This is the final part in an on-going series detailing downtown Foley’s past, present, and future.

FOLEY – The City of Foley’s Community Development Department is pushing forward to conduct a historical structure survey. The survey’s purpose was discussed during the Moving Foley Forward presentation on Jan. 11.
“Downtown has a historic district,” said Miriam Boutwell, city planner/building official. “We have a national registered district and a local historic district, and we have a Historical Commission. They enforce design guidelines in the local historic district.”
The historic district was started in 2005, followed by the formation of the Historical Commission in 2008. A historic structure survey has been done previously in 2011, but the state of Alabama’s Historical Commission is allowing the city to perform a new survey.

“Basically the scope of work is Steven McNair [the contractor to perform the survey] is going to look at the buildings and see how old they are,” said Boutwell. “Maybe they weren’t qualifying before to join the national registry, but they’re going to be now, which would be a great opportunity for them.”
If a business is within the national register, there are opportunities for select grants along with a multitude of prospects for the property owner to improve their building.
“Sometimes there are other grants available if you’re on the national register that do not come through the city whatsoever,” said Boutwell. “You go to the state Historical Commission, and they can assist you if you’re in a contributing building on the national register.” Contributing buildings also receive a 50 percent reduction in their property tax.
There will be public meetings taking place throughout the survey concerning buildings considered to be added to the national registry, and Boutwell urges everyone to keep an eye out for meeting dates “if you’re in downtown or interested in downtown.”
The project is slated to be complete by July 1, and the study will then be sent before Foley’s Historical Commission as well as the city council.
Discussed along with downtown’s upcoming historic structure survey, Boutwell gave an update on the downtown comprehensive plan.
“The Code of Alabama requires each city to look at how they want their city to grow,” said Boutwell. “You adopt a comprehensive plan and a future land use map, and it gives us a road map. When a developer comes in we can look at his or her proposal and determine if that fits the criteria of what the citizens said they wanted for that area.”
The last major overhaul was in 2008, with some amendments being made to the plan since that time. Boutwell said the city was working to obtain some grants to go towards the plan currently.
During the 2008 overhaul, some of the items brought forth by the public that they would like to see downtown were as follows: develop downtown as a destination; develop a downtown district master plan; incorporate mixed use development; incorporate residential; ensure pedestrian friendly and walkable community; build a connector over Highway 59; and incorporate greenspace.
“We have accomplished a lot of the goals that we set for ourselves at that time,” Boutwell said.
The city has received a grant for “the downtown project,” which should be complete come Sept. 30. The project will look at the existing comp plan and create guidelines for potential developers to study and determine if they have the perfect business to place in downtown Foley.
“We need you to assist in these projects, especially if you’re in downtown,” Boutwell said. “But you don’t have to be in downtown, we want you to come participate. Comprehensive planning is how you want the city to grow, what you envision the city being.”
Councilman and member of the Planning Commission Ralph Hellmich closed out the meeting with words on the future of Foley businesses and development.
“Foley is really the retail capital of Baldwin County and so we have over the past 12 years concentrated on retail development,” said Hellmich. “Filling the holes where our citizens wouldn’t have to drive to Pensacola or somewhere else to shop: keep it in Foley, keep it local.”
Hellmich stated Foley had some major developments in building take place over the last few years, with UTC recently going to over 1,000 jobs offered.
“They’re the largest aerospace company in Baldwin County,” said Hellmich. “They’re tied very closely to Airbus, and so there are things that are probably coming this way technology wise.”
Hellmich stated OWA as a large source of new tourism to the area, and the city of Foley’s new Sports Tourism development and Event Center are bringing in new revenue from a sports standpoint.
“In 2008 when we did our first comp plan we spent a lot of money on it,” said Hellmich. “We had a lot of citizen involvement on it. The man that worked closely with us said that a city that loses their downtown loses their heart and soul. Under Mayor Koniar, our initiative is to make sure that we put money into downtown.”
To keep up with things coming to Foley, council meetings, and information concerning both the upcoming historic structure survey and the updated comprehensive plan, check the city website at www.CityOfFoley.org.