations presented by these resources is essential to cost-effective and
responsible development and land uses for the future.
Brundidge has rather mild seasons
Mean Temperature Degrees Fahrenheit
where the average summer temperature
is 80˚ Fahrenheit and the average winter
temperature is 40˚ Fahrenheit. July and
August are the warmest months with
mean maximum temperatures of 90.4˚
Fahrenheit and 90.0˚ Fahrenheit,
respectively. December and January are
the coldest months, with December
having a mean minimum temperature of
38.6˚ Fahrenheit and January at 36.2˚
Fahrenheit. Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer
with a difference that can reach 20˚ Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average
difference of 22˚ Fahrenheit.
Average precipitation in Brundidge is 53.5 inches per year and rainfall is fairly evenly
distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is March, with an average rainfall of
6.3 inches, followed by July, with an average rainfall of 5.9 inches. The driest months are October
and November, with average rainfall of 2.5 and 3.2 inches.
14
Brundidge is characterized by gently rolling hills with an elevation generally between 350 feet
and 500 feet above sea level. The city’s higher elevations, at 500 feet and higher, are found in the
northern part of the city between Galloway Road and Alabama Highway 93. Elevations between 460
and 500 feet are found mostly in the northwest quadrant, north of S. A. Graham Boulevard and west
of Alabama Highway 93. There are also some areas with these higher elevations located in the city’s
northeast quadrant, east of Alabama Highway 93 and north of Alabama Highway 10. Lower
elevations, around 350 feet above sea level, are generally located near the corporate limits of the
city in all directions along streams.
Forest vegetation in Brundidge is primarily loblolly-shortleaf pine, which is one of the most
commercially important forest species in the southern United States, making up over half of the
standing pine volume. Pike County is a state leader in production of pine and hardwood pulpwood,
saw timber hardwood, and private non-farm timber. Benefits of loblolly pine forests include the
provision of animal habitats, wind and noise breaks, timber production and biomass for energy.
Dense forested areas are generally located in lower elevations along streams and floodplains.
Topography, Elevation and Vegetation
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Quadrangle Map; and South Central Alabama Development Commission
15
Hydrology and Hillshade
Source: U.S. Geological Survey; U.S .Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service
Brundidge is located in the Pea River Watershed of the Choctawhatchee-Pea-Yellow River
Basin, which covers a large portion of southeast Alabama. The Pea River is the largest tributary of
the Choctawhatchee River and flows generally southwest about 128 miles from Bullock County to
join the Choctawhatchee near Geneva just above the Alabama-Florida state line. The Pea River
Watershed encompasses about 1,542 square miles. Brundidge is primarily developed along a northsouth ridgeline that underlies the route of Alabama Highway 93. From this central ridgeline, water
flows into one of five streams located in four subwatersheds and eventually drains into the Pea
River. The northeast and north central part of the city is drained Sandy Run Creek and Bear Creek
located in the Richland Creek subwatershed. The southeast part of the city is drained by Bowden
Mill Creek located in the Bowden Mill Creek subwatershed. The southwest and south central part
of Brundidge drains to Mims Creek located in the subwatershed of the same name. Mims Creek is
the most significant of the streams in Brundidge. In the northwest part of the city, water drains to
Whitewater Creek located in the Beaver Pond Branch subwatershed.
16
Due to the topography of the city, floodplains in Brundidge are generally constrained to linear
areas that follow the course of the major streams and tributaries in the city. Floodplains in the
southern part of the city tend to be slightly more expansive than those in the north, particularly
along Mims Creek. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wetlands Inventory has identified
linear wetlands around Whitewater Creek, Sandy Run Creek, Bear Creek, Bowden Mill Creek and
Mims Creek. Most of these floodplains and wetlands are not in the developed portions of
Brundidge and do not present additional limitations to future development beyond those limitations
already present because of topographical conditions. There exist two areas that are exceptions,
both of which are adjacent to highly developed areas in the southwest quadrant of the city. The first
area is the southwest corner of the intersection of U.S. Highway 231 and Alabama Highway10/
County Road 3316, which has potential for commercial or industrial development. The second
location lies between two neighborhoods north of Johnson Street and south of Andrews Corner,
however, it appears that some development that has occurred within the floodplain/wetland area.
Hydrology and Floodplains
Source: USGS; U.S .Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service. Note: The Zone A
Flood Areas depicted on this map are an approximation of the three official DFIRM maps. See http://msc.fema.gov to order official flood maps.
17
There are five major physiographic sections in Alabama: the Highland Rim, the Cumberland
Plateau, the Valley and Ridge, the Piedmont Plateau, and the East Gulf Coastal Plain. Pike County is
located in the Chunnenuggee Hills and Southern Red Hills districts of the East Gulf Coastal Plain,
which extends from the northwest to the east central part of the state. The East Gulf Coastal Plain
is Alabama’s largest physiographic region and encompasses about 60 percent of the state. The
Chunnenuggee Hills district, which includes the Sand Fork, Enon, Lapine, High Ridge and Ripley
cuestas, formed on sands and sandstones. (A cuesta is a ridge that slopes gently down one side and
sharply down the other.) Along the 175-foot-high Lapine cuesta, in the central region, the hills
reach elevations of more than 570 feet above sea level. In the western regions, the Chunnenuggee
Hills are very narrow and are bounded by the Ripley and Troy cuestas. The Southern Red Hills
district formed on sands, limestone, marls, clay, and silt, and elevations in these hills commonly
reach more than 400 feet above sea level with local relief of as much as 200 feet. The northern
boundary is the Troy cuesta (between 80 and 140 feet high), which developed on sand. The
southern boundary occurs where the hills give way to the flatlands of the Dougherty Plain district in
the east and central areas. (Source: www.encyclopediaofalabama.org)
The major geological
Geology
formations in Brundidge are
the Nanafalia formation and
the Clayton formation.
The extreme southwest tip
of Brundidge is located in
the Qalt-Alluvial formation.
The majority of Brundidge
is underlain by the
Nanafalia formation which
includes the Nanafalia
Aquifer. An aquifer is a
geological formation that is
a wet underground layer of
water-bearing permeable
rock, gravel, sand, silt, or
clay from which
groundwater can be
extracted. The Nanafalia
Aquifer is a primary source
of groundwater in
southeast Alabama. The
Nanafalia formation, part of
the Wilcox Group, is made up of clay, claystone, sand and gravel characterized by medium-gray and
white clay, carbonaceous clay, white and grayish-yellow fine to coarse sand and lenses of bauxite and
bauxitic clay. Sand beds commonly are cross-bedded, gravelly, and contain numerous clay pebbles.
The sequence of beds is often obscured by weathering and the collapse of beds into sinkholes in the
underlying Clayton Formation. The Clayton formation, part of the Midway Group, is characterized
by a gravelly medium to coarse sand containing clay pebbles. The formation is generally deeply
weathered and fresh exposures are rare. (Source: USGS, Mineral Resources On-line Spatial Data.
http://mrdata.usgs.gov/sgmc/al.html)
18
Brundidge lies in the Southern Coastal Plain Major Land Resource Area (MLRA 133A). The
dominant soil orders in this area are ultisols, entisols, and inceptisols. These soils are generally very
deep, somewhat excessively drained to poorly drained, and loamy. Typical land uses include timber
production, cash-grain crops, and forage production. Major crops grown in these soils include
soybeans, cotton, corn, and wheat and pastures are primarily grazed by beef cattle, but some dairy
cattle and hogs are raised in the area. Major concerns with soils in this area are water erosion,
maintenance of the content of organic matter and productivity of the soils, control of surface water,
artificial drainage, and management of surface compaction and soil moisture.
There are 25 different soils units within the corporate boundaries of Brundidge as shown in
the map below. The Fuquay-Urban Land complex is the primary soil unit in the most heavily
developed portions of Brundidge. These soils are generally very deep and well-drained.
Permeability in the Fuquay soils is rapid in the surface and subsurface layers, but slow in the subsoil
layer. These soils have low shrink-swell potential and no flooding.
Soils
19
In the northern part of Brundidge, the undeveloped areas are primarily comprised of soils in
the Luverne-Springhill complex; and in the southern part of the city, soils in undeveloped areas are
primarily in the Arundel-Luverne-Troup complex. The Luverne-Springhill soils are also generally
very deep and well-drained, but are found on the side slopes of highly dissected uplands. They have
moderate to moderately slow permeability, low to moderate shrink-swell potential and no flooding.
Arundel-Luverne-Troup soils are dominantly gently sloping to steep, well-drained to excessively
drained, and have a loamy or sandy surface layer and a clayey or loamy subsoil. Permeability in
these soils is slow and shrink-swell potential is high.
Soil characteristics present some limitations to development due to wetness, steep slopes,
permeability, and/or shrink-swell potential. The map below shows general limitations to
development or construction of dwellings and small commercial buildings. Those areas with severe
limitations are generally found along streams and steep slopes, although the soil limitation areas are
more expansive than the existing floodplain areas. In addition, there are some areas with moderate
limitations to development in the southeast part of the city. Limitations in this area are generally
due to shrink-swell potential.
Soil Limitations for Dwellings and Small Commercial Buildings
Source: USDA, Natural Resource and Conservation Service, Web Soil Survey. http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov
20
Evaluation – Assets and Liabilities – Infrastructure and Services
Brundidge citizens were able to identify their strong and weak points as a community in terms
of how they are able to attract, maintain and serve the city's population and how they are able to
grow and develop. Further, citizens identified limitations to future development in terms of issues
that must be resolved. Below is a list of identified assets, liabilities and issues. They are in no
particular order in terms of importance; however, each will be considered in the community studies
in the next chapter.
Assets
Liabilities

Water system

Animal Control

Library

Local drug problem

Electric system

Lack of recognition

People

Pollution, litter

Volunteer fire department

Trucks through town, street deterioration

Knowledgeable, caring leaders

Dilapidated housing

Local restaurants

Trailer parks

Good access to local government

Vacant commercial buildings

Local doctor


Police department – a good size for city the
size of Brundidge
Downtown parking, limited visibility (large
vehicles in historic downtown)

Abandoned vehicles

Good elder services

Highway 231 “entrance”

School system

Sanitary sewer services and wastewater
treatment plant
Issues

Trucks turning into downtown

Theater

Industrial/residential compatibility

Football, sports championships

“Locked in” by surrounding land owners

Local NFL players

Recruitment team

Climate


Churches
Another grocery store – “Retail
competitiveness”

City services

Access to the post office

Post office – no long lines

Anti-littering enforcement

High school dropout rate
21
22
3. COMMUNITY STUDIES
Community elements describe those facets of Brundidge that make up the community lifestyle
of residents. Beyond the resources and services that were inventoried in the previous chapter,
community elements provide information on factors of Brundidge that can be improved,
strengthened and maintained. Community elements discussed in this chapter include economic
development, housing, community facilities, utilities and infrastructure, transportation and
circulation, and land use patterns.
Economic Development
The 2009 windshield survey of Brundidge indicates that there are approximately 136 parcels
of land that are utilized for commercial or industrial purposes. Combined the commercial and
industrial land uses occupy about 13.0 percent of the developed land area in Brundidge, or 6.7
percent of the total land area. Commercial land uses vary from retail commercial to personal
services, while industrial land uses include small manufacturing companies to large-scale distribution
operations. Most of the businesses, however, are small locally-owned establishments that employ a
small number of people or are home-based businesses. Of commercial and industrial properties, it
is estimated that 84.5 percent of the parcels are commercial properties, but only 22.1 percent of the
land area is commercial while the 78.0 percent of the land area remaining land area is used for
industrial purposes. Some of the larger employers in Brundidge are listed in the table below.
Employer
Brundidge Electronics Corporation
Carter Brothers Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Pike County Elementary School
Pike County High School
Southern Classic Food Group, LLC
Supreme Oil South
Wal-Mart Distribution Center
Number of Employees
26 to 50
101 to 150
50 to 99
50 to 99
100 to 249
50 to 99
500 to 999
The 2009 American Community Survey estimates that there are 787 workers, age 16 and
older, living in Brundidge. Of these, the majority, at 34.4 percent, are employed in production,
transportation and material moving occupations, which is a considerably higher percentage than
those employed in these occupations in Pike County, at 18.9 percent, or in the State, at 16.4
percent. Following the production occupations, sales and office occupations and service occupations
are the second and third largest occupational sectors, with each having just under 20 percent of the
total workers. As compared to other locations, Brundidge has fewer workers employed in the sales
and office sector, but is comparable in both the service occupations and construction occupations.
In Brundidge, 19.3 percent of the workers are employed in sales and office occupations, as
compared to 25.1 percent in Pike County and 25.6 percent in Alabama. An estimated 17.9 percent
of Brundidge workers are employed in services occupations while 19.0 percent of Pike County
workers and 15.5 percent of Alabama workers are employed in service jobs. Likewise, 13.9 percent
of Brundidge workers are employed in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations
as compared to 9.5 percent of workers in Pike County and 11.0 percent of Alabama workers. The
largest occupational sector in both Pike County and the State is management, professional and
23
related occupations, at 26.4 percent and 30.9 percent, respectively. Only 12.8 percent of Brundidge
workers, however, are employed in management or related occupations. The smallest occupational
sector statewide is farming, fishing and forestry occupations, with only 1.7 percent of the workers in
Brundidge, 1.1 percent in Pike County, and 0.7 percent in the State.
Employment by Occupation, 2009
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Alabama
Pike County
Brundidge
Management, Professional
Service
Sales, Office
Farming, Fishing, Forestry
Construction, Extraction, Maintenance, Repair
Production, Transportation, Material Moving
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2005-2009
Employment by Industry, 2009
Industry
Alabama
Pike County
Brundidge
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining
1.8%
2.4%
1.7%
Mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction
0.5%
0.1%
0.0%
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
7.8%
6.8%
9.9%
14.8%
16.8%
25.8%
3.3%
2.7%
3.0%
12.1%
13.0%
14.1%
Transportation, warehousing, utilities
5.3%
6.5%
7.2%
Information
1.9%
0.5%
0.3%
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental/leasing
5.8%
4.4%
2.7%
Professional, scientific, mgmt, admin, waste mgmt services
8.4%
3.9%
5.1%
Educational, health care, social services
20.5%
26.1%
15.2%
Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, food svc
7.4%
8.5%
6.6%
Other services, except public administration
5.1%
3.7%
5.2%
Public administration
5.3%
4.6%
3.2%
Source: U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2005-2009
The three major industrial sectors for employment in Brundidge are manufacturing, which
employs 25.8 percent of the city's workers; educational, health care and social services, at 15.2
percent; and retail trade, at 14.1 percent. These are also the three largest industrial sectors for
both Pike County and the State of Alabama. In Pike County and the State, however, education,
health care and social services employs the largest percentage of workers, at 26.1 percent and 20.5
percent respectively, followed by retail trade and then manufacturing.
24
More than half of the Brundidge workers, at 61.9 percent, lived within close proximity to their
employment and had a commute time of less than 20 minutes, according to the American
Community Survey in 2009. In fact, 28.6 percent of Brundidge workers have a commute time of
less than 10 minutes and 13.6 percent have a commute between 10 and 14 minutes. Of those that
travel further distances, most still commute times of less than 34 minutes. Brundidge has a much
smaller percentage of workers that travel long distances with a commute in excess of 35 minutes, at
10.0 percent, than does Pike County, at 16.1 percent, the State, at 18.3 percent or the nation, at
21.8 percent. The majority of the city's workers, at 77.7 percent, commuted to work by driving
alone. Of the remaining workers, 15.0 percent carpooled, 3.4 percent walked or rode a bicycle, 1.6
percent worked at home, and 1.6 percent used other means. Although public transit is available in
Brundidge and Pike County, it is not often used as a means of transportation to and from local
places of employment. As a result, only 0.7 percent of Brundidge workers used public
transportation as a means of transportation to and from work.
Reliable and current unemployment data is not available for the City of Brundidge, however,
data is available for Pike County. While unemployment in Pike County has increased in the last
decade, it has not increased nearly as much as the State or other counties in the region. The 2010
average annual unemployment rate for Pike County was 7.8 percent, down from 8.4 percent in
2009. Comparatively, the 2010 average annual unemployment rate in the surrounding counties was
9.3 percent in Montgomery County, 14.7 percent in Bullock County, 12.1 percent in Barbour
County, 8.5 percent in Dale County, 7.3 percent in Coffee County, and 8.7 percent in Crenshaw
County. The 2010 average annual unemployment rate for the state was 9.5 percent and for the
nation was 9.6 percent.
Pike County Annual Average Unemployment Rate, 2000 to 2010
Year
Annual Average
Civilian Labor Force
Annual Average
Employment
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
14,184
13,646
13,716
14,291
14,929
14,934
15,210
15,634
15,772
15,892
15,635
13,491
12,985
12,971
13,536
14,213
14,417
14,685
15,088
15,093
14,561
14,422
Annual Average
Unemployment
Annual Average
Unemployment Rate
693
661
745
755
716
517
525
546
679
1,331
1,213
4.9
4.8
5.4
5.3
4.8
3.5
3.5
3.5
4.3
8.4
7.8
Source: Alabama Department of Industrial Relations in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics
In most cases, economic development is not just a local event, but instead, is reliant upon the
regional economic climate. This is especially true for smaller municipalities such as Brundidge in
which area residents often travel to other areas for basic necessities such as groceries and clothing
due to a lack of choice in the local retail market. The opening of the Wal Mart Distribution Center
in Brundidge is a prime example of a major industry location being dependent upon the regional
labor force -- not just the Brundidge labor force. As a result of the distribution center, Brundidge
now has more jobs within the corporate limits than resident workers. At the beginning of this
25
section, it was estimated that there are between 875 and 1,750 jobs in Brundidge provided just by
the major employers in comparison to a local labor force of 787 workers. Brundidge is fortunate to
have an excellent regional location on U.S. Highway 231 between two metropolitan areas and to
have the available land and necessary infrastructure to attract such industry. The economic
characteristics from a regional perspective are favorable for additional growth in Brundidge. As
shown in the table below, a regional outlook increases the available labor force from less than 1,000
workers in Brundidge to just over 15,000 in Pike County to almost one-half million workers within a
60-mile radius of Pike County. The region within the 30-mile and 60-mile radius areas has seen
tremendous population growth during the last 30 years, even though Brundidge continues to suffer a
population decline. And, the per capita personal income is similar in Pike County and the extended
region as that of the State of Alabama, at $33,413.
Regional Economic Characteristics
Pike County
30-Mile Radius
60-Mile Radius
2009 Estimated Population
30,704
768,469
1,089,955
30-Year Population Change
18.2%
25.4%
34.5
44.1
70.2
69.9
15,635
337,236
489,770
7.8%
9.7%
9.5%
$33,413
$33,218
$32,125
Population Density, 2009
Labor Force, 2009
Unemployment Rate, 2009
Per Capital Personal Income, 2008
Source: Stats America, www.statsamerica.org
Due to the regional nature and impact of economic development, the State of Alabama has
established ten workforce development regions to provide a direct link to the workforce needs of
business and industry at the local level. Each region is led by a workforce development council that
works with member counties to develop regional strategic plans and a comprehensive workforce
development system. Pike County is in Alabama's Workforce Development Region 10, which also
includes Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston Counties. The Alabama
Workforce Development Program provides a number of studies that are relevant to local economic
development efforts, target markets and labor force education and training.
Alabama Workforce Development
Region 10
26
The State of the Workforce Report V: Region 10, produced in June 2011 by the Center for
Business and Economic Research as part of the Alabama Workforce Development Program,
analyzes workforce supply and demand issues for Region 10 and presents implications and
recommendations. Some of the findings outlined in the summary of the report, listed below, have a
direct impact on future economic development efforts in Brundidge:

