Fairhope, Alabama
FIRST GROWTH PLAN MEETING
A large crowd attended a town hall meeting this evening at the Homestead Village to discuss the city's future with interested citizens: the first in a series of three such meetings to be held this week.
Christopher Baker of the lead-firm Thompson Engineering, Greg Leroy, WAV aarchitects and other consultants recently hired by the city are conducting the meetings.
Tomorrow's meeting (Tuesday) will be 5;30 PM at the Elementary School on S. Section St.; the final one Thursday, at the Intermediate School.
All meetings will have the same agenda; but citizens may attend as many as desired.
HISTORY OF LAND PLANNING
Baker began by defining comprehensive planning in general and the importance of citizen involvement in the process; and highlighted the incorporation of some of the philosophies of the city's founders into the current plan.
He noted the many changes since then (city's founding ca.1900) however -- particularly the recent arrival of multi-national corporations to compete with the traditional, small locally-owned businesses.
Baker credited a group of citizens worried about unbridled commercial development along Hwy 98 for initiating organized urban planning in the Eastern Shore area -- when they banded together in 1987 to form the Corridor 98 non-profit organization.
Maintaining quality of life, the good appearances of businesses, planting trees, landscaping, and preventing obnoxious signage were their priorities, according to Baker.
Among the group's final recommendations were: the development of a long range plan; adoption of land use planning; and a sign ordinance.
The city's current plan was adopted in 2001 and updated in 2006: about 70% of its recommendations have been implement by city government over the years.
Developing as a series of smaller villages instead of usual strip mall-type; neighborhoods like the Fruit n' Nut district; preventing another Airport Blvd. on Greeno Rd.; and strong local entrepreneurship were among its primary tenants.
BRAINSTORMING SESSION
Mr. Leroy then took over and asked the crowd for their visions for the city's future in six critical areas:
1. Fairhope's character?
Replies included: a walkable community; bike trails; family friendly; green infrastructure; improved traffic flow; better Internet service; more parking downtown; ,limit house size in Fruit n' Nut ; more green space, et al.
2. Transportation?
Replies were: more bicycle lanes; more sidewalks; more turning lanes for cars; more roundabouts; no roundabouts; more main connecting roads; better timing for traffic signals on Hwy 98; ban downtown parking; et al.
3. Infrastructure?
Better long range watershed management; more retention ponds; bury utility lines; prevent sewage spills; better Internet service; address inadequate drainage issues retroactively; et al.
4. How to make neighborhood villages work? (This refers to the establishment of 6 retail centers at main intersections, surrounded by neighborhoods within walking distance.)
Replies were: proper zoning to bring about; no more big box stores; concentrate on small local businesses vs. "franchises"; annexation of un-zoned property; housing diversity (cost); et al.
5. Growth management? How? Where? What type?
Replies included: diversity in housing types and cost; sources of new (city) revenue will be needed; neighborhood associations don't operate well; need better high speed Internet; et al.
6. City Services and Delivery?
Replies: Better street lighting; expand trash pick-up; increase recycling; those outside of city should pay for police, fire (currently do not); adopt incentives for recycling; more green energy; only once weekly garbage pick-up; et al.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Finally, everyone present was given five green and five orange dots to use to prioritize lists of the things mentioned during the evening: green ones indicate the highest priority; orange a lessor one. All dots could be placed on just one item, if desired.
THREE BIGGEST ISSUES OF THE NIGHT
The three highest-rated in priority order were:
1. High Speed Internet Service*
2. Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly
2. Watershed Management and Drainage.
*It came as somewhat of a surprise that this item was rated as citzens' top priority. Individuals were allowed to put all their dots on a single item, a possible explanation.
FIRST GROWTH PLAN MEETING
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| Greg Leroy |
Christopher Baker of the lead-firm Thompson Engineering, Greg Leroy, WAV aarchitects and other consultants recently hired by the city are conducting the meetings.
Tomorrow's meeting (Tuesday) will be 5;30 PM at the Elementary School on S. Section St.; the final one Thursday, at the Intermediate School.
All meetings will have the same agenda; but citizens may attend as many as desired.
HISTORY OF LAND PLANNING
Baker began by defining comprehensive planning in general and the importance of citizen involvement in the process; and highlighted the incorporation of some of the philosophies of the city's founders into the current plan.
He noted the many changes since then (city's founding ca.1900) however -- particularly the recent arrival of multi-national corporations to compete with the traditional, small locally-owned businesses.
Baker credited a group of citizens worried about unbridled commercial development along Hwy 98 for initiating organized urban planning in the Eastern Shore area -- when they banded together in 1987 to form the Corridor 98 non-profit organization.
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| Monday at Homestead Village |
Among the group's final recommendations were: the development of a long range plan; adoption of land use planning; and a sign ordinance.
The city's current plan was adopted in 2001 and updated in 2006: about 70% of its recommendations have been implement by city government over the years.
Developing as a series of smaller villages instead of usual strip mall-type; neighborhoods like the Fruit n' Nut district; preventing another Airport Blvd. on Greeno Rd.; and strong local entrepreneurship were among its primary tenants.
BRAINSTORMING SESSION
Mr. Leroy then took over and asked the crowd for their visions for the city's future in six critical areas:
1. Fairhope's character?
Replies included: a walkable community; bike trails; family friendly; green infrastructure; improved traffic flow; better Internet service; more parking downtown; ,limit house size in Fruit n' Nut ; more green space, et al.
2. Transportation?
Replies were: more bicycle lanes; more sidewalks; more turning lanes for cars; more roundabouts; no roundabouts; more main connecting roads; better timing for traffic signals on Hwy 98; ban downtown parking; et al.
3. Infrastructure?
Better long range watershed management; more retention ponds; bury utility lines; prevent sewage spills; better Internet service; address inadequate drainage issues retroactively; et al.
4. How to make neighborhood villages work? (This refers to the establishment of 6 retail centers at main intersections, surrounded by neighborhoods within walking distance.)
Replies were: proper zoning to bring about; no more big box stores; concentrate on small local businesses vs. "franchises"; annexation of un-zoned property; housing diversity (cost); et al.
5. Growth management? How? Where? What type?
Replies included: diversity in housing types and cost; sources of new (city) revenue will be needed; neighborhood associations don't operate well; need better high speed Internet; et al.
6. City Services and Delivery?
Replies: Better street lighting; expand trash pick-up; increase recycling; those outside of city should pay for police, fire (currently do not); adopt incentives for recycling; more green energy; only once weekly garbage pick-up; et al.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Finally, everyone present was given five green and five orange dots to use to prioritize lists of the things mentioned during the evening: green ones indicate the highest priority; orange a lessor one. All dots could be placed on just one item, if desired.
THREE BIGGEST ISSUES OF THE NIGHT
The three highest-rated in priority order were:
1. High Speed Internet Service*
2. Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly
2. Watershed Management and Drainage.
*It came as somewhat of a surprise that this item was rated as citzens' top priority. Individuals were allowed to put all their dots on a single item, a possible explanation.
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| citizens rating ideas |
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| six critical categories |
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