HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-13-2022 Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board Meeting MinutesFEAB May 13 , 2022 Minutes
FEAB MEETING MINUTES
May 13, 2022
3 p.m. @ Library Board Room
Member Attendees: Gary Gover, Jim Horner, Nigel Temple, Michelle Melton, Jennifer
Foutch, Ben Frater
Members not in attendance :
Rick Speight, excused absence; Amy Paulson, excused absence
City of Fairhope: Kim Burmeister -Planning and Zoning Department
City Council: None
Honored Guests : Darrel W i lliams (SALT), Nicole Love (Thompson Engineering, Eastern
Shore Watershed Management Plan), Tom Hutchings and Lee Yokel (Eco Solutions)
Minutes taken by: Kim Burmeister
Jennifer stood in for Amy . Jennifer ca ll ed the meeting to order at 3 p .m .
Summary of meeting:
1 . Tom & Lee (Eco Solutions) gave a presentation on Living Shorelines and presented a ·
draft bill to help support living shoreline projects.
2. Motion was passed to amend by-laws : from 9 members to an allowance of 11
members.
3. Motion was passed to accept Darrel Williams membership application to FEAB as a new
member, in the place of Mike Shelton who has resigned.
4. Nicole Love 's membership is pending approval of by-law amendment to allow for (11)
members.
5 . FEAB members will rotate attendance at Planning Commission meetings, monthly.
6. FEAB is interested in extending meeting times from 1 hour to 1.5 hour. By-laws will
have to be amended, if pursued.
7. June's FEAB meeting will be a "special meeting" starting at 2:30 p.m. to allow time for a
presentation from MS/AL Sea Grant staff; topic: CR/.
8. Jim Horner shared an article on the upcoming Storm Sewer Infrastructure Inventory
project (RESTORE funding).
FEAB Minutes/Updates to Board:
1. Jim made a motion to approve FEAB April minutes, approved unanimously .
Page 1
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Agenda:
Amy drafted this agenda to share with FEAB:
~\GENOA
THE cin· OF FAIRHOPE E:\"'\'IROXME:'\71'.AL AD\'ISORl:' BOARD ifONTBL Y :MEETING
:u ... 1.-l'!,. 2022
}_ Ho1mkeeping (~5 min)
a. Acceptance o f prior meeting mumtes -Kim
b . Membership
i. Nicole, Darrell
ii. Resolution for member.mip increa.3e
c. Meeting Duration: J une 's meeting to hav e JO-minute internal work se.3sion t.o clear up
housekeeping md other o going di!.c.ussiom (L e ., agenda item3 l , 6 ) and · P:D l -hr p hlic
meeting: total 1. · homs (2 :30 -:00) ➔ offici.il?
d. Planning Commission Rotation As sigmnems (s ee last page o Agenda-re;;ise a.s needed)
Gues . EcoSo!utiom, Lee Yokel and Tom H tchings re: Li ·ing Shorelines (~20 min)
a . Gues presentation
b. Di.3cussio : cemivizing and ass:utin:g private and government property ho ders
c. Di.3c:msio : Dacribe existing rights and respons ibilities proximate o the moreline types
we hav e .
3. Old Actio Items (~5 mins)-A1t1>• Progre:;s ?
a. Ben / Amy to fo Uo,li· up, with Pat t; ;:hite I Recreation Dept. for park planning (Colony,
Dyas) (any more o:ugihts o how to proceed since last month)?
b . Amy / Gary to req e3t agenda pre.3ence at Harbor Boar-d, Recr&li.on Board, Bike & Ped
Committee r egular monthly meeting to presenit FE.AB slicle!,liowl discws mutual
priorities and opportunitie.3 to partner.
c. Ben / Amy to arrange ruite field trip with FEAB, Mayor, City CoUDcil at Dya:3 to
discms we of property. (Invite Bike md Ped rep?)
d . Kim to gather info from AI.DOT / Pub ic \\ orks regairding F ly Creek: cuh:ert at Hwy 98
and Dya.s property ero .. ion and fish pass;age i.3s B .
e.. Comrie I 1t cole to find an Aubum extension property r epresentati,;e to attend E.S\J,l!vfP
committee , espec · ly regarding Fly Creek 303 ..,d li!ting status in that :3 egmellf..
f. Amy to reach out t.o ~. fur representdiv e on FE.AB.