Region 10 had an 8.9 percent unemployment rate in January 2011 and an
underemployment rate of 26.6 percent for 2010 meaning that the region has a 47,483strong available labor pool that includes 34,764 underemployed workers who are looking
for better jobs and are willing to commute farther and longer for such jobs.

The region’s commute time and distance are down in 2010 implying that congestion has
eased; however, the number of commuters has risen over the recent years. The
significant within-region commuting indicates that continuous maintenance and
development of regional transportation infrastructure and systems is important to ensure
that congestion doesn’t slow economic development.

By sector, the top five employers in the region are manufacturing; health care and social
assistance; retail trade; educational services; and accommodation and food services.

The top five high-demand occupations are truck drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer;
registered nurses; customer service representatives; aircraft mechanics and service
technicians; and elementary school teachers, except special education.

The top five fast-growing occupations are forging machine setters, operators, and tenders,
metal and plastic; computer software engineers, systems software; computer software
engineers, applications; network systems and data communications analysts; and skin care
specialists.

The top 50 high-earning occupations are mainly in management, health, engineering, and
computer fields and have a minimum salary $68,256. Seven of the top ten are health
occupations.

Skill and education requirements for jobs keep rising. Educational and training
requirements of high-demand, fast-growing, and high-earning occupations demonstrate the
importance of education in developing the future workforce. In the future, more jobs will
require postsecondary education and training at a minimum.

The importance of basic skills generally and for high-demand, high-growth, and highearning jobs indicates a strong need for training in these skills. For Region 10 the pace of
training needs to increase for technical, social, and science skills while the scale of training
is raised for basic and social skills. Ideally, high school graduates should possess basic skills
so that postsecondary and higher education can focus on more complex skills. Employers
should be an integral part of planning for training as they can help identify future skill
needs and any existing gaps.

From a 2008 base, worker surpluses of 9,604 and 1,395 for 2018 and 2025 respectively
are expected. A focus on worker skills must be of high priority through 2025. Worker
shortfalls for critical occupations will need to be continuously addressed.

Higher incomes that come with improved educational attainment and work skills will help
to increase personal income for the region as well as raise additional local (county and
city) tax revenues. This is important, especially for a region that has fairly low population
and labor force growth rates as well as low per capita income.
27
The State of the Workforce report supports many of the assumptions made by Brundidge
residents during the comprehensive planning public meetings. Brundidge residents expressed the
desire to simplify while continuing to encourage truck transportation routes to serve local
industries. With the top high-demand occupation being truck drivers, Brundidge has an opportunity
to create a niche for truck services, from resting locations to engine services. Brundidge residents
also targeted the integration of the local public schools into economic development efforts through
community business partnerships as a primary strategic action that would benefit both the
educational system and local businesses. The workforce development program reinforces that
assumption and provides guidance on educational skills and training that are (1) needed regionally,
and (2) are directly related to the existing food industries in Brundidge. Improving education is
important because (i) a highly educated and productive workforce is a critical economic
development asset, (ii) productivity rises with education, (iii) educated people are more likely to
work, and (iv) it yields high private and social rates of return on investment.
The State of the Workforce report also cited an increased willingness to commute by both
unemployed and underemployed workers while cautioning how that new industry is developed and
roads are maintained to ensure that the transportation system continues to facilitate regional
commuting. This is directly applicable to the City of Brundidge and its desire for a larger
commercial presence on U.S. Highway 231.
Community discussions, field observations and the review of existing data enabled Brundidge
residents to outline the following economic development issues and opportunities.
Economic Development Issues and Opportunities
Issues
Opportunities
 Good regional location to draw from to support
retail and industrial growth
 Lack of presence on U.S. Highway 231
 Lack of promotional materials to attract industrial
prospects
 Ample room, available infrastructure and capacity
to accommodate additional industrial growth
 Lack of competition among major retail resources
 Build upon existing historic resources in
downtown area for unique shopping experience
 Small population base to support desired retail
 Lack of overnight accommodations for travelers
 Maximize regional location between two
metropolitan areas, Montgomery and Dothan, to
expand industrial development
 Lack of retail choice, particularly beyond basic
necessities
 Integrate existing education system into regional
workforce development programs
Housing
Housing data available from the 2010 Census is limited to the number of units, occupancy,
tenure and race of the householder. Other housing information was obtained from the 2005-2009
American Community Survey. As of 2010, there are 1,086 housing units in Brundidge, of which 86.6
percent are occupied and 13.4 percent are vacant. Of the occupied housing units, 62.3 percent are
owner occupied and 37.7 percent are renter occupied. Of the owner-occupied housing in
Brundidge, over half of the homes, at 52.0 percent, are owned free and clear while the remaining
48.0 percent of the housing units are under ownership with a mortgage or loan.
28
The number of persons living in owner-occupied housing is slightly higher, at 64.3 percent of
the total population, than the percentage of ownership. As a result, the average household size in
owner-occupied units is 2.28 persons per unit while the average household size in renter-occupied
units is 2.10 persons per unit.
According to the 2005-2009 American Community Survey, the majority of the owneroccupied housing units, at 65.5 percent, are family households, of which 42.2 percent have a
householder between the ages of 15 and 64 and 23.4 percent have a householder that is 65 years
old or older. Also, the majority of the family households, at 42.8 percent, have both husband and
wife present, while 5.8 percent have a male householder with no wife present and 16.9 percent have
a female householder with no husband present.
Almost half of the vacant housing units in Brundidge, at 49.3 percent, are not available for use.
It is unclear if these houses have been abandoned or not. Of the total vacant units, 19.2 percent are
for rent, 17.1 percent are for sale, and 8.9 percent are used for seasonal, recreational or occasional
use, while 9.6 percent have been either sold or rented but are not yet occupied. Vacant and
abandoned properties are an issue throughout the city, although the City of Brundidge has
undertaken several housing rehabilitation projects in the last two decades in an effort to resolve this
issue. Absentee ownership continues to be a problem in addressing the vacancy issue.
In addition to the privately-owned homes and rental housing in Brundidge, publiclysubsidized housing is also available through the Brundidge Housing Authority. Some of the public
housing is only available to age- and income-qualified residents, while other public housing
qualifications are based solely on income. The Brundidge Housing Authority has used various
funding programs to subsidize the existing housing; however, most of what is available has been
funded through USDA Rural Development programs.
Publicly Subsidized Housing on S.A. Graham Boulevard
A windshield survey was conducted by the South Central Alabama Development Commission
as a part of the planning process to determine concentrations of substandard housing. While no
particular part of the city could be characterized by totally blighted conditions, varying degrees of
substandard units were found in most all parts of the city. Those units that were in the worst
conditions were manufactured housing units that were located throughout the city. Although there
are a couple of areas dedicated to the placement of manufactured housing, many of the units have
been placed on lots as an affordable replacement for a dilapidated site-built structure.
29
Residents of Brundidge recognize the viability of manufactured housing as a cost-effective
means of housing; however, many residents express concern over proper location and safety
regulations to ensure that the units remain as safe and sound housing resources and are a quality
part of the Brundidge housing stock. Suggestions were made to develop manufactured housing
subdivisions with either rental or owner-occupied lots. The intent of this suggestions was provide
an organized and attractive development that one, is complementary to existing site-built housing
units in Brundidge and two, ensures a safe and secure location for manufactured housing with
proper spacing and parking facilities. Existing concentrations of manufactured housing units suggest
that this has not been the case in most instances in Brundidge. Often, as many units as possible are
located on one large lot or crowded together on several small lots.
Concentration of Manufactured Housing on Main Street
Historic Housing Near Downtown Brundidge
The windshield survey also revealed concentrations of housing units that may qualify for status
as a historic residential district. A historic district is an area or neighborhood that has a
concentration of buildings and associated landscape and streetscape features that retain a high
degree of historic character and integrity, and represent an important aspect of an area’s history.
For the Alabama Register, eligible properties must be at least 40 years old or older. In Brundidge,
30
these housing units vary in style and size and are in varying stages of repair and disrepair; however
they are collectively an important component of the city's character and sense of place. They trace
the built history of the city and assist in defining the city's unique quality and spirit. As such, they
should not be overlooked as an asset in attracting a stable population to Brundidge.
Residents noted that there is a need for non-subsidized rental opportunities and newer
starter homes. Further, residents recognized the need for both short and long term executive
rental opportunities. Community discussions led to the opportunity to attract older students with
available housing and new housing from the student populations to the north at Troy University and
to the south at Enterprise-Ozark Community College. Community discussions, field observations
and the review of existing data enabled Brundidge residents to outline the following housing issues
and opportunities.
Housing Issues and Opportunities
Issues
Opportunities
 Potential to attract residential growth from
nearby markets in Troy, Ozark, and Dothan
 Absentee ownership
 Lack of property maintenance
 Potential for infill development to solidify and
maintain internal neighborhoods while also
providing increased housing choice
 Need dedicated space for manufactured housing
 Need starter housing opportunities and programs
 Provide housing opportunities for short-term
executive rental
 Pursue student housing catering to older students
at Troy University and Enterprise-Ozark
Community College
 Establish and market a historic residential district
that relates to the historic downtown area
Community Facilities
Brundidge is fortunate to have a wealth of community resources, facilities and attractions to
serve area residents. Community facilities include those features that are beyond the basic
necessities of utility services and that help define the quality of life within an area. These features
may include historic resources, libraries, cultural amenities, education system, communications,
recreational facilities, and safety and emergency services.
Brundidge has a number of historic commercial, industrial and residential structures that help
define the character of the city. The majority of these are located in the downtown area, however,
the residential structures extend along S. A. Graham Boulevard and Alabama Highway 93.
Unfortunately, only two of the historic structures in Brundidge are listed on the Alabama Register of
Landmarks and Heritage and none are listed on the National Register. The two structures listed on
the Alabama Register are the Johnston Mill, located at 201 Church Street, and the Lightfoot House,
located on South Main Street. Johnston Mill was built between 1928 and 1930 and was listed on
August 25, 2011. One of the first peanut butter mills in the southeast, the Johnston Peanut Butter
Mill structure now houses a museum with artifacts from the area that include labels, photos and
equipment, along with memorabilia from the city's annual Peanut Butter Festival. The Lightfoot
House, located at 164 South Main Street, was constructed in 1897 and listed on the Alabama
31
Register on August 6, 1993. The Lightfoot House is now home to the Tupper Lightfoot Memorial
Library, which is covered in more detail later in this section.
In addition to the historic structures, four cemeteries in Brundidge were designated as historic
cemeteries in 2009 and 2010, as listed below:




