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Home My WebLink About07-11-2025 Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board Meeting Minutes AGENDA ~ MONTHLY MEETING JULY 11, 2025 / 3-4 PM, FAIRHOPE PUBLIC LIBRARY ~ 2ND FLOOR BOARD ROOM ATTENDEES COF Officials: Justin Hammers, Nicole Love, Michelle Melton FEAB Board Members: Amy Paulson, Jim Horner, Gary Gover, Nigel Temple, Jennifer Foutch, Carl Couret, Nigel Temple, Steven Scyphers FEAB Members Absent: Ben Frater Oﬃcial Quorum Count: 8/9 FEAB Active Participants: Sarah Chandler, Sarah Bogdanovich, Lance Salter, Nancy Harrison, Cassidy Redding Honored Guests Cal Cooper & Katie Bolton (Ped and Bike Committee), Don DeGutz Minutes Author: Sarah Chandler Commencement: Amy called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m. SUMMARY OF SALIENT DECISIONS, DISCUSSION, AND ACTIONS ● Bike and Ped to join the FEAB Green Space Working Group to continue to collaborate and generate more momentum for our green spaces/bike trails ● Michelle will join Nicole as the oﬃcial CoF representatives. Christina is moving on. DETAILED MINUTES 1. Housekeeping (~ 2 min) a. Approval of June Minutes – Unanamous b. Membership details - Nicole will reappoint everyone c. Introduction of guests i. Question about moving the West Mobile airport to Fairhope and if this is in our scope. (Amy to inform sidebar discussion after meeting.) 2. Subcommittee Reports (~20 min) a. NEW ISSUE: Bike and Ped Partnership i. Katie wants to collaborate on a few key studies including Land Use, green space, and more bikeable pathways. Every survey has more green/bike spaces at top of resident priorities (from recent surveys), and more passive spaces too. ii. Bike and Ped would like to connect more parcels. Steven’s map is not showing a lot of City-owned parcels that are not connected. CoF would need to acquire more properties. iii. Can we explore connecting the East side of 98 to downtown to help peds and cyclists? It doesn't have to be a bridge. It can be lights on the street, music, etc. Safe Streets for All may have these safety elements in their scope. Could we explore corridor designation to get to the water (like Sweet Trails)? What is needed for an ideal corridor, ideal bike access, etc.? iv. Bike and Ped have a schema for sidewalks that could be used. v. Steven’s students’ research project will characterize all of the social aspects (parking spaces, lights, safety, ﬁshing access) of public sites along coastal Alabama. 1. Katie can provide boat ramp data. vi. Currently, Chris (CoF) and Steven are comparing their GIS schema(s) 1. Park vs. wildlife habitat - park would be more artiﬁcially built spaces 2. We would also identify the types of land use that are under represented vii. Next steps: FEAB Greenspace WG/USA work to be used by COF to identify amenities (passive and active) by park, and then go live with it on the City website. CoF is looking at repeated loss parcels to potentially purchase through future grant funding. viii. Next steps: FEAB Greenspace WG (Steven and Ben) will schedule next meeting to include Katie and Cal b. Greenspace & Native Habitat i. COF is working on improving Low Impact Development requirements right now. Michelle and Nicole are trying to revamp/encourage developers to use new LID techniques besides a bioswell/hole. They are getting some traction. Anna, Amy, and Jim will review and provide more nature-based solutions. ii. Greenspace Management - Justin 1. Needs help assembling wayﬁnding/tree trail signs for Flying Creek 2. CoF may also need help with volunteers on Opening Day (TBD) 3. Next Steps: He will send an email to this group next week to coordinate our volunteer eﬀorts c. Sustainable Waste Management (SWaMP)- Sarah B/Sarah C/Jennifer/Gary i. Haven't met in awhile due to summer weather. ii. Anna T Jeunes site is now set up and functional to do windrow composting. We will have education for the public in the fall. Getting some signage in place. iii. Sarah B gave presentation to 200 teachers at conference in Mobile. iv. SWaMP toured new MRF - will help with the new MRF education to residents v. Future items - CoF is not composting yard waste, it is going to landﬁll. This is low-hanging fruit - minimal eﬀort/change would have maximum impact. Diversion of yard waste would increase capacity / expand landﬁll longevity and decrease landﬁll costs and methane emissions. 3. Wrap up (5 min) a. Involvement & Education Opportunities i. Green Drinks: July 23rd ii. CHaRMed Opening Day - July 17th at 10am (Hard to recycle materials) b. Future Agenda Items i. August: Catherine Barnette, Daphne EAB ii. Future: Greener By the Yard - Johanna; Troy, Extreme Turf iii. Future: Networking - Rhydonna Mosely, FEEF - Pelican’s Nest ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 4 p.m. NEXT MEETING: 3-4, Library 2nd Floor Board Room 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 smbogdanovich@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 Jean Normand DrJNormand@aol.com TBD Cassie Redding credding@southalabamalandtrust.org TBD Nancy Harrison twicethroughdunloe@gmail.com (251) 923-9453 CITY CONTACTS: Corey Martin, COF City Council corey.martin@fairhopeal.gov Nicole Love, COF Grants Coordinator nicole.love@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 FEAB NOTES and 2024 FEAB LUP 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