4 . Introduce Involvement Opporbmihes.-Gary (<5)
a. ADCNR: AL Go,, Restoration Summit, ~y 19, Spanish Fort Community Center
ldlps ://gulihfinexiooall.iance.org/event!/adcm~-mmmitf
b. Comment on the DRAFT 1012 ComprehDlllil~ Plan Update: R2.storing the Gulf
Coast'a Ecosystem. and Economy chrome-
extemion·l/efaidnbnmnm""hpcajpcglclefindmk:aj1 ttw· rww.restoretheewf .god siteg,•'d efa
u!i/fi est-PRDFT 202 Draft Comp Plan U pdate P111b!icComJnent 508 Final 202 OJ2
.!.:ru!!'
c:. \Veda:nd: R~ulationa Uld Compliance Workllllop . Guidance for Profes sionals
ln"\:-olved in.Land Use lss e.. Thursday, June 16, 202 . Mobile A.rea Association of
Realtors* 2 8 Airport Boulevard fobi e , AL 3 6606 Regb-tratioo Dead'line : Thii=day,
June 9 OR Tuesday, July 9, 2il22 Bald\"wREALTORS 23280 County Road 65
R.oberucW.e , AL 3656 7 RegistrnionDeadlme: Tn~, July 12
d. Adnnced WedaJtd Re.,crolatio:os an.d Complianc,e Worbbop: Additioll!al Topics. for
Pro.fess· onals Involved in Land Use Issues, Tlmr!day , J une 6, 2022, 8 :30am -3: 1 Opm
1fobile Alea Association ofRealt:ors 282 Airport Boul.e,;ard, Mobile, AL 36606
-POC Status Repo on FE.AB Focus Issues (<5 min)
L~ DISCUSSIO -PASS IFNO IB\VS TO SHARE
Page 12
FEAB M ay 13, 20 22 M inutes
a . Fairhope City Council -Jennifer / Corey
b. Fairhope Mayor'! Office -Amy I Gary
c.. Fairhope Ci1>· Departml!Dt3 -Kim / Christina
d. Baldwin County Eaviromnimta.l Ad,.-isory Committee and EAC rub-c.OIIII!littees
(wetlands and neighborhoods)-Kim
i . Rotational re3p0nsibility? (First Tue--.,day of every month, 4 P:M, Robertsdale
Baldwin County Anne:x..)
e. Community R.esilil:Dcy Ind& -"i cole
£ Dyas Triangle -Bl:D / Michelle
g . Fa.irltope W etlands Protection -1 gel
i . City goal to writl! wetland ordin.nc,e requirement! into subdi,.-isi.on reguhtions.
h.. ~tern Shore Waterwd Management Plan and Hot!-pot identification-Kim I N icole
1. Fairhope Compreheruive LUP-Ben
j . Recy cling -Jennifer
1. Litter G itter update?
11 . Establis h FE.AB ·mbcommittee?
k.. C lem wina Proj ect -Gary, Rick, Jim?
6. N ew Business / OtheJ Interest! (-5 min)
Lll\ollTED DISCUSSIO N -PASS JFNO ffiWS TO SHARE
a. StormwateJ -Jim ,I Rici:/ Kim
b. Bike and Pedestrian Commi~ -Gary / Nigel
c. Energy Conservation lnitiatn,es (clim2te change actio ) -~-
Wrap up (< 5min)
Page 13
a. Topics for J W1e :
t. Jo dy Thompson, Il.1S /AL ~md Ca5ey Gay \Vil.l.i.mll, Pmident Eastern
Shore, Ch.amber of Comm.erc.e for organization of Comm.unity Re;iliency Index -
Nicole
u. FE-AB Missie "i sion/Priorities dis cwsion (l 0 Min)-Gary
Should we move more toward identifying md defining actions or
proj ects e ~ she d pursue?