Pleasant Hill Church Cemetery, 2009
McLaney Family Cemetery, 2009
Beulah Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, 2010 and
Conner Family Cemetery, 2010
There are also three historic markers in Brundidge: (1) Lest We Forget, (2) Philadelphia
Presbyterian Church, and (3) Salem Baptist Church. The Lest We Forget marker is to honor the
memory and valor of soldiers who served in the Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean and
Vietnam Wars and Operation Desert Storm. The Philadelphia Presbyterian Church marker
commemorates the location of a Presbyterian church that was organized largely by members of
Beaver Creek Presbyterian Church near Camden, South Carolina. The Salem Baptist Church
marker recognizes the church as Pike County's oldest church, organized by Dr. C.T. Mahoney in
1824. The marker states that the church was first a log structure, then occupied four wooden
buildings before the present brick structure.
Two of the Three Historic Markers in Brundidge
Brundidge has made a name for itself with the We Piddle Around Theater that is housed in a
1940 historic Works Project Administration (WPA) building and is home to Alabama's Official Folk
Life Play, Come Home, It's Suppertime, which is presented during the first two weeks of November
and the last two weeks of May. The Brundidge Historical Society hosts several other events
throughout the year such as an annual peanut butter festival and storytelling events. Additionally,
the City of Brundidge conducts annual parades and community events.
We Piddle Around Theater
Annual 4th of July Parade
32
Mural for Annual Peanut Butter Festival
Brundidge is home to the Tupper Lightfoot Memorial Library located in an historic structure
next door to City Hall on Main Street. The library provides a focal point in the downtown area and
is a great asset to the city. The library is open six days a week (closed on Sundays) and has preschool reading and story programs. The Tupper Lightfoot Memorial Library serves a population of
2,341 residents, including Brundidge residents and residents in the surrounding rural area. The
library has a collection of 13,650 books including 1,250 large print books, and 270 audio books and
periodicals. In addition to the reading
materials, the library also has a collection of
790 video items, including DVDs, VHS tapes
and compact discs. The library also offers five
Internet terminals for use by the general public
and provides two computers that are available
for use by children.
Beyond the Tupper Lightfoot Memorial
Library, Brundidge residents have access to
communications through a variety of nearby
sources. There are no local newspaper,
television stations or radio stations in the city. Brundidge events, however, are well covered by the
Troy Messenger. Additionally, the Montgomery Advertiser and the Dothan Eagle have limited coverage
of the Brundidge area and provide delivery service. There are eight television broadcast stations
available in Brundidge, of which three stations are located in Montgomery and one station each is
located in Dothan, Ozark and Troy. Additionally, there are two educational stations located in
Dozier and Louisville. Of the 15 strongest FM radio broadcast stations available in Brundidge, four
are located in Troy, three each are located in Dothan and Ozark, and one each are located in
Brantley, Elba, Enterprise, Luverne and Montgomery. Brundidge residents have access to cable and
Internet services through Troy Cablevision, located in Troy and serving the surrounding area.
Public education in Brundidge is provided by the Pike County Board of Education and two of
the county's schools are located in Brundidge. These include Pike County Elementary School,
located on Hillcrest Drive in the northern part of the city, and Pike County High School, located on
Alabama Highway 93, south of downtown. Pike County Elementary School is one of three
elementary schools in the Pike County School System and serves approximately 525 students in
kindergarten through sixth grade. Pike County Elementary School had its beginning as Rosenwald
Elementary School with four classrooms and four teachers. As time passed, the County Board of
Education assumed the financial and administrative responsibilities for the school. The original
structure was destroyed by fire, but was replaced with a five room structure which became known
as Brundidge Junior High School. Several years later, the second building was also destroyed by fire.
In 1934, a six room building was erected. The school then became known as the Pike County
Training School. The staff was comprised of eight teachers and the student population reached 300.
With the increased enrollment, it became necessary to initiate double sessions of school. In 1954,
the Board of Education recognized the need for expansion and purchased fifteen acres of land near
the Training School campus. A modernized, fire-proof building was constructed. The new facility
housed the elementary department and the old plant continued to house the junior and senior high
school departments. The enrollment had climbed to 600 with 21 teachers.
33
Along with the period of consolidation came swift transition. White Water Junior High and
Tarentum Elementary Schools consolidated with Pike County Training School. In order to
accommodate the students from the newly combined schools, additional buses were put into
service. Twenty-five teachers served the school which now had an enrollment of 750. With this kind
of student-teacher ratio, all departments were challenged with an overcrowded situation. Realizing
this kind of condition existed, in 1961 the School Board decided to build a new high school on the
same campus as the elementary school. The new school was named Hillcrest High School and
housed grades nine through twelve.
On January 3, 1962, the Josie Junior High School consolidated with Hillcrest High creating a
combined enrollment of 900, an all time high for the campus. The staff of the teachers increased to
30. In 1975, the school's name was changed to Pike County Elementary School and was
reconfigured to house grades kindergarten through sixth which is its current configuration.
Pike County High School has a student population of approximately 550, serving students in
grades seven through twelve. During the late 1800's a two story wooden structure would house
Pike County High School. Enrollment rose to the point that in the early 1900's additions were made
to the building. At this time changes were also made to the curriculum and the school became a
fully accredited high school. A new law was passed in 1907 requiring each county to have a high
school. Brundidge was the location for Pike County's High School. In 1948, a two story building
was built that would eventually house a lunchroom/kitchen complex, the library, science lab,
classrooms, and the guidance and administrative offices. Several more buildings were added
expanded or remodeled during the 1960's and 1970's. Pike County High School offers a wide range
of activities and clubs are provided for the students. Clubs include: Science Club, Future Business
Leaders of America, Family and Consumer Sciences Club, Future Farmers of America, Latin Club,
Art Club, Drama, and Nutritional Advisory Council. Honor Societies include: National Honor
Society, National Junior Honor Society, Art Honor Society, and Latin Honor Society.
Pike County High School
The City of Brundidge owns and maintains four parks: Brundidge Lake Park, Gilmore Park,
Galloway Park, and Brundidge Recreation Park. The largest of these is Brundidge Lake Park, at 21.8
acres, followed by Brundidge Recreation Park, at 15 acres. The other two parks are much smaller
facilities, at less than four acres each. The park facilities are operated and maintained by the City.
The City oversees all recreational activities and facilities and sponsors summer T-ball, Dixie Youth
League, Dixie Minor League, youth softball, and basketball (at the Pike County Elementary School).
34
Together, the parks consist of the provide tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, outdoor open
space, playgrounds and indoor restrooms. In addition to the park facilities, the City owns and
maintains a public meeting space, Brundidge Station, which is also used as a nutritional site for
seniors. All recreational facilities are equally accessible to residents of the City regardless of age or
residential location.
In addition to the existing parks and recreational facilities, Brundidge citizens expressed a
desire for additional recreation facilities, emphasizing the need for a community center, increased
senior activities and more walking trails. There exists the potential for an outdoor gathering place
and/or amphitheater at an existing vacant site near Brundidge Station. The remains of a historic
structure and a windmill provide visual interest that would make the location unique to Brundidge.
Walking trails could be developed using land along streams and creeks that is often located within
flood plains and are not conducive to structural development. Development of walking trails in
these areas could be mutually beneficial to the protection and conservation of these natural
resources while making the resources available for public enjoyment.
Brundidge Recreation Park
Potential Amphitheater Site
Public safety and emergency services are provided by the City of Brundidge Police
Department and the Brundidge Volunteer Fire Department. As of 2010, the Brundidge Police
Department employs a staff of 14 persons, of which nine are sworn police officers. The officer to
population ratio is 3.96 officers per 1,000 residents, which is considerably higher than the average
for the State of Alabama, at 2.36 officers per 1,000 residents. Over the last ten years according to
www.city-data.com, Brundidge has experienced a decrease in the local crime index, which is the
number of crimes reported per 100,000 population. The city-data.com crime index counts serious
crimes and violent crime more heavily; and adjusts the crime index number for the number of
visitors and daily workers commuting into cities.
In 2010, the crime index was 230.5, as compared to 406.8 in 2009 and 396.0 in 2001. While
the 2010 crime index in Brundidge was the lowest in the last five years, it was still higher than the
national average of 302.8 crime index. An average crime index is considered to be between 200 and
449. A low crime index is between 50 and 199 and a very low crime index is less than 50. A high
crime index is between 450 and 1,000 and a very high crime index is 1,001 or higher.
Comparatively, Brundidge and most surrounding communities have an average crime index with Elba
at 337.1; Ozark at 265.7; New Brockton at 335.5; and Troy at 440.7. Surrounding communities
with a very low to low crime index include Ariton at 124.9; Clayton at 76.6; Clio at 3.3; and
Louisville at 92.5. None of the surrounding communities had a high crime index in 2010. In recent
35
years Brundidge has experienced a significant decrease in the number of thefts and assaults while the
number of burglaries increased since 2005. Brundidge had no reported arson, murder, or rape in
2010 and only had one robbery and two auto thefts. While the number of thefts and assaults was
down from previous years, Brundidge still had eight assaults and 34 thefts. The number of burglaries
in 2010, at 23, was only a slight increase from 22 burglaries in 2009, but a more significant increase
from 2007, at 13 burglaries, and 2005, at 17 burglaries.
Number of Crimes in Brundidge By Year (Odd Years Reported)
Type of Crime
2001
2003
2005
2007
Arson
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Theft
69
67
46
80
Burglary
18
24
17
13
Assault
10
5
5
16
Auto Theft
4
1
1
4
Robberies
2
3
2
4
Rapes
0
0
0
1
Murders
1
0
0
0
City-Data.com Crime Index
396.0
286.4
210.4
434.9
Source: http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Brundidge-Alabama.html#ixzz1evyhT8eN
2009
N/A
52
22
8
4
3
3
0
406.5
2010
N/A
34
23
8
2
1
0
0
230.5
The City of Brundidge maintains a 6-bay fire station located just east of downtown on East
Troy Street. Fire protection services are provided by volunteer fire fighters led by one fire chief.
Annually, the City spends around $72,000 for contractual services with firemen, insurance, vehicle
expenses, building maintenance, equipment and utilities, and travel and training.
Community discussions, field observations and the review of existing data enabled Brundidge
residents to outline the following community facilities issues and opportunities. Citizens stated that
there is potential to establish a more solid cultural center in Brundidge due to the historic
attractions and the attractions provided by a number of local artists and artisans.
Community Facilities Issues and Opportunities
Issues
Opportunities
 Need a community center
 Potential to build on existing resources to
become a regional arts and cultural center
 Need more activities for seniors
 Opportunities for trail development for
recreational, transportation and economic
benefits
 Pike County school system needs to build
awareness of its positive assets
 Potential to involve the Pike County school
system in more community development projects
 Create an amphitheater and outdoor gathering
place at vacant windmill site near Brundidge
Station
Utilities and Infrastructure
The City of Brundidge provides water, sanitary sewer, electricity, solid waste disposal, storm
water drainage and street maintenance services to residents within the City's corporate boundaries.
In the City's 2011 budget, total utility revenues were estimated at just over $6.4 million and total
36
utility expenses were estimated at just over $6.3 million, leaving an excess of approximately
$103,000 in revenues over expenditures. The majority of the utility revenues are generated by the
electric department, at more than $5.2 million, as compared to revenue from sewer services, at
$725,000, and water services, at $473,000. Comparatively, the City's utility departments operate at
almost a breakeven level with electric expenditures around $5 million, sewer expenditures of
approximately $730,000 and water expenditures of approximately $580,000.
The City of Brundidge provides water service to approximately 960 residential customers,
more than 100 commercial customers and between 10 and 15 industries. Brundidge obtains source
water from wells, one of which is located at the corner of College Street and Railroad Avenue and
the other located on Elm Street. The College Street Well was first operational in 1948 and is
approximately 750 feet deep. The Elm Street Well was put into service in 1969 and is approximately
660 feet deep. A new 400 gallon per minute water well was installed in 2007 and is now available
on Sara G. Lott Boulevard. Each well draws water from the Ripley Formation. Together, the three
wells have a combined permitted pumping capacity of 1,200 gallons per minute. Storage for the
system is handled by four storage tanks totaling 875,000 gallons (75,000 gallon standpipe built in
1907; 250,000 gallon elevated tank built in 1954; a 250,000 gallon elevated storage tank built in 1969;
and, a 300,000 gallon tank built in 2003. The system is in compliance with Environmental Protection
Agency and Alabama Department of Environmental Management standards. No complaints
regarding water services were stated during the 2010 comprehensive planning process.
The Brundidge sanitary sewer system was constructed and began operation in 1930. Today,
the sewer system serves approximately 1,020 residential customers, 102 commercial customers and
five industrial users. In all, about 97 percent of all residences and 84 percent of all commercial
establishments are served by the sewer system. The limited number of remaining residences and
commercial enterprises that are unserved by sewer are scattered in the outlying areas of the city
and have septic tanks that are currently functioning adequately. From a cost of service standpoint,
it is not economically feasible to serve these structures until such time as additional development
occurs in these areas.
The sanitary sewer collection system consists of approximate 65 miles of sewer main and
collection pipes. As with most older sanitary sewer systems, vitrified clay pipe and brick and cast
iron manholes were used almost exclusively prior to 1980. Brundidge is no exception. However,
even with the City's excellent maintenance record, a major problem exists in the system that serves
the northwest section of Brundidge. Treatment of collected sewage is handled by a 600,000 gallonper-day capacity extended aeration activated sludge treatment facility. This facility was completed
and permitted in 1987 and currently operates at between 50 and 55 percent of its design capacity.
Brundidge Wastewater Treatment Plant
37
The City of Brundidge is located on a relatively level-crested plateau. The topography of
Brundidge is a mix of gently rolling hills and flat areas. As a plateau, the area slopes gradually in all
directions towards the five creeks that surround Brundidge. The creeks are: Sandy Run Creek to
the northeast, Bear Creek to the east, Bowden Mill Creek to the southeast, Mims Creek to the
southwest, and White Water Creek to the northwest. There are several unnamed, small tributaries
and ponds in the City. Lake Foreen, in the northern portion of the city, is the only substantial,
standing body of water. Each of the streams has some degree of surrounding flood plain; however,
the flood plains in the area are primarily narrow and linear following the stream paths. The storm
drainage system in Brundidge consists of a combination of curb and gutter and piped drainage to
outfall in natural ditches and ravines. The drainage patterns within the City cause a few problems as
stormwater runoff travels through populated areas to drain into the creeks and their tributaries.
There are only a few housing units and other structures located adjacent to the flood-prone areas.
Brundidge is a participating community in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Brundidge is one of a few cities that operate its own electric system. The City provides both
residential and commercial electrical service to residents. Additionally, the City of Brundidge owns
and operates a landfill for solid waste disposal. The landfill is located in the southwest part of the
city near the wastewater treatment plant. Natural gas services is available to Brundidge residents
through Southeast Alabama Gas District.
Utilities and Infrastructure Issues and Opportunities
Issues
Opportunities
 Commercial electric rates are high for young
businesses to afford
 Opportunities and available land to address future
storm drainage through the utilization of natural
resources to construct retention areas and rain
gardens.
 Sporadic areas with standing water due to storm
drainage issues
 Potential to provide incubator electric rates for
new and small businesses to attract economic
growth
Transportation and Circulation
Brundidge is located on and served by three major regional roadways: U. S. Highway 231,
Alabama Highway 10, and Alabama Highway 93. While Brundidge has not experienced population
growth in the last decade, the City has seen an increase in industrial uses, most notably the Wal
Mart distribution center. Like in most American cities, traffic volumes throughout the area have
continued to increase more rapidly than the population, making greater demands on the City’s
roadway network and increasing traffic congestion. This trend of increased traffic volumes on city
streets is a combination of increased driving by area residents and transient traffic on the major
roads in the area. Regionally the Brundidge area is served by a principal north/south arterial
highway, a minor east/west arterial and a north/south minor arterial, offering strong north‐south and
east‐west regional access as well as access within the Brundidge area.
U.S. Highway 231 is a principal arterial roadway that bisects the City of Brundidge in a
north‐south direction. A four-lane median divided roadway throughout the Brundidge area, U.S.
Highway 231 provides regional connectivity for Brundidge to Montgomery and destinations north.
Additionally, U.S. Highway 231 provides regional access to the south to Ozark, Dothan, the
38
panhandle of Florida and Interstate 10. Alabama Highway 10 is an east‐west minor arterial roadway
that extends from U.S. Highway 231 eastward through Brundidge. Alabama Highway 10 provides
access to areas east of Brundidge as well as the western portion of southern Georgia. From U.S.
Highway 231 eastward to Alabama Highway 93 the roadway varies in width between four and two
lanes of travel. Alabama Highway 10 is known locally as S.A. Graham Boulevard between U.S.
Highway 231 and Alabama Highway 93 and then east of Alabama Highway 93, it is known as East
Troy Avenue. Alabama Highway 93 (Main Street) is a north‐south minor arterial roadway and serves
as the main street of Brundidge and contains the most intense development in the area. This route
extends from U.S. Highway 231 on the southern portion of the city northerly to the city limits and
provides a connection to U.S. Highway 29. The southern portion of Alabama Highway 93 from U.S.
Highway 231 to the downtown area (south of Alabama Highway 10) is three lanes in cross‐section.
The roadway narrows to two lanes in width through the downtown area from the vicinity of the
Brundidge City Hall north to College Street. From College Street north the roadway is again three
lanes wide north to Veterans Boulevard, when it again becomes a two lane facility.
All transportation networks have some form of classification of its streets to categorize the
hierarchy of movement in the system. The roadway network developed for the Brundidge study
area was based on the functional classification system prepared by the Alabama Department of
Transportation. The components of this network are arterials, collectors and local streets.
Each type roadway provides separate and distinct traffic service functions and is best suited for
accommodating particular demands. Their designs also vary in accordance with the characteristics of
traffic to be served by the roadway. The following is a brief description of each roadway type.
 Arterials are important components of the total transportation system. They serve as
feeders to regional destinations as well as major travel ways between land use
concentrations within an area. Arterials are typically roadways with relatively high traffic
volumes and traffic signals at major intersections. The primary function of arterials is
moving traffic.
 Collectors provide both land service and traffic movement functions. Collectors serve as
feeders between arterials as well as provide access to the local streets. Collectors are
typically lower volume roadways that accommodate short distance trips.
 Local Streets provide access to the land uses that are immediately adjacent to the roadways
as their sole function.
The current classified roadways in the Brundidge area are as follows (all roadways not listed
are considered as local streets):
Roadway
U.S Highway 231
Alabama Highway 10 (U.S. Highway 231 east)
Alabama Highway 93
County Road 73
County Road 6 (west of U.S. Highway 231)
Veterans Boulevard (Main Street)
Galloway Street
39
Classification
Principal Arterial
Minor Arterial
Minor Arterial
Major Collector
Major Collector
Minor Collector
Minor Collector
Daily traffic volumes, as indicated by traffic counts at various locations on the roadway
network, reflect current travel patterns and how well the network is serving the travel demand.
Traffic count information was collected from the Alabama Department of Transportation for the
primary roadways in the Brundidge area. The current daily traffic volumes on area roadways, as of
2008, in Brundidge are shown on the map below. The traffic count data reflects that the vast
majority of travel in the Brundidge area takes place on the city's major arterial and collector routes.
In addition to daily traffic volumes, the map also shows the portion of the daily traffic volume that is
attributed to truck traffic. Roadways which have significant portions of their daily traffic attributed
to truck traffic include U.S. Highway 231, at more than 20 percent, Alabama Highway 10, at more
than 10 percent, and Alabama Highway 93 north of downtown, at 12 percent.
Daily Traffic Volume with Truck Percentages
Roadway networks are evaluated by comparing the current or forecast daily traffic volumes
along each facility to the facility’s daily capacity. Roadway capacity is defined as the ability of the
facility to accommodate traffic. Service flow volume is defined as the level of traffic flow (vehicles
per day) that can be accommodated at various levels of service. The current level of service scale, as
40
developed by the Transportation Research Board in the Highway Capacity Manual, Seventh Edition,
ranges from a level of service "A" to a level of service "F". Abbreviated definitions of each level of
service are as follows:
Level of Service A
Level of Service B
Level of Service C
Level of Service D
Level of Service E
Level of Service F
Free traffic flow (0 percent –35 percent of capacity)
Stable traffic flow (35 percent –50 percent of capacity)
Stable traffic flow (50 percent –62 percent of capacity)
High‐density stable traffic flow (62 percent –75 percent of capacity)
Capacity level traffic flow (75 percent –100 percent of capacity)
Forced or breakdown traffic flow (>100 percent of capacity)
As a general rule, the desired operation of a roadway should be no lower than Level of
Service C. Additionally, the design level of service associated with new or improved roadways
should also be a Level of Service C. A Level of Service D may be acceptable at intersections under
certain circumstances for peak hours of operation. A Level of service E or F is considered
unacceptable in all circumstances.
The methodology used to evaluate roadway segment capacity in this project was a tabular
analysis relating roadway classification, number of lanes, levels of service and daily service volumes.
The estimated 24‐hour capacities of roadway facilities were derived from information provided by
the Alabama Department of Transportation. The roadway capacity information combined with the
information obtained form the Highway Capacity Manual provides a means of evaluating the need
for improved roadways within the Brundidge study area. The daily traffic volumes were compared
with the service volumes for each of the major roadways in the Brundidge study area as summarized
in the table below. This comparison of existing daily traffic volumes with the associated service
volumes produced an assessment of roadways that were within desired limits and those that were
felt to be deficient. The results of this comparison of existing daily traffic volumes on the major
roadways in the Brundidge area with established standards for operation found that all roadways
currently operation at acceptable levels. No major roadway was found to be deficient in daily travel
capacity and sufficient capacity exists for future growth.
City of Brundidge Roadway Capacities
FACILITY TYPE
LOS A
LOS B
LOS C
LOS D
LOS E
LOS F
Two Lane
5,005
7,150
8,866
10,725
14,300
>14,300
Three Lane
5,705
8,150
10,106
12,225
16,300
>16,300
Four Lane
6,860
9,800
12,152
14,700
19,600
>19,600
Four Lane Divided
9,170
13,100
16,244
19,650
Source: Alabama Department of Transportation and Highway Capacity Manual
26,200
>26,200
Throughout the public involvement activities undertaken as part of the development of the
Brundidge Comprehensive Plan, truck traffic was continuously brought forward as an area of
concern by area residents. In particular the following concerns were voiced repeatedly:
1. The number of trucks currently using Alabama Highway 10 from U.S. Highway 231 east
was considered unsafe, impacted retail and event activities along the corridor east of
Alabama Highway 93 and contributed to congestion in the downtown area;
2. The number of trucks currently using Alabama Highway 93 north of Alabama Highway 10
north was considered unsafe for motorist and pedestrians and contributed to congestion
in the downtown area;
41
3.
4.
Turning trucks at the intersection of Alabama Highway 10 and Alabama Highway 93
contributed to congestions based on the limited width of the roadways and impacted
pedestrian safety; and
Trucks frequently stand in areas along approach routes to Brundidge and deteriorate the
adjacent area as well as provide unsightly areas for visitors.
Truck Storage Along U.S. Highway 231
Truck Traffic on East Troy Avenue
As a follow‐up to comments presented at public involvement meetings related to truck traffic,
field observations were conducted to determine the validity of such comments. The observations
conducted in the field on the current truck routes by the study team are summarized as follows:

