Good design is the cornerstone of Fairhope’s community character and quality.  This design is more than simply the face of special buildings, but expands to include the quality of materials, the scale of public spaces and the community’s willingness to accept innovation.  The following design concepts are intended to incorporate and further these ideas.

Site Design

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A defined system of streets should serve the needs of pedestrians and cars equitably, providing multiple routes where possible.

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New and infill development should include open spaces (plaza, park, green space) for social activity and recreation.

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Encourage developments with mixtures of housing types, densities and land uses.

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Exterior lighting should be provided at a pedestrian scale and should coordinate with building architecture and landscaping.

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Buildings should be located to front toward and relate to public streets, both functionally and visibly, to the greatest extent possible.

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Streetscape design should be coordinated and carried-out by functional area (e.g., neighborhood village center, corridor, neighborhood, block).

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Streets, sidewalks, neighborhoods, and districts should be connected both physically and perceptually to the extent feasible.

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Schools, churches and/or government buildings shall be used to anchor neighborhood village centers and shall be designed to create visual anchors.

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Building orientation should respect the orientation of surrounding buildings, existing pedestrian ways and sidewalks, and surrounding streets. 

Building Design

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Parking should be located behind or at the side of buildings to the greatest extent possible, and shall be screened.

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Building entrances should be clearly identifiable and directly accessible from a sidewalk.

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Additions to existing significant buildings shall not destroy the materials or design that characterize the property and shall be compatible with the massing, size and architectural features of the existing structure.

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Compatible design need not be created through historic replication, but should reflect a consideration of the scale, material and massing of the adjacent and surrounding buildings.

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Encourage design (building materials, window size and placement, general façade composition) of all sides of buildings with consideration given to views from adjoining lots.

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Non-residential buildings should be designed and located to respect and provide an orderly transition to the scale of adjacent residential buildings.

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All rooftop air conditioning and heating equipment should be screened from view.