Should we get into monitoring gr.mt opportunities and the ,-..'Ork of
preparing gram applicatioru?
3. Should we prod ce pre2Iltations for the community on em:ironmemal
responsibilities ?
4 . Should we ~"W..tm ,.utual participation in meetmg!o by m_em.bers and the
p ublic?
b . Potential Topic fur ~ special ~ussiou with E ri c Cortina3 re : wetlmd charette
details md planning? -• 1gel .
c . New action items -review11ist.
d. Adj ourn
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Afo11.tlll,.v Planning C ommw io• Meeflllg Rotati.011.
Date -lint l\,lon ay of e,'1!ry mondt. FE.AB Ass igned ~tative
Public Huring at 5
M.1.y 2,202 2 Rick Sp.right
JUI1e 6,202 2 J emrifeI Foutch
July , 2022 :Mich elle Me lron
Augu..-t 1, 2022 Ga?)•Gover
Septemb er 8 , 2 022 Jim Homer
OdobeI 3, 2022 Ben Fr ater
Novanoo , 202 2 Nico le Love
D.teember 5. 2022 Dam~! V. illiams
January 5, 2 023 Nig el Temple
*Rev ised to re flect actual da.t es . If PC d.ife f..lls on a ho li day , the ma.k:e up da.te is noted instea d of th e l "'
l\funday . Meeting5 start at 5 p.m . I
Living Shoreline Presentation
Lee Yokel , Eco So lu tion s, ga ve a presentation about li v ing shoreline s and h ighli ghted the
Ci ty of Fa i rhope 's 2016 Magnolia Beach Management Plan (partially impleme nted -beach
r en o u rishment -but apparently not officially approv ed ).
https://www.fairhopeal.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/13270/6361265761925300
00
• •
Environmen a v1sory Boa
P age \ 4
May 13, 2022
Tom Hutchings & Lee Yokel
Daphne , Alabama
https ://ecosolutionsinc .net/
FEA B May 13, 20 22 M inutes
Advocating for Sandy Shorelines
1. Shoreline public access points that actually
allow foot traffic to the water
2. Shoreline protection alternatives in master
plans
3. lncentivize private property alternatives
through reduction in fee structure as incentive
to bulkhead and riprap alternatives -via
legislation
Shoreline Authorities
• US Army Corps of Eng ineers
-Navigab le w aters to the mean high t ide line , w etlands
• AL Department of Environmental Management
-Wetlands , submerged aquatic vegetation , endang ered species
• AL Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources , State Lands D iv ision
-State w ater bottoms to the mean high w ater line
• Bald wi n County
-All marine re lated construction above and below me an high ti de
• City
• Publ ic
-Below the mean h igh t ide
• Pr ivate Property
-Above the mean high tid e line , riparian rights
P age j 5
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Riparian Rights
• You have the r ights to use water bottoms of the State of Alabama
• You do not ow n the w ater bottoms of State of A labama
• You can be den ied use of the w ater bottoms of the State of
Alabama
• You cannot encroach on neighboring ri pa ri an rights wi thout the
neighbor's w r itten permiss ion
-Caveat -you can w ith a bulkhead but not any other structure
• R i parian boundaries are not ob v ious and often convo luted
-
P age 16
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Fairhope Shoreline Magnolia Beach 1938
December 1960 November 197 4
Page \ 7
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Renourishment Magnolia Beach
Fairhope Beach Management Plan , September 20 16
12021 I Reno uri sh ment Quotes
Page j 8
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Magnolia Beach & Public Boat Launch
November 2020
Page 19
FE AB M ay 13, 2022 M i nu tes
c.u.,,..rVMf .ft
" ,0
APPROX. NEW _,.