Truck traffic observed in the downtown Brundidge area does cause congestion based on
the size and number of trucks coupled with the narrow width of the streets (intersection
of Alabama Highway 10 and 93);
42

Turning trucks at the intersection of Alabama Highway 10 and Alabama Highway 93
frequently require stopped vehicles to backup form the intersection to provide sufficient
distance for turning movements;

Pedestrians are frequently intimidated in the downtown area by the presence of large
vehicles; and

Extensive truck traffic is not compatible with activities in the downtown area.
Current Truck Routes
Through a combination of comments received at public involvement meetings, field
observations conducted by the study team and a review of accident histories at intersections in
Brundidge, areas of operational and safety concerns were identified. A brief discussion of the areas
of operational and safety concern follows:

South Main Street (AL Highway 93) from Troy Street (Al Highway 10) south to Oak
Street – Accident history for this section of Main Street is higher than was expected based
on the daily traffic volumes present. Observations conducted in the field suggest the
accident history is the result of numerous activities occurring in a relatively short space. In
other words, the drivers on Main Street as well as those attempting to enter Main Street
from side streets or driveways have significant competition for their attention. Also noted,
the presence of trucks seems to intimidate drivers and pedestrians.
43

U.S. Highway 231 at Alabama Highway 10 – Accident histories for this intersection,
although numerous over a one year period, were not unexpected for an intersection
located on a principal arterial that exhibits higher volumes traveling at higher speeds. Field
observations did not reveal any significant deficiencies; however, the location of numerous
access points to abutting developments could be a source of conflict and a safety concern.
Accident History and Areas of Safety Concern
Brundidge is also accessed by a rail line operated by CSX Transportation and which has a
gross traffic density between 5 million tons and 20 million tons as of 2008. Railroad interchanges
are located just north and south of
Brundidge in Troy and
Waterford/Dothan. The rail line runs
in a north-south direction through
Brundidge and is roughly parallel to
Alabama Highway 93. The rail line
veers to the southeast in the
southern part of the city as Alabama
Highway 93 curves southwest to
intersect with U.S. Highway 231.
44
Through comments received at public involvement meetings, field observations conducted by
the study team and a review of traffic volumes on major roadways in Brundidge, areas where traffic
circulation concerns and issues are located were identified. A brief discussion of those locations
where traffic circulation concerns were identified and the nature of those concerns are briefly
described.
Transportation and Circulation
Issues
Opportunities
 Alabama Highway 10 that includes its intersection
with U.S. Highway 231 and for approximately ¼
miles east were identified both by the public and
through observations as an area of circulation
concern due to truck turning traffic, lack of access
management guidelines for future development and
lack of designated truck storage lots;
 Utilize a clarified circulation system and truck
facilities to encourage additional industrial
development in an orderly and efficient manner.
 Graham Street (Alabama Highway 10) from ¼ mile
east of U.S. Highway 231 to Main Street (Alabama
Highway 93) was identified as an area of circulation
concern based on the lack of access management
guidelines for future development and the irregular
alignment of lanes from the varying number of
lanes;
 Develop municipal airport into an air park that
opens the door to attract a new demographic
sector.
 Increase access to potential residents through
ridership on and partnerships with the Pike County
Transit System.
 Veterans Boulevard from U.S. Highway 231 east to
Alabama Highway 93 is a concern based on the
importance of the route as a gateway into the
Brundidge area and the lack of access controls to
guide future development;
 East Troy Avenue (Alabama Highway 10) from
Church Street east to the railroad was identified at
public involvement meetings as an area of concern
for pedestrian traffic associated with events in the
downtown area of Brundidge; and
 Main Street (Alabama Highway 93) between East
Troy Avenue and Oak Street was identified by field
observations, through accident records review and
by the public of concern for pedestrians. The
primary concern centered on the mix of
pedestrians and large vehicles at the intersection of
East Troy Avenue and in the vicinity of the
Brundidge city hall.
Land Use
Land Use is the study of what has been built upon the land and the patterns formed by that
development. Land uses and land forms help us locate where we are, or orient ourselves, within
the built environment by providing visual clues and landmarks. Clusters of similar land uses form
districts and/or neighborhoods, as well as providing a sense of entering or exiting a district, such as a
downtown area. Together, a community's varying land uses form a pattern of development that is
usually reflective of the underlying topography, natural resources and structural circulation routes.
45
Early in the Brundidge comprehensive planning process, citizens were asked to complete a
survey that included questions about the city's special features, landmarks, and directions to various
localities. Citizens were also asked to draw a map of Brundidge and include as many landmarks as
possible. The graphic map below is a composite of the citizen survey responses. It is clear from the
responses that Alabama Highway 93 is the spine of the City of Brundidge for both circulation and
commercial and institutional development. Circulation arteries include U.S. Highway 231, S.A.
Graham Boulevard - East Troy Street, Veterans Boulevard, Galloway Road, Lee Street and Hardshell
Road. The north-south railroad is also a major circulation feature and landmark in the city, along
with traffic signals at U.S. Highway 231 and S.A. Graham Boulevard and at Alabama Highway 93 and
S.A. Graham Boulevard - East Troy Street. Clusters of commercial and institutional development
form districts around the intersection of Alabama Highway 93 and S.A. Graham Boulevard (central
business district) and around the intersection of Alabama Highway 93, Veterans Boulevard and
Galloway Road. Citizen responses also indicate the formation of a loosely formed highway
commercial district at the intersection of U.S. Highway 231 and S.A. Graham Boulevard.
Major landmarks and attractions that were highlighted by Brundidge citizens included the
Brundidge City Hall (Bass House), Pike County High School, Tupper Lightfoot Memorial Library,
Salem Baptist Church, the We Piddle Around Theater, Brundidge United Methodist Church, the
Wal Mart Distribution Center, Brundidge Station, Piggly Wiggly, Hardee's, Pike County Little School
(Hillcrest Elementary), the City Park and the National Guard Armory.
Brundidge Citizen Survey Map, 2010
46
The South Central Alabama Development Commission conducted a windshield survey of
existing land uses in January 2010. The resulting existing land use map is provided on the following
page. The inventory of existing land uses supports the citizen survey that Alabama Highway 93
functions as the spine of the city. Commercial and institutional development is clustered around the
intersection of Alabama Highway 93 and Alabama Highway 10 to form the city's central business
district. North of the downtown area, a local business district is created by commercial
development around the intersection of Alabama Highway 93, Veterans Boulevard and Galloway
Road. Limited commercial development has occurred along U.S. Highway 231 near its intersections
with Alabama Highway 93, S.A. Graham Boulevard, and Veterans Boulevard marking the primary
entrances to Brundidge. Although commercial development has occurred along the highway
corridor, it has been sporadic in nature and neither highway commercial districts nor true gateways
to Brundidge have been formed. In total, commercial development comprises 1.5 percent of the
total land area of the City of Brundidge or 2.9 percent of the developed area.
Just over half of the land area of Brundidge, at 51.6 percent, has been developed; however,
agricultural land uses occupy the largest percentage of the area, at 48.0 percent of the developed
land and 24.8 percent of the total land area. Residential land uses distantly follow, at 16.9 percent of
the developed land or 8.8 percent of the total land area. Of the three categories of residential land
uses, single unit structures occupy the highest percentage, at 13.4 percent of the city's developed
land; followed by multi-unit residential development, at 2.6 percent, and small multi-family
development (two to four units), at 0.9 percent of the developed land area. Residential land uses
are primarily clustered around commercial land uses in the central part of the city, on both the east
and west sides of Alabama Highway 93; in the northern part of the city between Alabama Highway
93 and Veterans Boulevard and along Galloway Road and in the southern part of the city between
Alabama Highway 93 and U.S. Highway 231 south of Mims Creek. The residential land use patterns
are clearly reflective of the underlying topography of the city with a noticeable lack of development
along in the southwest between Mims Creek and S.A. Graham Boulevard, and in the northwest
between Veterans Boulevard and S.A. Graham Boulevard east of Pine Valley Drive. Streams and
deep ravines have prevented development in these areas. The same is true in the eastern half of the
city with tributaries associated with Bowden Mill Creek, Bear Creek and Sandy Run Creek.
Sporadic residential development, however, has occurred in the occasional high areas east of
Hardshell Road and south of the Brundidge Recreation Park.
Existing Land Use, 2010
Land Use Category
Number of Parcels
Single Unit Residential
886
2 to 4 Unit Residential
40
Multi-Unit Residential
11
Commercial
115
Industrial
21
Utility/Infrastructure
13
Institutional
43
Institutional/Recreational
1
Recreational
7
Agricultural
38
Total Developed Land
1,175
Undeveloped or Vacant
n/a
Source: SCADC Windshield Survey, January 2010
Acres
429.9
29.5
85.0
92.1
325.5
489.7
84.3
6.1
131.5
1,544.6
3,218.2
3,012.8
47
Percent of
Developed Land
13.4%
0.9%
2.6%
2.9%
10.1%
15.2%
2.6%
0.2%
4.1%
48.0%
100.0%
n/a
Percent of Total
Land Area
6.9%
0.5%
1.4%
1.5%
5.2%
7.9%
1.4%
0.1%
2.1%
24.8%
51.6%
48.4%
Brundidge Existing Land Use, 2010

