Fairhope Now | 08.03.2026 | Big Changes Coming To Fairhope's Future

Monday, August 3, 2026

Happy Monday, Fairhope!

August is here and twlling us that summer isn't finished with us yet and that air conditioners are among the finer inventions in human history. It's also a season of fresh starts, and this week our little town has a few worth paying attention to. St. James Episcopal School just earned AISA accreditation, which is the kind of news that makes a school community stand a little taller when they walk through the front doors. Meanwhile, downtown Fairhope is getting some serious attention from city planners: consultants have weighed in with a parking management plan, and the City Council has approved a major zoning overhaul — with more fine-tuning still to come.

Your Monday Funny: Did ya hear the joke about the bed? It hasn't been made up yet

We've got the details on all of it below — let's get into this week's updates.

— Joy Davis, Anne Dorman, John Oldshue

St. James Episcopal School in Fairhope has received accreditation from the Alabama Independent School Association following a rigorous evaluation. The school is also opening a new building this fall as enrollment continues to grow, reflecting the school community's commitment to excellence.

A Walker Consultants study commissioned by the city council finds Fairhope's downtown parking garage underutilized, but the real issue is distribution—not demand. The report recommends a new management plan with expanded timed parking and long-term funding strategies as the town grows.

Fairhope City Council passed nine zoning ordinances on July 27 that rewrite much of the city's zoning code, tightening regulations on developments and restricting housing types in certain areas. The amendments cover planned unit developments, mixed-use buildings, townhouses, and apartments, with some provisions delayed until 2027 to allow for further revisions. The moratorium on multiple-occupancy projects, set to expire August 17, may be extended as the city continues fine-tuning the new rules.

After 40 years of ministry at Fairhope United Methodist Church, Dr. Ann Pearson is retiring from a life devoted to caring for others. From comforting families through grief to helping found and lead Shepherd’s Place for adults with memory loss and their caregivers, she has turned faith into action throughout our community. Her simple message remains: trust God, serve others and “live as God would want us to do.”

Fairhope residents are speaking out against a newly proposed residential development that could bring more than 400 new homes to the city. The project has sparked community concern about growth and its impact on our town.

For Fairhope cartoonist J.D. Crowe, the job description hasn't changed much since he was five years old. Growing up in the hills of Kentucky, he loved to draw, but he also loved throwing apples at the "mean pigs" that bullied the others at the feeding trough. Today, Crowe laughs that not much has changed. "The mean pigs at the trough are politicians. The hard apples are my cartoons," he said. After working as a newspaper cartoonist in Texas and California, Crowe moved to Fairhope 26 years ago, saying the city felt like home the moment he drove along Mobile Bay. Before long, he discovered that Lower Alabama's colorful political landscape provided no shortage of inspiration. "I had found my Mecca," he joked.

While Crowe has earned national recognition, including having one of his cartoons displayed in the Baseball Hall of Fame, he says the greatest reward is still making people think, laugh, or occasionally squirm. His favorite pieces range from a touching tribute to the seven astronauts lost aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, created with help from his six-year-old daughter, to a cartoon depicting President Barack Obama as "The Jackie Robinson of Politics." Even after decades behind the drawing board, Crowe says he's still dreaming up new ideas, combining storytelling with quick sketches and, in his spare time, entertaining himself by creating imaginary baseball lineups. For Fairhope residents, Crowe's sharp wit and unmistakable perspective have become as much a part of the local arts community as the bay itself.

Source: Editor

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