SHORELINE
airhope Beach Management Plan , September 2016
Figure I 9: Plan vie dra" ing hol\ing a po ible configuration of north 111gnoli11 Beach Park
mprovement , including the in taJlation oftwo, new rock br akwater and the placement oh n w
beach nourishment project to more p rmanentl tabilize thi hor line
Page 110
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
[ Dauphin !~land ~~nd a£Fo ~ains )
Page 111
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
P age I 12
Grand Hot el, Pt. Clea r, Alabama
1950-1969
Alabama Department of Archives and History
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Page \ 13
Post Hurricane
Sally 2020
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Sample Living Shoreline Permitting Fee Costs
Sma ll landowner wants to stabi lize their shore line using a livin g shorel ine.
The contractor is app ly ing fo r a USAGE individu al perm it.
The shor eli ne length is 100 feet of beach .
USACE
In dividual Perm it
ADCNR {dredge and fill )
$100
$1.25 per cu b ic yard of material $557
ADEM (dredge and fill)
Greater than 1000 19f!. $4,235
CONSULTANT
Vege tation , mon itori ng, dredging, etc variable
Engineering consultant $5,000+
Project costs variable
•••
BULKHEAD ALTERNAT IVE
Individual Pe rmit 100' stabilization
Proj ect costs
~
2016 Draft Legislation Synopsis
This bi ll w ould further provide for permits for shoreline
restoration , includ ing the use of living shoreline techniques ,
by riparian property ow ners in coasta l areas. The bi ll w ou ld
authorize riparian property ow ners to sever and use
materials in their riparian rights use area and for the
purposes of shoreline restoration without fee or charge by
the Department of Conservat ion and Natural Resou rces or
the Department of Envi ronmenta l Management when the
source sediment is used for the construction of living
shorelines in front of a property owner's riparian property .
Page I 14
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Contact EcoSolutions
EcoSolutions, Inc.
P.O Box 361
Montrose, AL 36559
25 1-621 -5006
Tom Hutchings Tom@ecosolutionsinc.net
Lee Yokel Lee@ecosolutionsinc.net
Lee.Yokel@gmail.com
Copy of draft bill was presented (below). Tom is hopeful City of Fairhope will support and
consider the language of the bill synops is to help promote livin g shoreline projects in
Fa i rhope :
P age I 15
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
1 7908 4 -1 n 08/10/2 016 FC / tj LRS2016-2529
4
7
S OPS S: This b1l would fu ther provide for permi s
9 fo shorel·ne res t oratio , nc J.uding the se of
10 living shoreline t echniques, by riparian p rop-ert y
11 owners in co Sta 1 areas . The b · 1 wou d a uthori ze
12
13
14
15
16
l 7
19
20
21
22
2.,
24
riparian prope rty owners to sever and use terials
~n their ripar·an rights use area and for the
purposes of shoreline rester t ·on wi hout f e or
charg by the De partment o Conse vation and
Natural Resources or he Depa rtm nt o
Environmen t al Management when t he source sed i ment
is used for the canst uc tion of living shore i nes
in front o f a property owne 's riparian p r operty.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN AC
1 Relating to c oastal a es; to further provid for
26 perm i for living shorel i ne restorat i on from the S te Lands
27 Division of the Depa rt nent of Conservation and Natural
2 Resou r es and th Deparc:ment; of Envi ron ental Manage ent and
19 for the se of source sediment by ripari prope ty o\,, e.rn.
Page 1
Page \ 16
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
BE TE: ACT BY TH LEGISLATUR O A AHA :
Sec-io l . a ) For .he purposes of h i s act, the
.3 term "living shore in" means shore line estora t io e c iques
4 for shore line s t a ·1ization including , bu t n ot limi ed o,
5 pant ing of nat i ve vegetat ·o , h ep acement of wav
6 at e ua ion struc u es, he p l acement of f i 1 m en.a , ancl
7 other similar t echn iques d es i gned to al ow na ural coasta
pro s es to con t .'nu to opera te.