NORTH
LEGEND
48
Utility and infrastructural land uses occupy 489.7 acres in Brundidge, which is 15.2 percent of
the developed area. Of the 13 parcels designated as utility or infrastructure, five parcels comprise
the largest amount of this land use. These five parcels include the city's landfill and wastewater
treatment plan located in the southwest part of the city and the airport located in the northeast
part of the city. Smaller utility and infrastructure land uses are located throughout the city and are
used for water tanks, electrical substations, and similar facilities. Similarly, only 21 parcels are
designated as industrial land uses but occupy 325.5 acres. Industrial land uses comprise 10.1 percent
of the developed land area. The largest of the industrial land uses is the Wal Mart Distribution
Center, located west of U.S. Highway 231 and south of County Road 6. The Wal Mart facility is
followed by Southern Classic Food Group, Supreme Oil South, and wood products companies, all of
which are located in the northern part of the city on either side of Alabama Highway 93. There is
also a small cluster of industrial land uses just north of the central business district and adjacent to
residential neighborhoods. The attraction for industry in these locations is access to the railroad.
The remaining land use categories of institutional and recreational land uses combined only
occupy 221.9 acres and comprise 6.9 percent of the developed land area. Institutional land uses
include public buildings and facilities such as government buildings, schools, churches, and
cemeteries. Recreational land uses include both passive and active recreational facilities and both
indoor and outdoor facilities, such as parks, public open spaces, trails, and community centers.
Institutional and recreational facilities are most often sited to best serve residents most efficiently,
and therefore, are located throughout the city generally on smaller parcels of land. The exceptions
are large parks, school campuses and cemeteries which occupy larger parcels of land.
In the citizen survey conducted during the Brundidge comprehensive planning process, citizens
were specifically asked about land use conflicts and difficulty in accessing land uses. The majority of
the responses, 80 percent or more, stated that citizens did not experience any conflicts or nuisances
due to neighboring land uses and did not have access issues to most areas. Some citizens, however,
responded that there was insufficient buffering between industrial and residential land uses. Further,
citizens stated that a primary land use issue is the lack of land for sale for future development.
Land Use Issues and Opportunities
Issues
Opportunities
 Solidify highway commercial districts and gateways
on U.S. Highway 231 at entrances to Brundidge to
invite travelers into the city.
 Lack of available land for sale for development
 Lack of gateway development on U.S. Highway
231 to direct travelers into Brundidge
 Insufficient buffering between conflicting land uses
 Further define and enhance central business
district; integrate mixed land uses harmoniously
 Existing terrain in some areas is not suitable for
structural development
 Potential for infill residential development
 Ample land available to accommodate additional
industrial growth
 Need additional and more formal delineation of
central business district
 Build upon existing historic resources in
downtown area for unique shopping experience
 Lack of walkable access to recreational facilities in
many neighborhoods
 Develop trail system around city to connect
neighborhoods with recreational and shopping
resources
49
50
4. DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
The Brundidge Development Strategy is composed of three interrelated parts that build upon
one another in the form of a pyramid. And, like a pyramid, if one of the parts is missing or not
functioning, the other two parts will begin to disintegrate as well. The first part is the vision for the
long-term growth and development of the community. The second part is a graphic representation
of the physical development strategy. The third part is the implementation of both the mental vision
and the physical development plan through coordinated actions of local leaders, citizens, industry,
businesses, and civic and religious organizations. Each person and entity in Brundidge has a
responsibility to assist in the future growth and development of their community.
Vision and Goal Framework
A vision outlines what a person, company, or community wants to be. It concentrates on
future and is a source of inspiration. In terms of comprehensive planning, the vision statement
provides guidance for all other policies and plans that are developed. If they are not instrumental in
attaining the vision, then either those policies and plans are not in alignment with the vision, are not
necessary to attain the vision, or the vision needs to be revised to reflect the desired policies and
plans. Citizens of Brundidge began working on a vision statement through communications with
friends and neighbors, written exercise and lengthy public discussion. As they discussed their
current strengths and weaknesses and transformed those into ideas for what they want to become
in the future, the citizens of Brundidge continued to focus on two concepts. First, Brundidge is very
progressive for a city of its size in terms of infrastructure and community facilities. And second,
Brundidge has a unique character and personality that has been preserved through the years and
citizens want to continue to preserve that "Brundidge Hometown" character. Further, citizens
wanted to ensure that their vision for the future included continued provision of basic services and
facilities to residents while improving the economic climate of the city. As a result of their
discussions, citizens developed the following vision statement along with a mission statement that
addresses various components of the quality of life in Brundidge:
Vision:
Brundidge, Alabama….forerunners and leaders in a dynamic
environment where progress embraces tradition.
Mission:
Brundidge will retain its character and ensure a unique
quality of life through:
• Progressive Economic Development;
• Providing Adequate Utilities and Infrastructure;
• Maximizing Land Use;
• Implementation of Recreation Facilities; and
• Periodic Needs Assessments and Utilization.
As stated in the Community Studies portion of this plan, citizens were able to extend the
vision and mission statements to the process of identifying succinct and solid goals for each element
of the comprehensive plan. Together, these goals form a goal framework that was utilized in
outlining the proposed development strategy and implementation schedule. The goal framework
51
establishes a the broad outcomes that are expected to be attained through implementation strategy.
The purpose of the goal framework is to enable local stakeholders to envision how each of the
plan's individual elements impacts the other element and to minimize duplication of efforts by
differing groups, and even more importantly, to minimize the risk of stakeholders unknowingly
working at odds with one another.
Brundidge Comprehensive Plan Goal Framework
Economic
Development
Attract industry
Increase retail
resources and
opportunities
Travel
accommodations
Community
Facilities
Utilities and
Infrastructure
Provide housing
opportunities to
attract long-term
residents
Establish
Brundidge as a
cultural arts
center
Improve
stormwater
drainage system
Provide sufficient
locations for
manufactured
housing
Improve
recreation
resources:
recreation
center, parks and
trails
Housing
Ensure availability
of short-term
and starter
housing
opportunities
Improve
perception and
delivery of
educational
resources
Transportation
Minimize truck
traffic conflicts
Utilization of Pike
County Area
Maintain
progressive utility Transit System
system
Utilization of
implementation
Brundidge
airport
Ensure adequate
off-street parking
Development Priorities
In addition to the vision and mission statements and the goal framework, Brundidge citizens
identified a number of development priorities. Many of these projects cross the borders of the
comprehensive plan elements and should be looked at from a larger perspective -- or the big
picture. As shown in the graphic on the following page, these development priorities include the
following :
 Gateways
 Image Corridors
 Improved Circulation
 Multi-Use Trails
 Highway Commercial
 Expanded Downtown Mixed Use Area
 Expanded Industrial Area
 Infill Residential Development
 Conservation Residential Development
 Natural Resource Conservation
 Stormwater Management
52
Brundidge Development Priorities
Major Street Plan
The Major Street Plan for Brundidge will serve as a city wide guide to transportation needs
(new and improved streets), give the City the ability to require right‐of‐way reservation in
undeveloped areas, identify streets that will be used to move primary traffic, and establish a street
classification system. The Major Street Plan was developed to be consistent with both the Short and
Long Term Transportation Strategies for Brundidge. The typical design period for a major street
plan is twenty‐five years with annual reviews and complete updates every five years. If a major street
plan does not exist for an area, then the traveling public determines which streets will be major by
using the most convenient streets to meet their daily travel needs. A major street plan identifies the
streets that can safely accommodate larger volumes of traffic and identifies where future streets
should be construct and which existing streets should be improved. Unplanned street development
results in costly redevelopment projects that burden the public not only in taxes but also in
construction inconvenience and in the alteration of existing neighborhoods.
The Major Street Plan for Brundidge is shown on the following page and is followed by eight
recommendations for changes in the city's circulation system. In the plan, Alabama Highway 93 from
53
U.S. Highway 231 north to Veterans Boulevard and Alabama Highway 10 from U.S. Highway 231 to
the Brundidge Bypass have been reclassified as Urban Collectors. As such truck traffic has been
recommended for removal on these routes and rerouting to U.S. Highway 231, Veterans Boulevard
and the Brundidge Bypass. All other major roadways in Brundidge will maintain their current
classification.
Brundidge Major Street Plan
Major Street Plan Recommendations:
1. Prohibit truck traffic on S.A. Graham Boulevard. Reroute truck traffic to Veterans
Boulevard and eventually to proposed northeast bypass.
2. Reconfigure intersection of Alabama Highway 93, Veterans Boulevard, and Galloway Street,
included truck turns and realignment of Galloway Street.
3. Implement access management recommendations with revisions to pedestrian crossings on
East Troy Street.
54
4. Evaluate angle parking (with a possible angle change), revised pedestrian plan and access
management on Alabama Highway 93 (South Main Street).
5. Designate Veterans Boulevard as an east-west truck route. Development access
management guidelines for future development. Reclassify Veterans Boulevard as a minor
arterial route.
6. Reclassify S. A. Graham Street as an urban collector street and develop access management
guidelines. Construct a median from U.S. Highway 231 east to approximately one-half mile
west of intersection with Main Street (Alabama Highway 93). Develop guidelines for offstreet parking lots.
7. Construct a 2-lane road as a downtown truck bypass connected Alabama Highway 93
(north of downtown) with Alabama Highway 10 (East Troy Street) with an overpass at
railroad tracks.
8. Reclassify Alabama Highway 93 as an urban collector route from U.S. Highway 231 to
Veterans Boulevard.
It is recommended that the City of Brundidge proceed with two immediate projects, pending
funding and approval of the Alabama Department of Transportation. First, in the downtown area, is
the installation of a mid‐block crosswalk immediately in front of the Brundidge city hall building. This
improvement would provide a means of crossing Alabama Highway 93 in addition to the pedestrian
crossing at the intersection of E. Troy Avenue. Second, roadway modifications are recommended
to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection of Main Street and East Troy Avenue. This
improvement will reduce distances pedestrians will be required to cross each street, provide
pedestrian signalization and enhance pedestrian safety.
Several intersections in the Brundidge area will require modification beyond those as
previously identified as portions of the transportation strategies for the area. A brief description of
these recommended improvements are presented for inclusion in the overall transportation strategy
for Brundidge.

U.S. Highway 231 at Alabama Highway 93 – this intersection is designed for higher speed
travel for all directions. As part of any change in the character and classification of Alabama
Highway 93 in Brundidge, the operation of this intersection should be modified. To change
the character of the traffic traveling northbound and entering Brundidge from the south, the
ramp for northbound traffic should be removed and replaced with a traditional deceleration
right turn lane at the intersection. This action will slow the northbound traffic on Alabama
Highway 93 as it enters a congested area with 30 mph regulator speed limits.

