HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-19-2024 Environmental Advisory Board Meeting MinutesMEETING MINUTES ~ANNUAL CITY STRATEGY SESSION
APRIL 19,2024 /3 -4 PM,LIBRARY ~GIDDENS CONFERENCE CENTER
ATTENDEES
City Officials:Cristina LeJeune,Justin Hammers,Nicole Love
FEAB Board Members:Amy Paulson,Ben Frater,Gary Gover,Jennifer Fouch,Jim Horner,Anna Miller,Carl
Couret,Steven Scyphers
FEAB Active Participants:Sarah Bogdanovich,Sarah Chandler
Honored
Minutes Author:Steven Scyphers
Commencement:Amy called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
FEAB Minutes:December minutes approved with changes.Gary,Carl.
SUMMARY OF SALIENT DECISIONS,DISCUSSION,AND ACTIONS
●FEAB has established a Sustainable Waste Management Practices Subcommittee.The committee will
include Sarah Bogdanovich (Chair),Sarah Chandler,Gary Gover,and Jennifer Fouch.They will focus on
recycling and composting in the near term,but have broad scope to address additional issues and
opportunities as they arise.
●The City is moving forward with a series of water conservation activities,including rain barrel workshop
and education messaging.FEAB remains available to advise as requested.
●FEAB POC (Gary)will review Planning Commission Meetings and alert FEAB if attendance is relevant.
DETAILED MINUTES
a.March Follow-up
i.Anna to connect and attend quarterly energy code meetings
ii.Sarah B has already launched the composting initiative and is working to connect with FEEF and
Hope Community.HOA’s are a challenge as some prohibit composting.Gary noted that the City
has a recycling committee that is not fully populated with members,and that there may be
additional opportunities to work with the Community Garden committee and Earth Day 501c3.
1.Action:Established a Recycling,Water Management,and Food Use Subcommittee.Sarah
B to chair with Sarah C,Gary,and Jennifer to join.
2.Action:Identify the most appropriate committee or contact at the City.
iii.FEAB has not received policies from Hunter to review.Amy and Gary have been working with the
County and Daphne to review potential county-wide policies (wetlands).
iv.Water conservation.Nicole emailed Steven and Nigel to request advice.
1.The city is working on a rain barrel workshop with NEP.It has not been advertised but is
tentatively scheduled for June.NEP is prepping the barrels so that the workshop goes
smoothly.
2.Action:Resolved,but FEAB remains available to consult as needed.
v.Planning Commission Meetings.The City suggested that FEAB review Planning Committee
Meeting agendas for topics with potential environmental relevance.
1.Action:Gary agreed to review the agendas.
vi.Coordination with Public Works
1.The Winn Dixie pond was mowed as part of regular maintenance to prevent resident
complaints around aesthetics and pests.
2.FEAB believes that an alternative maintenance or landscaping approach to some of
these stormwater or other natural areas maintained by PW could be beneficial to PW
with reduced labor intensity and cost to maintain.Understood that this would represent
a change that would require mindful planning,City coordination,and public messaging.
3.FEAB will support Justin Hammers upon request if the City is interested in engaging in
native habitat establishment,educational messaging,or other greenspace initiatives at
this location or at other spaces currently traditionally landscaped and maintained by
Public Works.
4.Action:FEAB remains available to consult with COF/Public Works and Justin Hammers to
promote environmental sustainability.
3.Other Items
1.City Website.Still working on adding FEAB materials to city material.
a.ACTION:Amy to make initial effort to review website.
2.Greener By the Yard -Residential Households /Landscapes.
a.ACTION:Recycling /Composting Subcommittee to look at revising Greener by the Yard.The
document was produced by Weeks Bay NERRS.
3.Green Space Planning.FEAB discussed the possibility of developing an annual list of green space priorities
to present to the Mayor.Focusing on green spaces and recreation could create more synergies with other
boards.Park and Rec boards only consider activities that include a referee,so hiking would be an activity
that falls between the two.City would prefer to have one comprehensive list of actions /
recommendations.
a.ACTION:As Plans are available,FEAB to review Land Use Plan,Watershed Management Plan,
Parks Brochure,and other Plans to capture and consider existing locations as recommended by
professional consultant teams.
The meeting was adjourned at 4 p.m.
Next meeting:Friday,May 10 @ 3 p.m.@ Fairhope Public Library
FEAB CONTACT INFORMATION:
Chairperson:
Amy Paulson amy.paulson@yahoo.com (251)654-7401
Board Members:
Carl Couret ccouretjr@yahoo.com TBD
Jennifer Foutch Foutch.jennifer@gmail.com (618)318-0354
Ben Frater ben.frater@gmail.com (404)314-8815
Gary Gover govers@bellsouth.net (251)990-8662
Jim Horner none (251)928-9722
Anna Miller anna@keenliving.pro (251)279-0395
Steven Scyphers sscyphers@southalabama.edu (334)701-8864
Nigel Temple 757nigel@gmail.com (757)803-3589
Active Participants
Sarah Bogdanovitch smbogdanovitch@gmail.com (727)421-7321
Sarah Chandler sarahchandler504@gmail.com (504)239-6651
Cynthia Rush crush300@gmail.com (251)223-3880
Carole Tebay cftebay@gmail.com (850)466-6592
CITY CONTACTS:
Corey Martin,City Council corey.martin@fairhopeal.gov
Nicole Love,COF Grants Coordinator nicole.love@fairhopeal.gov
Christina LeJeune,Planning and Zoning Department christina.lejeune@fairhopeal.gov
Justin Hammers,COF Forrester justin.hammers@fairhopeal.gov