9 (b l {l) T e pur p o s e o this act is co encourage t h e
JO us e of ·ving shorelin echniques inc stal areas i n 1 ·eu of
I I vertical s eawal s or bu khe ads.
12 (2) The Legislature finds hat sana and sedime n
mate ial avai l able for d redg i ng w · hin a proper y own er 's
14 rip ar ·an use r a i s the b s comp atib e so rce ma t e r ial and
p ovides t he high s deg ree of success in livi n g shorel i n e
16 r e s t o ra tion d tha the use of t h e mat eri 1 serves a public
17 p\ po e reduce erosion, im prove and r es ore wildlife and
fis l habi t at, and i nc r e ase coastal infrascruc ure res ·liency.
19 (c} T~e State Lands Divisio o the Dep t me t. of
20 Cons e rvation .d a t ural Resources and t he Dep tent of
2 1 En vironm n al Managemen shall is sue pe m·ts to rip r i an
22 p operty owners o dredge without charge or fee or s nd and
:!3 sou .rce seo ·ment in front of tbe r e spectiv owners ' r ·p ar ian
2 p ope y, or i mmedi ely a dJ a cent property wi t h con s e n t o the
5 r ·p arian owne of hat prope y, for sand d so rce edimen
26 ~o b e us e d in fron of he own e rs' ·parian prop rty when t h e
27 sand an d sed · ment wil 1 be u s d for the canst uction of 1 · ving
_8 shorel ·n e in fron f he ripar i an p r op r y.
Fl ge 2
P age\ 17
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
d) This ct sh.a not e co. ued t o affec th
t'Lle t o state owned s merg ed ands .
S ct ion 2. The prov ·sions o tb i 5 act a e
4 supp emen t al and shall n o be construed to r @p 1 a ~• other
provision o law no direct conf lict . er wi th.
6
7 Sec~·on 3. This ace sha become effec t ive on ~l e
8 f i rst day of t: e t hird mo t h fo lo1,,,1i g i ts pass a ge and
9 app rova l byt e Governor, or i ts otherwise bee ming l a w.
Tom said riparian rights are highly contested and not clearly defined, even by the
state/federal agencies that oversee them .
Dauphin Island beach management plan is similar to Fairhope's 2016 proposed plan. In
Tom 's opinion it is not holding up well.
Pocket beaches installed south of the Grand Hotel seem to be functioning properly and
holding up well per Tom .
In closing, Lee asked FEAB to advise City of Fairhope to consider natural alternatives
versus conventional structures such as bulkheads .
Gary would li ke to assign someone from FEAB to work with Eco Solutions for further
discussions on living shorelines in Fairhope. Gary will contact Tom soon to discuss this .
New Member:
Jim made a motion for FEAB to accept Darrel William 's membership to replace the
vacancy of Mike Shelton . Michelle 2nd the motion . Unanimously passed . This will go to
City Council for final acceptance .
Motion#l: FEAB recommends Darrel Williams as a new FEAB member to fill position #9
of 9 members. This is pending council approval.
Change of By-Laws:
1. Gary proposed a membersh ip allowance change from nine (9) members-current by -
law allowance-to eleven (11) members. This would require a quorum of 6 . Currently the
quorum is 5 with a 9 member allowance .
Jim gave a motion of support. Nigel seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously to
recommend by -law change to allow for eleven (11).
Motion#2: Amend by-laws to allow for eleven members .
Page\ 18
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
2. Following Amy's agenda , Jennifer mentioned the request to move the meeting time
from 3 p.m. to 2 :30 p.m . for i nformal pre -meeting discussions .
Ki m said Hunter supports staff take minute s for one hour, but does not suppo rt the
increase to 1.5 hours (except under "special meeting" circumstances). Kim w i ll check with
Lis a to see if this would require a change in by -laws or if this can be done internally; does
t h is trigger the public meeting requ i rements?