U.S. Highway 231 at Veterans Boulevard – by rerouting truck traffic onto Veterans Boulevard,
a modification to this intersection will be required to ensure truck traffic can adequately and
safely travel through the intersection. As an additional improvement measure, traffic
signalization for the intersection should be considered as part of the planning for the
rerouting of truck traffic.
The success of the Major Street Plan for Brundidge relies on the City’s ability to protect
current and future capacities of the roadway network. Access management can benefit roadside
properties throughout the City of Brundidge by promoting safety and improving roadway capacities.
If approached properly, access management can enhance property values while safeguarding past and
55
future public investments in the infrastructure. Access management techniques were developed for
three specific corridors in Brundidge as follows: U.S. Highway 231 within the corporate limits of
Brundidge; Alabama Highway 10 from U.S. Highway 231 east to the intersection of the proposed
Brundidge Bypass and Veterans Boulevard from U.S. Highway 231 east to Alabama Highway 93.
Unofficial off street truck parking facilities has been an issue in the Brundidge area for quite
some time. Trucks awaiting delivery times at local businesses have created a demand for off street
facilities to adequately accommodate this function. Currently waiting trucks are parking along the
major routes in Brundidge and creating areas that are unsightly and can create traffic operational
conflicts. It is recommended the City consider the adoption of design and construction guidelines
for application to this issue.
Future Land Use
The Future Land Use Map, shown on the following page, is an approximate allocation of the
land located inside the Brundidge corporate limits into ten different land uses. Three of the land use
categories are residential to provide distinction between low density residential development,
medium density residential development and multi-unit developments. Two of the land use
categories are economic -- commercial and industrial. The remaining five land use categories can be
described as 'specialty' land uses, in the sense that their locations are not necessarily based on the
clustering of similar uses. Instead, these land uses tend to serve the surrounding residential or
commercial areas. These land use categories include institutional, recreational, utilities and
infrastructure, and agricultural land uses and conservation development. The allocation of the land
into these ten categories forms a cohesive pattern for future development. Still, it should be noted
that the future land use map is a guide for the physical growth and development of Brundidge and
provides a solid basis for future land use decisions -- by both private land owners and the City of
Brundidge. As such, the Future Land Use Map does not prohibit commercial development within an
area designated for industrial land uses, or vice versa. If such alterations are made, however, the
impacts of those decisions should be taken into account and the Future Land Use Map should be
revised accordingly.
As presented, commercial development is concentrated in the downtown area, around the
intersection of Veterans Boulevard and Alabama Highway 93, and in well-planned clusters along U.S.
Highway 231 between the intersections with Veterans Boulevard to the north and Alabama Highway
93 to the south. Existing industrial land uses are proposed to remain intact, however, additional
vegetative buffering and screening should be undertaken to enhance the area aesthetics and establish
distinct boundaries around these land uses. Industrial parking lots, etc. should not be open for the
casual vehicle or pedestrian traffic due to liability issues. Expanded industrial development is
proposed in the southwest part of Brundidge, south of County Road 6 and west of U.S. Highway
231, and near the existing industrial development at the intersection of U.S. Highway 231 and
Veterans Boulevard. These locations provide good access for truck traffic and can be developed so
that potential industrial traffic does not adversely impact planned commercial or residential areas.
As with the existing areas, industrial expansion plans should include the necessary access and
vegetative buffering and screening to ensure efficiency for the industry and protection of nearby land
uses from industrial noise and unsightly conditions.
Low density residential development, primarily single-family detached housing, is proposed for
the interior parts of Brundidge, both east and west of Alabama Highway 93, on either side of
56
Galloway Street, and north and south of Alabama Highway 10. Concentrating residential
development in these assist in promoting clustered service areas, such as recreation, infrastructural
or institutional land uses. Consideration should be given to infill residential development in all
existing residential area prior to residential expansion. Additionally, consideration should be given
to planned development of higher density residential land uses in close proximity to the low density
residential development to maximize access to community services, facilities and shopping.
Brundidge Future Land Use
Conservation
Development
57
In addition to access to services and facilities, higher density residential development should
be planned for those areas that are not as suitable for development in order to achieve an adequate
return on investment. Rather than build several low density residential units on land that is
expensive to build upon, concentrate higher densities in these areas to spread the higher
construction costs. If done correctly, the concentration of higher density development in those
areas that may have environmental or aesthetic values can help preserve these unique features and
make them available for enjoyment by more residents.
Agricultural development is planned primarily for the southeast and east central parts of the
city due to the existing physical resources and large lot property ownership patterns. The nearby
agricultural land uses will help to preserve the small town quality of life desired by residents. As
stated previously, institutional, recreational and infrastructural land uses are interspersed among
other land uses as necessary to adequately and efficiently provide services to area residents. The
final land use category, conservation development, designates those areas that have a unique
characteristic that should receive extra consideration in future development plans. These features
may include scenic views, streams or other water features, wetlands, steep slopes, etc. Land
designated for conservation development might be used for any number of different purposes;
however, regardless of the land use, the unique characteristic to be preserved should be the focal
point of the development plan.
Brundidge Development Strategy
The Brundidge Development Strategy, shown on the following page, is a merger of the
considerations presented in the city's development priorities, major street plan, and future land use
map. It presents the future land use and major street plan as the foundation with development
priorities overlaid. Together, these components result in a vibrant development strategy as
opposed to a stagnant future land use plan. Because precise locations for exact types of
development cannot be accurately predicted, the development strategy provides a basis for
development decisions based on the character of development. In contrast, a future land use map
provides a guide for the types of land uses to be developed in fairly specific locations. The
components of the development strategy reinforce the development priorities that were outlined
earlier, but now have concrete foundations in the future land use map. The Development Strategy
also maximizes opportunities for (1) increased connections between in and around Brundidge, (2)
enhanced vehicular circulation, (3) promotion of commercial resources to travelers and (4) offers
protection to the city's special features and resources. Further, the long-term physical development
proposed in the Development Strategy will assist the City of Brundidge in addressing its vision to be
progressive while embracing tradition. Each of the components of the Brundidge Development
Strategy is described below and on the following pages.
 Gateways:
A gateway is more than an entrance to the Brundidge, more than an intersection along
Highway 231, and more than pretty landscaping. A gateway is both an announcement and an
invitation. A well-developed gateway announces to the traveler that he has arrived at a 'place' and it
tells the resident that he is 'home'. A truly well-developed gateway will not only announce arrival,
but will also invite the traveler or resident into that place. A gateway uses a combination of
structural and natural clues to designate itself as a place, whether that place is the entrance to the
City of Brundidge or an activity center or district within the city.
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59
60
Gateways convey a lasting image to residents, business and industry, and passersby. They
should be safe, legible, inviting and interesting. Attractive gateways are not simply a matter of
aesthetics; the economy of the city is tightly linked to its physical character, and its image must be
enhanced and maintained to remain competitive. Major gateways are proposed at the five locations
marking the entrances to Brundidge from different directions: (1) intersection of U.S. Highway 231
and Veterans Boulevard; (2) intersection of U.S. Highway 231 and S. A. Graham Street; (3)
intersection of U.S. Highway 231 and Alabama Highway 93; (4) intersection of Alabama Highway 93
with the northern corporate boundary line; and (5) intersection of Alabama Highway 10 with the
eastern corporate boundary line. Additionally, minor gateways should be developed upon the
arrival to smaller districts within the City of Brundidge, particularly the Central Business District.
 Image Corridors
The Brundidge Development Strategy designates Alabama Highway 93, between Veterans
Boulevard and U.S. Highway 231, and S. A. Graham Boulevard as image corridors. These corridors
are intended to protect the small-town character that is vital to preserving the identity of
Brundidge. Those land uses that front the major thoroughfares should retain the character of the
town with slower travel patterns and with significant visual interest. These transportation corridors
convey a lasting image -- good or bad -- to residents, business and industry, and passersby. As such,
they should be treated as viable community assets, not just infrastructure. Development
components of the image corridors may include an overlay zoning district, construction of a median
boulevard along S. A. Graham, a master street tree plan, screening and landscaping.
 Improved Circulation
As part of a comprehensive transportation strategy for the Brundidge area both short term
and long term programs were developed to allow the City the ability to address current deficiencies
immediately and program longer term higher cost improvements at sometime in the future. The
short term transportation strategy for Brundidge provides a guide for local and state officials to
utilize in addressing existing traffic congestion, improve mobility within the city and address safety
concerns. The transportation strategies are summarized in the graphics on the following page and
contains the following specific actions:
1. Revise the truck routes in Brundidge to eliminate trucks on Alabama Highway 93 from
U.S. Highway 231 north to Veterans Boulevard. The truck route would be carried along
U.S. Highway 231 and along Veterans Boulevard. By rerouting trucks from Alabama
Highway 93 to U.S. Highway 231, truck turning movements at the intersection of Alabama
Highway 93 and Alabama Highway 10 can be eliminated;
2. Reconfigure the intersection of Alabama Highway 93 and Veterans Boulevard/Galloway to
accommodate increase truck turning traffic;
3. Implement improvements at the intersection of E. Troy Avenue and Alabama Highway 93
to reduce walking distances for pedestrian traffic in the downtown area;
4. Main Street immediately south of E. Troy Avenue evaluate the possibility of converting the
current angle parking to 45 degree parking, revise the pedestrian paths for Main Street
and practice access management;
5. Veterans Boulevard should adopt access management principals to guide future
development; and
6. Graham Street should have access management principals to guide future development,
restripe for consistency of lanes and develop criteria for developing truck storage lots
near U.S. Highway 231.
61
Short-Term Circulation Improvements Long-Term Circulation Improvements 62
Throughout the public involvement process associated with the development of the
comprehensive plan for Brundidge, one item that the public was consistent in voicing was the need
to remove all large vehicles (trucks) from the downtown area of Brundidge. Elements of the short
term transportation strategy were specifically identified in an effort to provide immediate relief from
such vehicles in the downtown area. It was felt that the removal of trucks from Alabama Highway 93
and rerouting to U.S. Highway 231 and Veterans Boulevard was an action that could be
accomplished in a relatively short period of time in coordination with the Alabama Department of
Transportation. The ability to remove all large vehicles (trucks) from downtown Brundidge will
require construction activities to provide an alternative to Alabama Highway 10. The Transportation
Strategy for Long Term conditions for Brundidge presents such an alternative in the extension of
Veterans Boulevard (two lanes) eastward to intersect Alabama Highway 10 east of downtown with
an overpass of the railroad. This construction of a northern bypass would allow the removal of all
trucks from the downtown area, provide improved mobility for traffic in Brundidge and improve
emergency vehicle accessibility for areas east of the railroad.
 Multi-Use Trails
The City of Brundidge has valuable physical resources that lend themselves to trail
development. Trails provide recreational, transportation and economic value while protecting
nearby unique features. Using these unique features as the pathways, the Development Strategy
proposes a system of interconnecting multi-use trails that provide circulation all the way around
Brundidge, as well as access to and from the central part of the city. Additionally, opportunities are
available to connect the local trail system with other regional trail systems.
Although trails are often viewed as a recreational asset, trail planning and construction should
include connection points to increase functionality for transportation and economic development.
Suggested trail connections, or hubs, in Brundidge include downtown, school campuses, parks, major
employers, and neighborhood centers. In this way, the trail system becomes a viable part of the
local transportation system which decreases traffic congestion. Further, trail crossings require
forethought and often innovative approaches. Not all trail crossings have to be at grade with the
road system. Crossings can include both underpasses and overpasses when consideration is given
to trail planning in
conjunction with
Trail path under County Road 52
transportation planning. In
in Shelby County, Alabama
particular, Brundidge must
Photo courtesy of Amy Smith, KPS Group
consider how trail crossings
can occur across U.S.
Highway 231 to connect
residents with existing and
future industrial locations.
Trail development must
also take buffering of the
trails into consideration to
ensure that local industries
are not threatened with
pedestrian liability.
63
 Highway Commercial Development
To date, Brundidge has a very limited presence along U.S. Highway 231. The proposed
highway commercial development will help rectify that issue with carefully planned commercial
development that caters to both local residents and travelers. In the past, the nearby access to
Brundidge has not been promoted to travelers along Highway 231, although the city's antique and
downtown retail resources were. It is believed that Brundidge is losing many potential shoppers
because they do not realize how close they actually are to the downtown area as they travel along
U.S. Highway 231; nor do traveling shoppers realize that there is additional return access to U.S.
Highway 231 via Veterans Boulevard and Alabama Highway 93.
Well-planned commercial development along U.S. Highway 231 will accomplish several
needed tasks. First, it will bring a presence of Brundidge to the traveler, letting them know that
they have arrived in a "place". Hand in hand with developing that sense of arrival is the development
of a welcoming gateway that leads both visitors and residents into the city. Second, the proposed
development along Highway 231 encourages larger retail development that is not aesthetically
appropriate for the downtown area. Access to these shopping area, however, should not be from
Highway 231, but instead from planned service roads that parallel the highway. And third,
commercial development along U.S. Highway 231 presents an opportunity further create a service
niche for transportation needs, with catering to heavy truck traffic as a priority.
 Expanded Downtown Mixed Use Area
The downtown area of Brundidge is, quite possibly, the city's valuable feature and most viable
economic resource as it exists today. At all costs, the downtown area should remain the central
hub of the City of Brundidge. There are opportunities, however, to expand the downtown
character slightly to nearby streets and residential areas forming a more distinct downtown district.
In doing so, consideration should be given to including residential resources in the downtown area
to increase activity levels in the evening, which would in turn, encourage even more retail
development in the area. Special retail amenities should be provided to shoppers such as downtown
meeting and gathering spaces, seating areas, waste disposal, and shading. Care should be also be
taken to ensure pedestrian safety with the parking and crosswalk recommendations provided in the
improved circulation strategy. The downtown area should not be restricted to only retail uses.
Instead, a variety of uses can exist harmoniously if the focus is how the use interacts with the street
and neighboring properties rather than just on the use of the land. A printer is often thought of as
an industrial use due to the machinery involved; however, a local print shop can be a true asset to
nearby offices and businesses. All businesses should have appealing street frontages that cater to the
pedestrian. It is recommended that guidelines be developed for an overlay zone to be incorporated
into the city's zoning ordinance.
Images of Downtown Brundidge
64
 Expanded Industrial Area
The Brundidge Development Strategy proposes to maintain and provide additional buffering of
industrial land uses in the northern part of the city along Alabama Highway 93 while expanding
industrial lands in the southwest part of the city for future industrial growth. Considerations for
industrial expansion include protection and integration of existing floodplains and natural resource
areas into the overall development plan. Minor industrial development is also proposed in the
northwest part of the city around the intersection of U.S. Highway 231 and Veterans Boulevard near
existing industry and the National Guard Armory. Access to future industrial areas should be
coordinated with existing intersections on U.S. Highway 231 with Alabama 93, S. A. Graham
Boulevard and Veterans Boulevard. In all cases, the need for both aesthetic and sound screening
and buffering will be a major consideration in order to preserve the quaint character of the city, to
continue to promote increased commercial development, and to protect established residential
neighborhoods.
 Infill Residential Development
Existing residential patterns are fairly close-knit with a connection to two major internal
intersections: Alabama 10 and Alabama 93 (S.A. Graham Boulevard and Main Street) and Alabama
Highway 93 and Veterans Boulevard. Infill residential development in these existing communities
should be encouraged so that, one, the neighborhoods remain safe, healthy and intact; two, a burden
is not placed on the city's infrastructure to provide services; and three, the city's natural resources
are not unnecessarily used for sprawling residential development. These neighborhoods are
walkable and provide both a vehicular and pedestrian connection to existing commercial and
institutional land uses. Care should be taken to preserve and enhance these connections.
 Conservation Residential Development
Unlike traditional residential development, conservation residential development clusters
homesites closely together, leaving as much open and green space as possible available for resident
enjoyment. Conservation developments may or may not include pedestrian and neighborhoodoriented retail development to
serve the surrounding households.
These developments, however,
should include neighborhood
amenities such as parks, trails,
community centers and meeting/
gathering spaces. Conservation
developments help protect the
surrounding countryside while
providing ample opportunity for
new housing. Moreover, these
types of development can be even
more cost effective for the
developer and include a variety of
A Typical Plan for a
housing types from townhomes to
Conservation Residential
garden homes to larger and higherDevelopment
end homes in one package.
65
 Natural Resource Conservation
The character of Brundidge is defined as much by its "unbuilt" resources as it is by its built
resources. It is equally important to protect and enhance the natural surroundings in maintaining
the city's ambiance as it is to encourage development. Many of these natural resources were
reviewed in the inventory portion of the plan; however, special consideration should be given to
maintaining and protecting scenic viewsheds, wetlands, and floodplain areas.
 Stormwater Management
As development occurs in Brundidge, consideration should be given to increased stormwater
management from additional runoff from impervious surfaces, such as rooftops, sidewalks, and
streets. This is particularly important in Brundidge due to the elevation changes and steep slopes
and ravines that are present throughout the city. Brundidge has the opportunity and available land
to guide runoff through a natural filtration system so that local streams are not impacted with
sedimentation and pollutants. This recommendation is a safeguard for development due to the
potential to have a negative impact on local water quality, which could hinder issuance of future
discharge permits which are often necessary to promote industrial development.
Actions and Implementation Schedule
The last part in compiling the Brundidge Development Strategy is identifying the
actions and policies necessary to support the mission statements and goals to fulfill the city's
long-term vision. The coordinated actions of local leaders, organizations and agencies and
residents will fuse the mental vision with the planned physical development for Brundidge.
By establishing goals and action steps, an outline for implementation of the Brundidge
Comprehensive Plan is developed. A goal is a desired outcome. The actions associated
with a goal are the steps that must be taken to make the goal a reality. Goals and action
steps were developed to address and/or support each of the goals that were identified by
citizens and local leaders in the goal framework.
The implementation portion of the strategy outlines whether the action is the
responsibility of the public sector, the private sector or will require a coordinated
partnership between the two sectors. While the public sector includes the City of
Brundidge, it may also the State of Alabama (particularly in regards to transportation),
development authorities, educational institutions, federal agencies, or other public bodies.
The private sector will most certainly include individuals and/or private businesses, but it
also includes non-profits, civic organizations, faith-based groups, and neighborhood groups
or organizations.
