HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-14-2022 Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board Meeting MinutesFEAB MEETING MINUTES
January 14, 2022
3 p.m. @ Library Board Room
Member Attendees: Gary Gover, Jim Horner, Amy Paulson, Ben Frater, Rick Speight, Mike Shelton, Michelle Melton
Members not in attendance:
Nigel Temple, Jennifer Foutch (excused absences unless Gary says otherwise)
City of Fairhope: Kim Burmeister, Christina LeJeune-Planning and Zoning Department
City Council: None
Honored Guests: Annette Sanders, 401 North Mobile Street; Lisa Gilbert, 7 Druid Hill; James Watkins, Fairhope Times; Connie Whitaker and Darrel Williams, SALT
Minutes taken by Kim Burmeister
Gary called the meeting to order at 3 p.m.
Summary of meeting:
Motion approved: Gary Gover to continue as chairman for another term.
SALT shared maps of protected properties in the Fairhope area
Litter Gitter Rep Don Bates will attend February FEAB meeting
Amy is drafting FEAB comments for comp plan changes.
FEAB 2021 Organization and Priorities document needs to be updated for 2022
Special FEAB Meeting with Mayor and staff is suggested for March 2022
North Mobile Street area residents still upset about residential project that removed City forested area and impacted wetlands; city parks sign is suggested to protect other undeveloped
city properties
City, County and Daphne should communicate better, especially with comp plan goals being similar
FEAB Minutes/Updates to Board:
Amy made a motion to approve FEAB December minutes, approved unanimously.
SALT properties: Connie handed out maps of SALT and priority properties in the Fairhope area.
She is working with Amy and the Eastern Shore Watershed Management Group to catalog priority parcels for protection. SALT appreciates any leads on properties:
Figure 1 SALT map 1
Figure 2 SALT map 2
Figure 3 SALT map 3
Agenda: Amy presented an agenda for today’s meeting:
Figure 4 Agenda Pg. 1
Figure 5 Agenda pg. 2
Figure 6 Agenda pg. 3
PROTECTING CITY PARKS AND PRISTINE AREAS:
Resident Annette Sanders suggested FEAB support park sign placement with a motion by the board. SALT sent an example of sign they used to protect SALT properties, as an example. Kim
has sent this to the Mayor and Mayor seems to support further pursuit of sign suggestions along undeveloped areas of City proeprties including park properties.
Figure 7 SALT sign
Annette recently spoke with Erik Cortinas, Building Official, regarding enforcement actions of 459 North Mobile Street, where the city right of way has been removed by a private property
owner. City lawyers are involved and a path for enforcement is underway. In the meantime, the City has placed another Stop Work Order on the project as site assessments are being done.
Annette said there is damage to the beach shoreline area. Resident Lisa Gilbert also voiced her concern with this project and is under the impression the City waited 14 months to issue
a Stop Work Order. Kim directed Ms. Gilbert to Erik Cortinas for accurate information on this project, which has been under way for a while on the upper and bottom portions of the project.
Ms. Gilbert did not think park signage would prevent this action. Amy said park sign placement could help with outreach and education.
Comp Plan Comments: Amy has included most comments from FEAB in the agenda. She encouraged everyone to provide comments to her this week, if you haven’t already. Jim’s comments were
previously sent to members via email but are not included in Amy’s agenda. Jim’s comments are:
Figure 8 Jim's comments page 1
Figure 9 Jim's comments page 2
Ben suggested members also put comments into the comment portal on-line. Public comment period ends in March:
Comprehensive Plan | City of Fairhope (planfairhope.com)
Amy said FEAB will likely be on a steering committee to validate or give opinions on public comments for the comp plan.
Mike said there is a challenge reaching younger audiences; participation in meetings and on-line so far has been low, only about 450 responses have been received.
Jim mentioned the need to have County, Daphne and Fairhope join efforts and communicate with comp plan changes.
Ben said City is seeking volunteers to help gather public comments, possibly at public places.
Litter Gitter:
Amy said Don Bates with Osprey Initiative has committed to attending the February FEAB meeting. He can answer questions and offer insight on this program. Amy would like to know how
he selects or evaluates sites, for example, and what the equipment options are.
FEAB Membership:
Motion: Gary made a motion to continue as chairman for another term. Mike seconded the motion. Motion passed unanimously.
Amy asked if everyone is still okay with time and date. No changes were made at this time. FEAB can hold “Special Meetings” if they wish to gather more staff, such as department heads.
Two special meetings were held in 2021.
Amy asked Kim to coordinate a Special Meeting in March. Amy will prepare an agenda for the meeting. Attendance will be requested for Mayor, Pat White (Rec & Parks supt.), Corey Martin,
Hunter Simmons, Erik Cortinas and Richard Johnson. Nix Center is still a good location. Kim will work on arranging this.
Amy shared the FEAB “Organization and Priorities” document, which needs to be updated for 2022. She asked everyone to review and provide updates if needed:
Figure 10 2021 Organization and Priorities
Figure 11 2021 Organization and Priorities
Figure 12 2021 Organization and Priorities
Figure 13 2021 Organization and Priorities
Figure 14 2021 Organization and Priorities
Wetlands: Amy would still like FEAB to pursue strengthening enforcement of wetland ordinance. Kim said Hunter has a goal to include some of the wetland authority enforcement (lost through
SB 107) to sub regs which will include an area greater than city limits. SB 107 reduced wetland ordinance area to city limits only, and most wetland protection in the County is only
in zoned areas. Nigel and Mike both said wetland protection should be a high priority for comp plan and sub reg language revisions.
CRI:
Mike said there is no new information on the community resilience index goals for Fairhope. Comp Plan revisions are top priority right now. Jim mentioned the proposed stormwater inventory
as being a first resiliency item to be addressed.
Climate Action Plan Amy suggested tabling this for now.
Alabama Communities of Excellence: Fairhope may no longer be eligible because of population. He has not verified this with the Mayor yet. He will check on the status and follow up.
Recycling: Nothing new to report.
Meeting adjourned at 4 p.m.
Next meeting is Friday, February 11, 2022 @ 3 p.m. @ Library Board Room
FEAB CONTACT INFORMATION:
Chairman:
Gary Gover govers@bellsouth.net (251) 990-8662
Members: Ben Frater ben.frater@gmail.com (404) 314-8815
Mike Shelton yaupon3@gmail.com (251) 270-9042
Jim Horner none (251) 928-9722
Amy Paulson amy.paulson@yahoo.com (251) 654-7401
Nigel Temple 757nigel@gmail.com (757) 803-3589
Michelle Melton michelleleemeltonlee@gmail.com (423) 504-8253
Jennifer Foutch Foutch.jennifer@gmail.com (618) 318-0354
Rick Speight rsp8@utaustin85.com (828) 551-3966
CITY CONTACTS: 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
FEAB January 14, 2022 Minutes
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FEAB January 14, 2022 Minutes