HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-08-2019 Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board Meeting MinutesFE AB No v ember 2019
FEAB MEETING MINUTES
November 8, 2019
3:00 p.m.
Fairhope Public Library Board Room, Fairhope, AL
Member Attendees: Gary Gover, Mike Shelton, Ben Frater, Jim Horner, Jeanine
Normand, Amy Paulson
City Council: None
City of Fairhope: Kim Burmeister, Planning and Zoning Department
Honored Guests: Lee Faulk; James Watkins
Minutes taken by : Kim Burmeister
FEAB MINUTES:
September minutes were approved as presented . There were no October minutes to
review and approve, as there was no quorum in October.
DISCUSSION OF ITEMS:
Member resignation:
FEAB now has 9 members since Rick Frederick has resigned his membership . It takes 5
members now instead of 6 to make quorum.
Climate Change:
Gary asked Mike to discuss his study on climate change, and what the City can do to
address and be prepared for climate change . See Mike's attachments on climate change
action plans and climate change studies from other areas similar to Fairhope .
Mike suggested the City do these things :
1. Pass resolution recognizing climate change as a threat to our area in the future.
FEAB could draft the resolution .
2. Calculate carbon footprint of municipal activities. FEAB could help direct city to
agencies that might be able to perform audits for Fairhope if not done internally.
Non-profit agencies like WRATT might be able to assist .
3. Send out information (Facebook?) on how residents can calculate their own
carbon footprint .
Mike referred to action plans from the Nature Conservancy and from Carrboro, NC as
good ones to consider .
FEAB November 2019
Jim suggested Mike attend a council work session in the future to open discussions on
this topic. Fifteen-minute presentation is recommended.
Ben said Mike should be prepared to give council examples of what other cities have
done and present some reasonable action plans .
Mike said the carbon footprint audit would be similar to the city energy audit in the past
of municipal facilities .
Gary said WRATT-Waste Reduction and Technology Transfer Foundation -
(www.wratt.net} may offer a free audit. He said the City of Fairhope should set the
example by passing a resolution and performing an internal carbon footprint audit
before asking residents to perform a se lf-audit.
Gary suggested the work session presentation from FEAB (Mike} should be a well
worded one-page presentation . Amy will work with Mike on wording for the one-page
presentation to the City council work session on climate change and carbon footprint
auditing.
Gary said the pedestrian and cyclist movement fits into the carbon footprint reduction
effort very we l l. FEAB might consider joining efforts with the Bike & Ped committee to
assist with this effort .
Ben suggested that climate change and carbon footprint reduction efforts should be
included in any comp plan revisions . Jim said the he thinks the comp plan revisions will
be out for RFPs in 2020 so now is a good time to suggest changes .
Gulley Protection
Amy mentioned Dean Masher's discussion on Tatumville Gully and future
developments. Will FEAB be acting on this?
Gary said FEAB doesn't have enough information to take any action at this point. There
are no subdivisions currently submitted for development approval at this time at the
area of concern in Tatumville .
Mike said Volanta Gulley off Ingleside is continuing to degrade. Gully protection is
needed throughout Fairhope in all of the gullies.
Kim mentioned the city has considered a gulley protection ordinance in the past but one
was never drafted.
Parks and Trails
Gary mentioned the city recent Public Meeting on parks and trails and connecting
Fairhope's points of interest. It would be good if the gullies were included in this and
FEAB Nov ember 2019
were considered for trails and parks. City is identifying areas that should be connected
such as historical and cultural areas and natural resources.
Kim mentioned some of the lesser known city park areas, such as the strip that runs
between North Mobile Street and the bay, undeveloped. This and similar park areas
could be key areas for natural trails.
Subdivision Regulation Updates
Jim is in contact with Hunter Simmons, Planning and Zoning Manager, regarding
rewording some of the lot coverage language in the Sub Regs. A revision is underway
and will be a start to higher restrictions on lot coverage allowances.
Water Quality Sampling
Mike mentioned the Alabama Water Watch (AWW) website . It has three areas listed for
Fairhope in the city limits . These are all in the Cowpen Creek area, and do not appear to
be active monitoring sites (no activity since April 2019). Historical information is
available here .
Mike mentioned target areas for city monitoring should be city assessible sites along Fly
Creek and Rock Creek .
Meeting adjourned at 4 : 15 p .m .
Next m ee ting i s Dece mber 13, 2019 : Fairhop e Library Board Room
FEAB CONTACT INFORMATION:
Chairman : Gary Gover govers@bellsouth .ne t (251) 990-8662
Members:
Shawn Graham ShawnDG12@aol.com (251) 928 -5120
Jeanine Normand drjnormand@aol.co m (251) 928-2284
Tony Pritchett a12ritchettassoc@gma i l .c om (251) 990-5185
Nicole Love nicolemrobinson@hotmail .com (407) 312 -1362
Ben Frater ben .frater@gmail.com (404) 314 -8815
Mike Shelton yau12on3@gmail.com (251) 990-2995
Ji m Horner none (251) 928 -9722
Amy Paulson amy.12aulson@yahoo.com
CITY CONTACTS:
Jimmy Conyers, City Council ji mmy.conyers@fairho12eal.gov
Ki m Burmeister, Planning and Zoning Department kim.burmeist er@fairhopeal.gov