HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-09-2023 Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board MinutesFEAB November 9, 2023
FEAB MEETING MINUTES
November 9th, 2023
Fairhope Public Library, Board Room
Member Attendees: Gary Gover, Jim Horner, Ben Frater, Carole Tebay, Amy Paulson, Steven Scyphers
Members not in attendance:
Nigel Temple, Anna Miller, Jennifer Foutch; excused absences.
City of Fairhope: Daryl Morefield, Water/Sewer Superintendent; Kim Burmeister, Christina LeJeune -
Planning and Zoning Department
City Council: None
Honored Guests: Cynthia Rush (local writer)
Minutes taken by: Kim Burmeister
Amy called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
FEAB Minutes:
October minutes were approved with no changes. Jim (first); Gary (2nd) Unanimous approval.
December FEAB meeting:
City offices will be closing early on December 8th, so FEAB meeting will be 9:30 a.m. on Friday December
8th, instead of 3 p.m.
Summary of meeting:
1. Motion approved for Letter of Support from FEAB for Triangle Property FY24 LWCF.
2. FEAB will consider officer positions to help organize meetings.
3. George Ladd is the new Public Works Director.
4. ADEM performs real time air quality monitoring in Fairhope for ozone and particulates.
5. City is hosting the 2023 BMP workshop for city staff on November 15th, for erosion and sediment
control education for construction and right of way city workers.
6. Butterfly Garden grant was approved by council, for submission.
7. Osprey Initiative grant for 2024 will include litter trap installation of 12 litter traps in Stack Gully,
Big Mouth Gully and Cowpen Creek Watershed.
8. FEAB is researching corporate and other cities incentives for plastic bag reduction.
9. Eagle Reefs will soon be installed at Fairhope piers and one display at the Welcome Center,
pending Council approval. Educational signage will be included.
10. FEAB is concerned about potential new shoreline structures near the American Legion at the
southern extent of Magnolia Beach.
11. FEAB suggests Fairhope conduct a shoreline inventory to include piers and bulkhead type
structures.
12. FEAB will be considering the recommended actions written in the approved ESWMP, including
prioritizing suggestions on how Fairhope should implement these, where applicable.
FEAB November 9, 2023
Agenda from Amy:
FEAB November 9, 2023
FEAB November 9, 2023
FEAB Officers:
Amy suggested FEAB member consider officer positions for 2024 to help with meeting and information
coordination. Suggested officer positions are 1. Secretary, 2. Communications and 2. Data Base Mgmt.
TBD in December.
Triangle property grant opportunity, Letter of Support
Amy provided a copy of the letter of support with revisions from Ben:
Jim made a motion to approve the letter of support, with revisions. Ben 2nd. Motion approved.
FEAB November 9, 2023
City of Fairhope news:
Kim:
1. Richard Johnson is taking a new management position with the City of Fairhope and George
Ladd will be the new Public Works Director.
2. City now has three right of way inspectors for erosion and sediment control enforcement (2 with
public works and one with Water and Sewer).
3. Planning, Building and Public Works Dept. host a city employee BMP (Best Management
Practice) workshop annually as part of the MS4 stormwater program for internal training. Utility,
right of way, construction and parks management staff are targeted to attend. Industry
information and regulation review (state, federal and local) are offered to crews who conduct
land disturbance activity. This is for city staff only; local contractors are not included. We want
our crews to set the example for contractors, and to do as we are asking other contractors to do
in regard to stabilization and erosion and sediment control practices. The 2023 workshop will be
held on Wednesday November 15th at the Nix Center at 730 a.m. FEAB is encouraged to add
content of meeting presentation to Christina based on what we are seeing around town from
city construction and maintenance activity. Any good or bad insight is appreciated.
4. ADEM conducts real time ambient air quality monitoring in Fairhope via a gauge installed near
Founders Park. Information on this program can be found at: 2007 Annual Ambient Air
Quality Monitoring Plan (alabama.gov).
Native Habitat:
Carole: the grant submittal for the Butterfly Garden was accepted by Council recently. Nicole will have
to offer information on the next step.
Outdoor Classrooms:
Carole added an AL Outdoors Classroom checklist to the FEAB google drive.
https://www.alabamawildlife.org/oc-planning-guide/
Amy asked Carole to check with J. Larry Newton to see what their plans are for an outdoor classroom.
Plastic Bags:
Jim gave a report on his findings of local and corporate initiatives. He suggests an incentive program:
Plastic bags and Styrofoam do not appear to be recyclable.
CA and NY have implemented complete bans on plastic bags, or there is a program in place to
charge for plastic bags (5 cents per bag for example).
Voluntary is another option: Create a BYOB (bring your own bag) program.
Publix sells reusable grocery bags for 99 cents. Many grocery stores offer paper as an alternative
to plastic bags.
ABC store uses paper bags exclusively, as do some pharmacies (CVS).
Paper is easier and more effective to recycle than plastic (containers).
