HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-15-2023 Fairhope Historic Preservation Committee MinutesFairhope Historic Preservation Committee
Monthly Meeting Notes
March 15,2023 9:30 a.m.Fairhope History Museum
Attendance:Mara Hunter,Amy Molyneux,Skip Jones
museum liaison Gabriel Gold-Vukson (Museum Liaison)
Not Present:Gary Gover,Jay Robinson
Special Guests:Robert Normand
Call to order:Mara Kozelsky,9:31
Discussion
●Approve Minutes:Approved
●Introductions:Robert Normand,whose father bought the Davis home in 1964,doing
research on the house,which appears to be the “oldest house”in Fairhope.Discussion
about whether to list the property and where to find resources about it.
●Recap of the meeting with the mayor and city council work session March 13:
Encouraged that the mayor and council members are positively engaged in the historic
ordinance.Ms.Crawford’s remarks raised awareness among the members of the council
that we can build an ordinance unique to Fairhope.Councilman JB raised questions
about restrictions on people’s properties.JR’s Questions:If we just have this
commission and it doesn’t have authority,why is it important?Answer:Ability of the city
to apply for the CLG grant,provide incentives,commission can acquire a non-profit
status to fundraise and solicit grants.In other words,a commission can provide positive
incentives that a committee cannot.
Line of questioning suggests that city council will vote in favor of ordinance in order to
build a CLG and positive program.
●Next Step:review ordinance and pick things out that might work,build a
compromise.Council can amend the ordinance to make it more effective.
●Ask City Lawyer (Marcus McDowell):to review the ordinance to determine if a
minimal program will allow the city to qualify as a CLG.
●Recap March 4:African American Historical Event revealed a few historic properties in
Fairhope including the Lebanon Chapel AME Zion,the Christian Valley Baptist Church,
the two clay-tiles properties on Young Street being restored.Only the AME Zion Church
is on the register.Also that the historic community spread between Fairhope and
unincorporated areas of Twin Beech.
●Received info from the historic Quaker Meeting Hall,100 years old but not listed on state
register.Between the Christian Valley Baptist Church and the Quaker Hall,question
emerges about how many historic churches are registered in Fairhope and feasibility of
potential program beginning in fall related to registering historic churches in Fairhope.
Meeting ended:MK,10:30 a.m.