*Per Lisa : FEAB can hold a "s pecial meeting" at 2 :30 p.m . but this is considered a "public
meeting" so announcements for meeting will say "2 :30 p.m ." for the June meet i ng . For
future FEAB meetings, t o continue the 2 :30 p.m . meeting time, FEAB will need to :
1. Pass a motion to amend by -laws (time currently listed in by -laws at 3:00 p.m .)
2 . Motion will go to City Council for consideration
No motion was passed at th is time .
Future FEAB Presentations:
Nicole said representatives of MS/ AL Sea Grant w i l l be at the June meeting to give a
pre sentation on Community Resiliency Inde xing .
Nigel advises that all pr esenters be encouraged to present concise points throughout the
presentation .
Storm Sewer Infrastructure Inventory Upgrades:
Jim shared this recent article:
Page I 19
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
J 2..01.... z_
Fa·rhope seeks $1.7 million in
• ..-I '
grailts f or . sewer, drainage work
I • • -· •
'The council also "vted to
apply for a, RESTORE Act
granJ~$650.'(0)tooonduct a
swrmwater ~ in• velltQl:Y. ~· inventory. would
be a digital study of existitlg
stonnwafer ~ms draining
Pagel20
ll,lio Mobile Bay. The program
wou1d al.so • cw~ a repeti•
t)ood loss lllEll!SSmeDt of
property<lamam<\:Ol".de-
st:oyed l;!yfloodsintbe _past. .
and.an~• ct tb;e ~s
stnnnwnter ~t Jan. accordlng to Emt'H~ p . • ...,~
reports.·
The in'Y1!ntoty wooldin-
clud.9 studies of drain~
areas in.the city including
Staolc Gullyin the fruit aru1,
Nut D Rtri~ Big Mot~ 0~
in central Fairb/Jpe, Volant.a
in north Fairhope, Tu!l,Onvill
Gully in south FalrbQPll, Fly
Creek tn lontrose. Rook
Creek in north Monltt$,
Cowl)en ·Creelt in ~Frut-
bope, .l'oint clear Creek in
Point Gloar. WaterhoJe
Branch near the city airport
and Pensacola Worm Branch
in northeast Fair ope.
Council ~nt JimmY
Con)-ers said.th) v;'Ofkis .'
needed to :improYe stormwa-
mr' ma~t in Falrhope.
"This would be subatan-
t:ial." he said. .
The.city woWd NY · $162,500
as its 25% sbtlJ;'e-of the gran
while the grant would provide
'487,500, according to the
council resolution.
The. RESTORE~
uses money from ciVU and aq-
minlstrattve penalties
charged, as a result of th@ roio
Deepwater Horizon oil spill to
PI'OVide fUnds £6.r envtro
mental proJoots in Gulf Coas
states affected by the spill.
FEAB May 13, 2022 Minutes
Meeting adjourned at 4 p.m.
Next meeting is Friday, June 10th, 2022 @ 2 :30 p.m. for "special meeting" presentation
and discussions @ Library Board Room
FEAB CONTACT INFORMATION:
Chairman :
Gary Gover
Members:
Ben Frater
Jim Horner
Amy Paulson
Nigel Temple
Michelle Melton
Jennifer Foutch
Rick Speight
CITY CONTACTS:
govers@bellsouth.net
ben . frater@gma i I .com
none
amy.paulson@yahoo.com
757nigel@gmail.com
michelleleemeltonlee@gmail.com
Foutch .jennifer@gmail.com
rspeight@game7publishing.com
(251) 990-8662
{404) 314-8815
{251) 928-9722
(251) 654-7401
{757) 803-3589
{423) 504-8253
(618) 318-0354
(828) 551-3966
Corey Martin, City Council corey .martin@fairhopeal.gov
Kim Burmeister, Planning and Zoning Department kim.burmeister@fairhopeal.gov
Christina LeJeune , Planning and Zoning Department christina.lejeune@fairhopeal.gov
Page 121