County is building a MURF which may help with plastics reduction program.
Discussions with Dale Linder, Public Works, indicate the city is considering hiring a marketing
firm to educate citizens on recycling, once MURF is built. This could also be used to create the
plastics reduction (incentive?) program.
Jim will contact Walmart to find out what they are doing; a new manager is coming.
Cathy will call Washington Walmart for information on their program. She said they have a good plastics
reduction program in place.
FEAB November 9, 2023
Steven provided information on Medford, MA’s plastic reduction program:
https://medfordenergy.org/gogreen/medford-plastic-bag-ordinance/
https://medfordenergy.org/gogreen/go-green-business/
Kim said city could improve internally to reduce plastics (eliminate styrofoam coffee cups, for example).
Amy suggested a pilot program between a corporate store and Fairhope, CVS for example. Her idea is
for Fairhope to supply the bags and work with the company to eliminate or reduce plastic bag use.
Kim suggested giving incentives to citizens who bring their own bags to shop. Pictures on Facebook, etc.
Kudos for good behavior.
Council updates:
Ben: City is looking to purchase 114 acres north of the airport property.
Carole: Sidewalks are planned for Parker Road. There is a mixed-use building coming to Magnolia
Avenue, downtown. Osprey Initiative litter boom project has been extended through the end of the year
to complete the contract.
Osprey Initiative:
Kim: City has been awarded a GOMESA grant for $160K specific to litter trap installation and monitoring.
There are twelve litter traps proposed, which will be installed in 2024. Watersheds impacted include the
Big Mouth Gully, Stack Gully and Cowpen Creek watershed. These locations were reviewed and
suggested by Planning Dept. and Public Works Dept. staff. Contractors installing the litter traps in storm
drains will be responsible for maintenance and litter removal/recycling for 3 years. The city will own the
litter traps. The contractor will also provide reports on litter profiling, like the Winn Dixie litter boom
project. FEAB is encouraged to provide input on litter trap locations. These are projected locations,
including downtown areas which will catch Mardi Gras litter:
Figure 1 Excerpt from grant proposal for litter traps, 2023
FEAB November 9, 2023
Educational signs:
Steven: Eagle Reefs will be on the next council agenda and will likely go in the water the same week.
There will be one Eagle Reef at the Welcome Center on display, with signage. Tentative locations in the
water will be at City pier areas, including Municipal Pier, North Beach Piers, Orange Street Pier, White
Avenue pier and Fairhope Docks (Fly Creek). Signage for in-the-water locations have not yet been
approved. There is a media event planned for the welcome center display, but specifics are not known
at this time. Nicole Love can be contacted directly with questions on the Eagle Reef project and events.
American Legion Bulkheads:
Steven is concerned about bulkhead structures which were recently installed or were under
construction on the American Legion property. *Note: Kim checked with Building Official after the
meeting: City issued a Stop Work Order on the project and referred the American Legion to the USACE
and State Lands. Erik / building official said the structures were removed and no longer appear to be
under construction*
Triangle Property:
Ben said part of the Triangle property had a controlled burn recently. He hopes more of it is burned to
help with management.
Park Management Plans:
Ben is interested in the Knoll Park Management Plan recently shared by staff. It includes a management
and a landscape plan, including native initiatives. The resolutions for the plan specifically mention FEAB
as having guidance over the management of Knoll Park.
Shoreline Inventory:
Steven: The ESWMP plan has a shoreline inventory listed as a recommended action plan. Has Fairhope
done this or are they planning to do this? How will this be tracked? He hopes it will include structures
including illegal structures. Kim will check.
ESWMP:
Amy suggests FEAB consider and prioritize for Fairhope the recommended actions listed in the recently
approved Eastern Shore Watershed Management Plan.
The meeting was adjourned at 4 p.m.
Next meeting: Friday, December 8th, 9:30 a.m. @ Fairhope Public Library
FEAB November 9, 2023
FEAB CONTACT INFORMATION:
Chairperson:
Amy Paulson amy.paulson@yahoo.com (251) 654-7401
Members:
Ben Frater ben.frater@gmail.com (404) 314-8815
Jim Horner none (251) 928-9722
Nigel Temple 757nigel@gmail.com (757) 803-3589
Jennifer Foutch Foutch.jennifer@gmail.com (618) 318-0354
Steven Scyphers sscyphers@southalabama.edu (334)-701-8864
Anna Keene Miller anna@keenliving.pro (251) 279-0395
Carole Tebay cftebay@gmail.com
Gary Gover govers@bellsouth.net (251) 990-8662
CITY CONTACTS:
Corey Martin, City Council corey.martin@fairhopeal.gov
Nicole Love, Grant Coordinator nicole.love@fairhopeal.gov
Kim Burmeister, Planning and Zoning Department kim.burmeister@fairhopeal.gov
Christina LeJeune, Planning and Zoning Department christina.lejeune@fairhopeal.gov