HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-21-2025 Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes
AGENDA ~ MONTHLY MEETING
MARCH 21, 2025 / 2-3 PM, FAIRHOPE PUBLIC LIBRARY ~ GIDDON CONFERENCE ROOM
ATTENDEES
COF Officials: Christina LeJeune, Nicole Love, Justin Hammers
FEAB Board Members: Amy Paulson, Ben Frater, Jim Horner, Gary Gover, Nigel Temple, Steven Scyphers, Anna
Miller
FEAB Members Absent: Carl Couret, Jennifer Foutch
Official Quorum Count: 7/9
FEAB Active Participants: Jaime Crawford
Honored Guests Cassidy Redding - SALT, Nancy Harrison
Minutes Author: Nigel Temple
Commencement: Amy called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
SUMMARY OF SALIENT DECISIONS, DISCUSSION, AND ACTIONS
● Great! TOTALLY BEST MEETING EVER!
DETAILED MINUTES
1. Housekeeping
a. Approved Feb Meeting Minutes
b. Meeting with the Mayor
i. May 9th meeting - 2pm (2-hr)
ii. Gary to schedule with library for Gibbons room
iii. Agenda item request: input from Mayor, City Departments, Council on their emergent
priorities
2. Priority Issues & Subcommittee Reports
a. Greenspace & Native Habitat
i. SALT Fish River Nature Preserve Tour - Feb 28
1. Potential to coordinate Greenspace initiative with SALT
a. Low potential to make portions of their managed properties open to
public recreation as crowds/mixed use is incompatible with SALT
mission of wildlife/habitat conservation.
b. High potential for knowledge share / compatible parcel identification as
our groups mutually pursue greenspace in our area.
2. SALT needs volunteers for various efforts - FEAB is knowledgeable source for
support.
ii. Colony Park
1. Tree Walk (Nicole) - tabled until next year
2. Recommended that Justin reach out proactively to HS/MS cross country teams
to support or inform 2025-2026 event season.
iii. Flying Creek Nature Preserve -
1. COF requests help identifying trees
a. Potential partnership with USA or Auburn Extension to develop
webpage and/or signage (trees, wildlife, etc.).
b. SALT recommended that tree name plates should be stuck in ground
and not on tree (i.e., need to be mobile as ecosystem evolves/veg dies
year over year).
c. Use of QR codes is strongly discouraged due to maintenance burden.
d. Recommended placing handout at trailhead with QR code links to Plant
ID apps.
2. Nigel to coordinate next drone flight with Justin.
b. Water Quality
i. Real-time data viewing network for water quality parameters has life! Project includes a
location in Fairhope.
3. Guest Items
a. Hope Community has engaged Nancy Harrison to assist planning for pollinator garden at
Section/Twin Beech School.
i. Amy recommended Nancy talk through plant list with Carole Tebay
ii. Amy and Ben to tour site with Nancy on 3/27 to advise on gully maintenance/wetland
status and provide site prep, sequencing, and project planning recommendations.
4. Wrap Up
a. Involvement & Education Opportunities
b. Future Agenda Items
i. April: Daphne EAB Chairperson - Kathy Barnett
ii. May: annual FEAB meeting with CoF Mayor, Council, and Departments
iii. Future: Rhydonna Mosely, FEEF - Pelican’s Nest
iv. Futurel: Greener By the Yard, Guest(s): Johanna X, SALT; Troy X, Extreme Turf
ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 3 p.m.
NEXT MEETING: standard
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
Lance Slater lanceslater@gmail.com
Sarah Bogdanovich smbogdanovitch@gmail.com (727) 421-7321
Sarah Chandler sarahchandler504@gmail.com (504) 239-6651
Jamie Crawford 7jamiecrawford7@gmail.com TBD
Cynthia Rush crush300@gmail.com (251) 223-3880
Carole Tebay cftebay@gmail.com (850) 466-6592
CITY CONTACTS:
Corey Martin, COF City Council corey.martin@fairhopeal.gov
Nicole Love, COF Grants Coordinator nicole.love@fairhopeal.gov
Christina LeJeune,COF Planning and Zoning Department christina.lejeune@fairhopeal.gov
Justin Hammers, COF Urban Forrester justin.hammers@fairhopeal.gov
MEETING REFERENCES
FEAB Vision: to serve as a trusted, scientific resource providing a local environmental perspective to policy decisions to ensure
environmental matters are given full consideration in the City’s decision-making processes. We strive to positively affect the
quality of life for all residents, their connection to our local ecosystems, and the resilience and sustainment of Fairhope as a
small, yet world-class, city.
FEAB Role: the FEAB is dedicated to increasing awareness of environmental issues, offering recommendations to City
administrators, and providing state-of-the-science consultation in the implementation of sustainable solutions.
MEETING READ-AHEADS
Land Use Plan - Environmental Issues
See NOTES and SUPPORT LETTER TO CITY
The following list identifies specific sections of the LUP that are relevant to the FEAB’s mission, speak to
member professional expertise, or have been identified as Board priorities. We offer our utility to the
City as you identify opportunities and track progress across the LUP and particularly for the following
Tasks:
Ongoing
❖ Task C-2: Preserve natural areas and wetlands for recreational use
❖ Task C-3: Enforce green space requirements within new developments
❖ Task C-6: Encourage pest control and landscaping companies to implement best practices when
applying pesticide and fertilizer
❖ Task C-7: Promote living shorelines
❖ Task C-8: Preserve and maintain gullies for recreational areas
❖ Task C-11: Implement Low Impact Development through the use of green infrastructure
❖ Task C-12: Construct Low Impact Development pilot projects in public right-of way and green
space
❖ Task G-1: Design more parks for passive recreation
Year 1:
❖ Task C-9: Develop and/or update City codes to protect the environment
❖ Task C-10: Identify development incentives for environmentally friendly project components
Year 2-3
❖ Task C-4: Develop and implement green space maintenance plans for areas that are not covered
by existing maintenance agreements
❖ Task E-20: Develop a citywide Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Greenways Masterplan
Year 3-5
❖ Task G-2: Develop new parks in the eastern and southern portions of Fairhope