Finally, the implementation schedule has also assigned a priority ranking to each action.
The rankings are simplified into three categories -- first, second or third. Priority 1 actions
should be addressed immediately and completed within two to five years. Priority 2 actions
should begin being considered for implementation in the next three years and should be
implemented in the next five to ten years. Priority 3 actions are those that are not
considered urgent or that may be dependent upon the implementation of a higher priority
66
action before it can be implemented. Priority 3 actions should be reviewed and
implemented in the next ten to 15 years. Besides the Priority 1, 2, or 3 actions, there are a
few actions that will be dependent upon the results of other priority actions and/or
changing conditions in the future. These long-range actions are designated with a "U" for
Undetermined in the priority column of the implementation schedule because their time
frame for implementation cannot yet be designated. Nevertheless, these long-range should
remain in the implementation schedule as future actions when the timing is appropriate. If
they are not included, simply because funds are not yet available or because the city has not
yet reached that growth stage, the risk is high of losing the opportunity to implement the
action at a later date.
Brundidge Comprehensive Plan Implementation Schedule
Economic Development
Goals
Attract Industry
Increase Retail Resources
and Opportunities
Actions
1. Further develop industrial locations with
adequate infrastructure to ensure that
Brundidge is able to accommodate
industrial prospects.
2. Promote the existing infrastructure as part
of the City's industrial and commercial
recruitment efforts.
3. Develop a spec building to entice industrial
prospects.
4. Actively coordinate industrial and
commercial recruitment efforts with the
Pike County Economic Development
Corporation to increase coverage.
1. Continually develop and diligently maintain
retail locations to increase shopping by
residents and visitors and to attract new
retail resources.
2. Actively recruit new and expanding
businesses to locate in Brundidge to
expand retail choices and competition.
3. Actively encourage local entrepreneurship
and establish start-up program to assist
local entrepreneurial efforts.
1. Pursue construction of a local hotel.
Develop Travel
Accommodations
2. Encourage use of Brundidge historic
housing resources for bed and breakfast
businesses.
3. Pursue private development of
accommodations for recreational vehicles.
67
Pub
Pvt
X
X
2
X
X
X
1
2
X
1
X
1&2
X
X
Priority
1
X
1
X
2
X
1
X
1&2
Housing
Goals
Provide Housing
Opportunities to Attract
Long-Term Residents
Provide Sufficient
Locations for
Manufactured Housing
Ensure Availability of
Short-term and Starter
Housing Opportunities
Actions
1. Increase opportunities for home
ownership through local financing
programs and community partnerships.
2. Develop higher-end housing to provide
housing choice to established homeowners
and to attract new residents, particularly
retirees.
1. Develop quality manufactured housing
subdivisions to provide a viable, safe and
attractive housing choice.
2. Stringently enforce existing land use
regulations and building codes to ensure an
ongoing supply safe and sound housing
stock.
3. Utilize building and zoning codes to phase
out older manufactured homes that are no
longer structurally sound.
1. Ensure that adequate rental property
and/or apartments are available to meet
needs of transient residents and nonhomeowners.
2. Develop quality starter housing that is
attractive to first-time home buyers.
3. Develop and market student-oriented
housing that is attractive both Troy
University and Enterprise-Ozark
Community College students, with
particular emphasis on older and family
students.
Pub
Actions
1. Establish a cultural arts council as a lead
organization in hosting and attracting
increased arts and cultural venues.
2. Develop a promotional campaign to
increase statewide awareness of existing
cultural arts resources in Brundidge.
3. Build upon existing cultural arts resources
to develop new cultural arts avenues.
1. Increase opportunities for social gatherings
and senior activities.
2. Utilize existing natural resources to
develop a multi-use trail system than
connects residents to activity centers.
3. Construct a community center as a central
location for recreational activities.
X
Pvt
Priority
X
1
X
2
X
2
X
X
1
X
1&2
X
3
X
1
X
X
2
Pub
Pvt
Priority
X
1
X
X
1
X
X
1&2
X
X
1
X
X
1&2
Community Facilities
Goals
Establish Brundidge as a
cultural arts center
Improve Recreation
Resources: Recreation
Center; Parks and Trails
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X
2
Improve Perception and
Delivery of Educational
Resources
1. Extend educational programs into
community.
2. Establish a Partners in Education Program
to increase local awareness of quality
schools and to increase local resources in
the school system.
3. Increase vocational opportunities through
partnerships with industry and businesses.
X
1
X
X
1
X
X
1
Actions
1. Upgrade storm drainage system to
eliminate existing private property flooding
and to accommodate future development.
2. Determine location and cause of odors and
correct problems.
3. Investigate “green” drainage systems as a
means to increase stormwater drainage
capacity and minimize impact on property
owners.
1. Install underground utilities on Main Street
to enhance the attractiveness of the
downtown area.
2. Promote existing utility systems to
business and industry.
Pub
Pvt
Priority
Actions
1. Revise truck routes through Brundidge to
eliminate turns on AL Highway 10 to and
from AL Highway 93.
2. Reconfigure the intersection at Galloway
Street and Veterans Boulevard.
3. Develop and implement proposed access
management plans for US Highway 231,
Graham Boulevard, and Veterans
Boulevard.
4. As needed, construct a 2-lane road from
AL Highway 93 (north) to AL Highway 10
(east) as downtown truck bypass route.
1. Increase awareness of transit system and
routes through advertisements and public
announcements.
2. Utilize availability of Pike County Transit
System to attract residential growth and
development, with emphasis on student
housing market.
3. Explore concept of rail trolley system
between Troy and Brundidge.
Pub
Utilities and Infrastructure
Goals
Improve Storm Water
Drainage System
Maintain Progressive
Utility System
Implementation
X
1
X
1
X
X
2
X
X
2
X
1
Transportation
Goals
Minimize Truck Traffic
Conflicts
Utilization of Pike County
Area Transit System
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Pvt
Priority
X
1
X
2
X
X
1
U
X
X
X
X
1
1
X
U
Utilization of Brundidge
Airport
Ensure Adequate OffStreet Parking
1. Upgrade and make improvements to bring
airport up to standards.
2. Investigate repair and renovation of the
Brundidge airport.
3. Research necessary facilities to attract
private air travel and use.
1. Evaluate angle parking in downtown.
2. Develop truck parking areas to new
guidelines.
3. Recruit travel center facility / truck stop.
4. Include new guidelines in zoning ordinance
and subdivision regulations, as appropriate.
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X
X
X
X
2
2
X
X
U
1
X
X
1
X
X
1
X
1
5. APPENDICES
Appendix A.
Access Management Criteria
Appendix B.
Off Street Truck Parking Facility Design and Construction Guidelines
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72
APPENDIX A.
BRUNDIDGE ACCESS MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
Introduction
The document describes access management strategies and presents guidelines that can be
used to plan development on land abutting arterials in Brundidge. The strategies outlined in this
document are intended to apply to:
•
•
•
U. S. Highway 231 within the corporate limits of Brundidge;
Alabama Highway 10 from U.S. Highway 231 east to the location of the proposed
Brundidge bypass; and
Veterans Boulevard from U.S. Highway 231 east to Alabama Highway 93.
Specific strategies are illustrated to show how they work and why they are important.
Encouraging substantial spacing between driveways is the single most important step that
Brundidge can take to ensure safety and maintain the traffic carrying capacity of its arterials. When
local officials review a development proposal that is adjacent to an arterial, a primary consideration
should be for the safety of people traveling on the arterial, and a secondary consideration should be
for people entering and leaving the proposed development.
The following strategies are aimed at encouraging safe conditions. They have the added benefit
of preserving traffic carrying capacity. These concepts should be considered for inclusion in the
City’s zoning ordinance, site plan review, traffic standards and subdivision regulations.
General Access Provisions:
 In general, all properties abutting public streets are permitted at least one safe access to the
public street system.
 On properties with multiple public street frontages, the City reserves the right to restrict
vehicular access solely to the public street having the lower roadway classification, and/or to the
safest access location.
 Development proponents requesting more than one driveway access to a public street will be
required to justify the second driveway on the basis of development generated trips.
 Where the driveway location does not meet minimum City separation criteria, or where a safe
driveway location can’t be found, the City requires appropriate mitigation measures to provide
for as safe a driveway as is feasible.
Driveway Location and Design
Driveway spacing standards establish the minimum distance between access points along
major thoroughfares. These standards help to reduce the potential for collisions, as travelers enter
or exit the roadway. They also encourage the sharing of access for smaller parcels, and can improve
community character by reducing the number of driveways and providing more area for pedestrians
and landscaping. The location of driveways affects the ability of drivers to safely enter and exit a site.
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If driveways do not provide adequate sight distance, exiting vehicles may be unable to see oncoming
traffic. In turn, motorists on the roadway may not have adequate time to avoid a crash. Driveway
design standards assure driveways have an adequate design so vehicles can easily turn onto the site.
Standards should also address the depth of the driveway area. Where driveways are too shallow,
vehicles are sometimes obstructed from entering the site causing others behind them to wait in
through lanes. This blocks traffic and increases the potential for rear‐end collisions.
Considerations in establishing separation standards include street function and classification,
driving speeds, location of adjacent streets and driveways, volume of trucks, driver expectancy, and
the separation and reduction of motorist, bicyclist and pedestrian conflicts.
Guidelines for a minimum turn radius, driveway width, and driveway slope are important
because they help slower, turning traffic move off the arterial more quickly, and help the traffic
leaving a driveway turn and enter the stream of traffic more efficiently. Requirements for turn
radius, driveway width, and driveway slope are generally applied to non‐residential developments
and subdivisions.
Turn Radius
The turn radius (or return radius) refers
to the extent that the edge of the commercial
driveway is “rounded” to permit easier entry
and exit by turning vehicles. As shown in the
diagram, a larger radius results in an “easier”
entrance or exit movement for vehicles. The
driveway movement can be performed at a
greater speed and with less encroachment into
oncoming through traffic.
The preferred turn radii will depend on
the type of vehicles to be accommodated, the
number of pedestrians and cyclist crossing the
driveway, and the operating speeds of the
accessed roadway.
Driveway Width
It is important to regulate the maximum width of non‐residential driveways. If the driveway is
too wide, as is often the case, there is virtually unrestricted access. The result may be a wide
driveway, which is unsafe to drivers, who may have a hard time deciding where to position
themselves, and to pedestrians, who will have a greater distance of pavement to cross. In the worst
case, uncontrolled access across the entire frontage leads to a severe deterioration in the level of
service of the arterial and to costly road improvements. On the other hand, if the driveway is too
narrow, the access speed to and from the driveway will be slow, impinging on through traffic.
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General Driveway Design Standards:
 Construction of driveways along acceleration or deceleration lanes, left turn storage lanes and
tapers should be avoided, unless no other reasonable access to the property is available.
 Driveways on undivided roadways shall be aligned directly opposite driveways on the opposite
side of the road, or offset from each other in accordance with applicable City or State
Standards, due to the potential for conflicting left turns or jog maneuvers and resulting safety or
operational problems.
 Driveway width and return radius or flare is adequate to serve the volume of traffic and provide
for efficient movement of vehicles onto and off of the major thoroughfare. However, the width
of driveways not so excessive as to pose safety hazards for pedestrians and bicycles.
 Driveways with more than two lanes should incorporate channelization features.
 Restrict the number of curb cuts to one entrance and exit drive. Where excessive access exists,
install curbing to limit access to one location upon applications for expansions, redevelopments
or change of use. Require shared driveways between two parcels at the property line, where
practical.
Minimum Distance between Driveways
Maintaining a minimum distance between driveways along an arterial minimizes the number of
access points that a driver must keep an eye on. This simplifies driving and reduces the
opportunities for conflicts and crashes. Shorter access spacing can be permitted on lower
classification roadways. Longer spacing is desirable on roadways in areas where speeds are higher.
These guidelines can be used for both residential and nonresidential development.
Driveway Spacing Standards:
U.S. Highway 231
Veterans Boulevard
Alabama Highway 10 (Graham Street)
600 feet measured center to center
500 feet measured center to center
350 feet measured center to center
Mitigation measures for developments that cannot meet the minimum driveway spacing criteria:
 Move the proposed driveway as far from the closest driveway, or intersection, as possible. This
is the minimum mitigation measure that will be accepted by the City, and in some instances is
not an adequate mitigation by itself.
 Acquire a cross‐easement for ingress and egress from an adjoining property, and use an existing
driveway for the new development.
 Acquire a binding agreement from an adjoining property to remove an existing adjacent
driveway in order to meet the minimum driveway to driveway separation criteria; and remove
that extra driveway. Depending upon the trip generation characteristics of the subject
development and the traffic volumes on the subject street, removal of an existing driveway may
be considered adequate mitigation even when the full driveway‐to‐driveway separation distance
does not fully meet the minimum driveway separation criteria.
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Median and Signalized Intersection Spacing
Wide non‐traversable medians provide shelter for vehicles making left turns to and from the
street. They also provide refuge for pedestrians attempting to cross wide streets.
Consequently, collision rates on major streets with wide non‐traversable medians have been
found to be substantially lower than undivided streets or streets having a continuous two way left
turn lane. Medians can also be landscaped as part of a corridor beautification program. As with
driveways, the spacing and design of median openings is important to the safe and efficient operation
of the street. Safety benefits are reduced when median openings have inadequate storage for left
turns, or when the openings are too close together.
Narrow non‐traversable medians provide shelter for vehicles making left turns to and from
the street and prevent unsafe left turns onto the street. Narrow non‐traversable medians do not
provide all of the benefits of wide non‐traversable medians, but require only very minor physical
changes in the street to accommodate their construction. Narrow non‐traversable medians also
require less right‐of‐way and may be used more often where rights‐of‐way are limited.
Long uniform intersection spacing on arterial streets facilitate the use of traffic signal timing
plans to respond to peak and off‐peak traffic flow conditions. Long and uniform spacing improves
traffic flow and increases the number of vehicles that may flow through the traffic signal on a given
green cycle. Capacity of the intersection and the arterial street is thereby increased, fuel
consumption and traffic emissions are decreased and traffic safety is improved.
Median and Intersection Spacing Standards:
U.S. Highway 231 within Brundidge corporate limits
 There should be at least 1,300 feet between each median opening
 There should be at least 2,600 feet between signalized intersections
Veterans Boulevard from U.S. 231 to Alabama Highway 93
 There should be at least 750 feet between each median opening
 There should be at least 1,000 feet to 1,200 feet between each signalized intersection
Alabama Highway 10 (Graham Street) from U.S. Highway 231 and the proposed northeast bypass
 There should be at least 600 feet between each median opening
 There should be at least 1,000 feet to 1,200 feet between each signalized intersection
Left and Right Turn Lanes
Left‐turn and right‐turn lanes minimize the conflict between turning vehicles and vehicles
attempting to continue in through‐traffic lanes. They also provide storage space where vehicles can
safely wait to perform the turn maneuver. This results in smoother traffic flow, increased capacity
and greatly increased safety.
The construction of a left turn lane on a heavily traveled arterial can reduce the conflict and
delay that occur when through vehicles turn left across traffic. A left turn lane can also reduce
conflicts that occur when cars behind the turning vehicle have to slow down, stop or pass on the
right of the turning vehicle. The left turn lane separates the turning vehicle from through traffic and
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provides a storage area where a number of left turning vehicles can wait to make a turn. Left turns
can also be controlled through median strips that allow left turns only at certain controlled points.
Left turn lanes should be provided at all median openings on arterial roadways and meet City and/or
Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) standards.
When medians extend the full length of a road, the spacing of intersections and median breaks
are crucial to providing access to properties on both sides of the road. The median prevents
vehicles from crossing the arterial and making left turns from side streets onto the arterial. Median
breaks should generally only be provided at public road intersections or at driveways shared by
several businesses. They should generally not be provided for access to individual businesses or
residences. The number of median breaks should be kept to a minimum since they add conflict
points and detract from safety.
Raised medians fully separate opposing traffic, define where turns and crossings are allowed,
and provide a safe refuge for pedestrians. Raised medians are most desirable at major activity
centers where relatively few high volume driveways provide access to adjacent properties.
Right Turn Deceleration Lane
Right turn lanes and tapers help to get turning vehicles out of the through traffic lanes. Right
turn lanes or tapers reduce traffic delays that would otherwise occur as through traffic slows to
permit turning traffic to exit the arterial. A deceleration lane should be used when a specific
Threshold of turning traffic is reached or when a traffic impact study indicates that a right turn lane
is needed. Level‐of‐service criteria, volume
warrants, crash experience, existing traffic
operations, or engineering judgment that
indicates a safety concern to right turning
vehicles can justify the need for right turn
deceleration lanes. The length of the
deceleration lane will also vary according to the
speed of traffic on the arterial. However, the
turn lane should be sufficient length to allow the
turning vehicle to leave the through lane at the
posted speed limit, decelerate, and negotiate
the turn. Right turn lanes should be required at
any access point to an arterial roadway.
Turn Lane Standards for Arterial Roadways:
 Left turn lanes shall be required at all median openings.
 Deceleration lanes shall be required at all access points.
Corner Clearance Corner clearance is the distance from an intersection of a public or private street to the
nearest access connection or driveway. Providing adequate corner clearance can decrease the
likelihood of crashes and minimize the interruptions to the flow of traffic. Inadequate clearance
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between driveways and intersections creates many conflict points within too small an area. Corner
clearance guidelines preserve good traffic operations at intersections, as well as the safety and
convenience of access to corner properties.
Setting driveways and connections back from intersections reduces the number of conflicts
and provides more time and space for vehicles to turn or merge safely across lanes. Adequate
corner clearance is assured by establishing a larger minimum lot size for corner lots. Conditional use
limitations may be imposed where adequate corner clearance cannot be obtained. This helps assure
that corner properties do not experience access problems as traffic volumes grow.
Factors affecting safe corner clearances include the posted speed limit, whether the driveway
is “upstream” or “downstream” from the intersection, and whether or not the intersection is
signalized.
Corner Clearance Standards for Arterial Roadways:
 Locate new driveways outside the functional area of an intersection.
 No driveway shall be allowed onto an arterial roadway within 600 feet of an intersection.
Mitigation measures for developments that cannot meet the minimum corner clearance criteria:
 If no other reasonable access to the property is available, including joint and cross access with
adjacent properties;
 The connection does not create a safety or operational problem, upon review of a site‐specific
study of the proposed connection prepared by a qualified professional, AND
 The proposed driveway location meets AASHTO standards and accepted engineering practice;
then
 Provided appropriate sight distance standards are met, a driveway within the functional area of
the intersection may be constructed. It shall be located as close to the property line and as far
from the intersection as site conditions allow.
Joint and Cross Access
Joint and cross access requirements
consolidate driveways serving more than one
parcel and provide circulation between adjacent
parcels. This allows vehicles to circulate
between adjacent businesses without having to
reentering public streets. Joint access
requirements are used to connect major
developments and to reduce the number of
driveways that would otherwise be required to
serve abutting parcels. Joint driveways are also used to improve driveway spacing or separation, and
sometimes permit more than one driveway to serve a single parcel where separation standards
would not otherwise permit more than one driveway. This may allow intensive development along a
corridor while maintaining traffic operations and safe and convenient access to businesses. Property
owners unable to meet minimum driveway separation standards are typically required to provide for
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joint and cross access easements whenever feasible. Abutting properties under different ownership
are encouraged to comply, but are generally not required to comply until they develop or redevelop
property.
Joint and Cross Access Standards

Shared driveways and cross access easements shall be required when possible and to meet
driveway spacing criteria.

Properties located on arterial or collector roadways should provide a cross access drive and
pedestrian access to allow circulation between adjacent sites. Such connection is generally
required in retail commercial use adjacent to other commercial, office, industrial or multi‐family
development.
Required cross‐access corridors shall be shown on any subdivision or site plan. A system of joint
use driveways and cross access easements shall be required to provide unified access and
circulation among parcels and assist in local traffic movement. In such cases, the building site
shall incorporate the following:
1. A continuous cross‐access or service drive with sufficient width to accommodate two‐way
travel aisles for automobiles, service vehicles and loading vehicles.
2. Stub‐outs and other design features to make it visually obvious that abutting vacant
properties shall be interconnected to provide cross access at the time they are developed.
3. Building sites shall be designed to ensure parking, access and circulation may be easily
interconnected to future adjacent development.


Where joint‐ and cross‐access is provided pursuant to this section, property owners shall:
1. Record an easement allowing cross access to and from other properties served by the joint
use driveways or service drive, which shall be a covenant running with the land;
2. Record an agreement that any pre‐existing curb cuts providing for access in the interim shall
be closed and eliminated after construction of the joint‐use driveway, which shall be a
covenant running with the land; and
3. Record a joint maintenance agreement defining maintenance responsibilities of property
owners that share the joint use driveway and cross access system, which shall be a covenant
running with the land.

Where abutting properties are in different ownership and not part of an overall development
plan, cooperation between the various owners to create a unified access and circulation system
shall be strongly encouraged. Abutting properties shall provide unified access and circulation at
the time they are developed or redeveloped.
Maximum Number of Driveways
Every driveway or intersecting street along an arterial has the potential to reduce the ability of
the arterial to move traffic. While it is essential to allow access to property, the City can limit the
number of driveways permitted on any lot. Regulating the maximum number of driveways per
property frontage limits the number of conflict points and provides drivers more time and distance
to execute their maneuvers. A basic requirement should be established that limits the number of
driveways to one per parcel, with special conditions for additional driveways. Commercial
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properties should be limited to a single driveway unless they have larger frontages or they can
demonstrate that their development generates more than 4,000 vehicles per day.
Driveway Number Standards:
 The maximum number of direct access driveways allowed per parcel is one when no alternative
for cross or joint access is possible.
 Shared driveways and cross access easements shall be required when possible and to meet
driveway spacing criteria.
 When a parcel has frontages on two (or more) public streets with different street classifications
and function, then the parcel should be limited to access on the lower classification of street.
Outparcel Requirements (Internal Access)
Shopping center developments often include separate lots or “outparcels” fronting on the
major roadway. The outparcels are leased or sold to businesses looking for highly valued corridor
locations. Access to these outparcels should be incorporated into the access and circulation system
of the principal development and should not be allowed direct vehicular access to the arterial street.
This approach reduces the need for separate driveways on the major road, while maintaining overall
accessibility. To accomplish this, development sites under the same ownership or those consolidated
for development will be treated as one site for the purposes of access management. A unified traffic
circulation and access plan for the overall development site shall be required.
Outparcel Standards:
 Outparcels shall be accessed via the shared circulation system of the principal development or
retail center.
 Access to outparcels shall be designed to avoid excessive movement across parking aisles and
queuing across surrounding parking and driving aisles.
Frontage, Reverse Frontage and Alternative Access When land is subdivided for small commercial or residential uses, the lots abutting arterial
streets should not be allowed direct vehicular access to the arterial street. Instead, an interior
street, which provides access to the arterial street, should be required. The interior street may be a
common service or minor road. This
eliminates the conflicts between high‐speed
traffic and traffic entering and exiting at
closely spaced driveways. Access to the
arterial street should be provided at a
location able to meet separation and corner
clearance standards, and designed to safely
handle the traffic generated by the
development. The diagrams below reflect
the application of frontage roads for access
to properties on arterial roadways.
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When a parcel has frontage on
more than one public street, and one of
those streets has a higher street
classification and function than the other
street, then the property should be
required to obtain access solely from the
street having the lower (or lowest)
classification and function, where possible.
If there is more than one developer,
or if development proceeds piecemeal
over time, the City shall allow smaller sites to be served by an individual entrance only until such
time as adjacent lots are developed. When a service road or interior street is constructed, the
temporary commercial driveways shall be closed or consolidated.
Frontage, Reverse Frontage and Alternative Access Standards:
 Frontage, Reverse Frontage and Alternative Access drives shall be required as an alternative to
joint and cross access drives in larger developments when possible.
 Properties located on arterial or collector roadways shall provide a frontage or reverse frontage
roads and pedestrian access to allow circulation between adjacent sites. Such connection is
generally required in retail commercial use adjacent to other commercial, office, industrial or
multi‐family development.
 Required roads shall be shown on any subdivision or site plan.
Throat Length / Minimum Stacking
The depth of the formal entranceway is referred to as the “throat length”. In designing
driveways, adequate driveway queue length must be provided on commercial sites to prevent
entering vehicles from having to stop in the public streets, and to prevent exiting vehicles from
blocking internal circulation aisles. This problem is most evident with drive‐in service developments
that generate high traffic volumes and require motorists to wait in their vehicles while being served,
or until service begins. Such developments shall be carefully analyzed to assure that the site plan
provides adequate storage. Specific storage areas shall be determined on an individual basis;
however minimum storage lengths are required to be provided before any crossing or turning
conflicts can be permitted. Driveways should be long enough to allow adequate space for vehicles
pulling off the road and stacking to enter the road.
Throat Length Standards:
 The minimum driveway throat length at major intersections and/or median openings shall be
250 feet.
 The minimum driveway throat length at minor access points, including right‐in, right‐out is 150
feet.
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Residential Access Through Neighborhood Streets
Residential driveways on major roadways result in dangerous conflicts between high‐speed
traffic and residents entering and exiting their driveway. As the number of driveways increase, the
roadway is gradually transformed into a high speed version of a local residential street. Subdivisions
should always be designed so that lots fronting on major roadways have internal access from a
residential street or lane (also known as “reverse frontage”). Minor land division activity can be
managed by establishing a restriction on new access points and allowing land to be further
subdivided, provided all new lots obtain access via the permitted access point.
Another step is to prohibit “flag lots” along major thoroughfares. Some property owners
subdivide their land into lots shaped like flags to avoid the cost of platting and providing a road.
Instead, the flag lots are stacked on top of each other, with the “flag poles” serving as driveways to
major roads. This results in closely spaced driveways that undermine the safety and efficiency of the
highway. Although it might be easier and
cheaper for a land developer to subdivide the
frontage rather than construct interior roads,
the public loses when the result is unsafe
conditions, congestion, lower speed limits, and
eventually a need for costly road
improvements. It is better to construct interior
roads that provide access to lots. This reduces
the number of access points and preserves the
capacity of the arterial to carry large volumes of
traffic.
Residential Access Standards:
 When a residential subdivision is proposed that abuts an arterial or major collector roadway, it
shall be designed to provide lots abutting the roadway with access only from an interior local
road or frontage road.
 Direct driveway access to individual one and two family dwellings on arterial and collector
roadways is prohibited unless the City determines there is no acceptable access alternative.
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Interconnected Street Systems
Requiring developers to provide interior roads on property they subdivide along arterials is an
important step in maintaining safety and preserving capacity, but it may not be sufficient. When
subdivisions are built adjacent to one another, each with its own access to the arterial, drivers may
use the arterial to travel from one subdivision to another, thus contributing to highway congestion.
A simple remedy is to require that a subdivision contain connecting points to adjacent, undeveloped
land, where feasible, and that adjacent subdivisions inter‐connect. This can reduce traffic on the
arterial and help create a sense of community continuity, rather than isolation.
As communities grow and land is subdivided for development, it is essential to assure
continuation and extension of the existing local street system. Requiring internal vehicle connections
will limit the number of times a driver has to enter the arterial when traveling between adjacent
businesses. Dead end streets, cul‐de‐sacs and gated communities force more traffic onto collectors
and arterials. Fragmented street systems also impede emergency access and increase the number
and length of automobile trips. A connected road network advances the following objectives:
 Fewer vehicle miles traveled
 Decreased congestion
 Alternative routes for short, local trips
 Improved accessibility of developed areas
 Facilitation of walking, bicycling, and use of transit
 Reduced demand on major thoroughfares
 More environmentally sensitive layout of streets and lots
 Interconnected neighborhoods foster a sense of community
 Safer and less costly school bus routes
Connectivity can be enhanced by a) allowing shorter blocks and excluding cul‐de‐sacs from the
definition of intersection; b) requiring stub streets to serve adjacent undeveloped properties; c)
requiring street connections to nearby activity centers; d) requiring connections to or continuation
of existing or approved public streets; and e) requiring bicycle/pedestrian access‐ways at the end of
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cul‐de‐sacs or between residential areas and parks, schools, shopping areas or other activity centers.
It is also important to allow for a greater variety of street types.
Interconnected Street System Standards:
 Developments shall be interconnected when possible; a variance may be granted only in
extreme physical or environmental circumstances.
 All streets shall not exceed 1500’ in length without intersecting along each side at least one
through street.
Coordination with Alabama Department of Transportation
The Alabama Department of Transportation is responsible for access permits along state and
federal routes. The City of Brundidge oversees land use, subdivision and site design decisions that
affect access needs. Therefore, State and local coordination is essential to effective access
management. Lack of coordination can undermine the effectiveness of regulatory programs and
cause unnecessary frustration for permit applicants.
Timely communication is key to an effective review procedure, and that begins with a
coordinated process for review of access permits along state routes. Applicants should send copies
of the complete permit application to the designated local reviewing official and the state permitting
official. Prior to any decision or recommendation, the local reviewing official and the state permitting
official should discuss the application.
Property owners will be required to submit the necessary certificates of approval from other
affected regulatory agencies, before a building permit is issued. An effective method of coordinating
review and approval between developers and various government agencies is through a tiered
process. The first stage is an informal meeting and “concept review” period, which allows officials to
advise the developer about information needed to process a development application. This includes
information on required state and local permits, and any special considerations for the development
site.
The concept review provides the developer with early feedback on a proposal, before the
preliminary plat or site plan has been drafted. Once the preliminary plan is drafted, it can be checked
to determine if additional conditions are required for approval. The final plan that is formally
submitted should then require only an administrative review.
The City of Brundidge should also request a response from the ALDOT prior to approval of
plats on the state highway system. Applicants should be required to send a copy of the subdivision
application to the state access permitting official. This shall occur early in the plat review process,
preferably during conceptual review. Early monitoring of platting activity would allow the
Department of Transportation an opportunity to identify problems and work on acceptable
alternatives. Intergovernmental agreements or resolutions can facilitate coordination between the
state and local governments on access management. These tools can be used to clarify the purpose
and intent of managing access along major thoroughfares, roadways that will receive special
attention, and state and local responsibilities for advancing access management objectives.
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APPENDIX B.
OFF STREET TRUCK PARKING FACILITY DESIGN
AND CONSTRUCTION GUIDELINES
The City of Brundidge, in an effort to ensure safe traffic operations for parking facilities
developed for off street truck parking, is developing design and construction guidelines. The
subsequent sections outline minimum criteria for the design and construction of such facilities.
Access
Access to any off street parking facility shall be submitted for permitting to the governmental
agency responsible for maintaining the roadway where such access is proposed. On any state or
federal aid facility, permits shall be obtained from the Alabama Department of Transportation and
adhere to their guidelines. Additionally, any access management guidelines adopted by the City of
Brundidge for application on their roadways shall also be followed.
Parking Facility Layout
The layout of a parking lot shall be undertaken by a registered professional engineer,
registered in the State of Alabama. The parking facility layout shall be designed in such a manner that
it allows adequate dimensions for circulation of design vehicles to occur on the parking facility site.
This would include adequate turning radii, driveway aisles, parking stall dimensions, backing distances
(if required) and other elements required to ensure all maneuvers associated with truck movements
occur on the site of the parking facility.
Layouts of proposed parking facilities for trucks will be submitted to the City of Brundidge for
review and permitting. Additionally, any zoning requirements of the City for such facilities must be
followed.
Parking Facility Design
The proper construction of off street truck parking facilities is essential to ensure the
foundation is correct to handle intended loads presented by truck traffic. To this end any proposed
off street parking facility shall be design by a registered professional engineer in the State of
Alabama. The following guiding principals shall be followed as a minimum:
1. Subsurface materials used in constructing such facilities shall be of suitable strength and
mix to provide adequate support for the design loads as defined by the design vehicle
(specified by the design engineer);
2. The parking facility shall be graded in such a manner to avoid storm water runoff on
adjacent properties or onto the public roadway in such a manner to cause a hazard. In
those circumstances where such grading can not be provided, curb and gutter or other
approved methods of detaining storm water on site will be considered;
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3. An all weather surface will be required on all facilities (such surface shall include asphalt or
concrete); and
4. All parking facilities shall be marked in such a manner to reflect parking stalls, access
locations and parking aisles (all parking maneuvers required to access and circulate within
the off street truck parking facility shall occur off the public right of way).
Construction plans for any proposed off street truck parking facility shall be submitted to the
City of Brundidge and/or the Alabama Department of Transportation for a permit for construction.
Such drawings shall be stamped by a registered professional engineer in the State of Alabama.
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