Title
A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE FACADE IMPROVEMENT INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION
Body
WHEREAS, Resolution #13-0486 create the Facade Improvement Incentive Grant Program for the Local Downtown Historic District and the National Register Historic District; and
WHEREAS, the Incentive Grant Program was amended by Resolution #20-1180 to include the Main Street Boundary; and
WHEREAS, the Incentive Grant Program was amended by Resolution #24-1183; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to amend the grant application from the Main Street Boundary to the Foley Downtown Overlay District and to better meet the Building Department, Planning & Development Services and Finance Department;
CITY OF FOLEY NATIONAL REGISTER AND LOCAL DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICTS & FOLEY DOWNTOWN OVERLAY DISTRICT
October 2025
-Incentive Façade Grant Program -
The Incentive Grant Program provides financial assistance for exterior appearance improvement projects on existing commercially zoned buildings and businesses located within the City of Foley’s Local Historic District, National Historic Districts & the Foley Downtown Overlay District. This program excludes Residential or Industrial zoned properties, with the exception of mixed use/joint occupancy structures, in the Districts. The boundaries of these districts may change over time or the geographic footprint of the area eligible for the program could change via council action. The Incentive Grant program will adjust accordingly to those geographic footprints based on council action.
The City of Foley’s design standards and recommendations for approval for the districts are as follows:
• Local and National Historic Districts: the standard for design is based on the Foley Historical Commission Design Guidelines.
• Foley Downtown Overlay District (outside of the National Register and Local Historic Districts) projects are approved by the city.
The intent of the grant program is to encourage revitalization to as many private properties in the Districts as possible. Projects for structures located on commercially zoned properties within the defined Districts, identified by maps available on the website (<https://cityoffoley.org/community-development/>), are eligible to apply for grants.
Eligible work may include any exterior improvements deemed acceptable by the Foley Historical Commission, or City Council as appropriate. A wall mural can qualify as an improvement. However, the mural must abide by the Mural & Street Art Project Guidelines, the Mural and Public Artwork City Ordinance, as well as the incentive grant guidelines.
Inside:
• Grant Guidelines
• Acknowledgement & Agreement Form
• Application Checklist
• Certificate of Appropriateness Checklist
• District Map
• Façade Grant Reimbursement Request Document
• Payment Release
GUIDELINES
CITY OF FOLEY NATIONAL AND LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS & FOLEY DOWNTOWN OVERLAY DISTRICT INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM GUIDELINES
OCTOBER 2025
I. GENERAL
The Incentive Grant Program provides financial assistance for exterior appearance improvement projects on existing buildings located within the City of Foley’s Local Historic District, and National Historic District & Foley Downtown Overlay District.
II. ELIGIBLE PROPERTIES
A. Projects for structures located within said Districts are eligible to apply for grant funding.
B If the property is tenant-occupied, the applicant must obtain written approval from the legal owner of the property, as recorded in the Baldwin County Property Records, authorizing the tenant to do the proposed work and participate in the program. Additionally, the legal owner must agree to maintain the property in accordance with the requirements of the grant assisted work.
III. GUIDELINES
A. Approval by the Foley City Council, after review and recommendations from the Foley Historical Commission, is required for projects within the National Register and Local Historic Districts. The Historical Commission will review and make appropriate recommendations to the Foley City Council. City Council will make the final decision.
B. Approval by the Foley City Council after review and recommendations from Planning and Development Services is required for projects within the Foley Downtown Overlay District outside the National Register and Local Historic Districts. The CDD Planning and Development Services will review and make appropriate recommendations to the Foley City Council. City Council will make the final decision.
C. Grants are issued on a first-come, first-served basis subject to funding availability.
D. Project expenses incurred prior to City Council approval of the project are not eligible for reimbursement.
E. Projects must be completed six (6) months from the date of Council approval. One request for an extension of 90 days may be approved by staff. Additional extension requests must go to City Council for review.
F. The minimum grant amount is $1,000 and the maximum grant amount shall be the greater of either $5,000, or mathematically calculated as $5.00 per square foot of façade facing a named public right-of-way. Front Facade square footage is measured and defined by the City of Foley Building Department. Regardless of maximum grant amount, all grants must be matched dollar for dollar by the applicant.
G. A separate fee may be required for an architectural consultation and rendering of the project, depending on the scope of work. If needed it must be allocated from property owner.
H. Funding request for work complete before the total project is complete will not be considered.
I. Regardless of whether applied for by Tenant or Building Owner, grants for a specific building cannot be re-applied for within five years from City Council approval. This is applicable to all addresses, including tenants, in a single structure.
J. The applicant, business owner if different, and property owner must be current on all taxes, fees, and not have debts in arrears to the City. This is looked at on a city-wide basis, including all other business entities and/or other properties.
K. Applicants may be prohibited from applying to future façade grants if guidelines are not followed.
IV. APPLICATION PROCESS
A. Properties located in the Historic Districts: the application must be submitted to the Foley Historical Commission via the Citizenserve online permitting portal. The Certificate of Appropriateness must be completed simultaneous with or prior to grant application)
- OR -
Properties located only in the Local Downtown Overlay District: the application to the Planning and Development Services via the Citizenserve online permitting portal.
B. Documentation required to be submitted in Citizenserve with the application:
1. Incentive Grant Application
2. Signed written approval from the property owner authorizing the tenant to do the proposed work. The written approval must include the applicant’s name, applicant’s business name, and the address of the property.
3. Three (3) separate contractors’ bids dated within 60 days of application submission; itemization on bid must include a detailed description, cost of materials, and cost of labor for each item.
4. Signed Acknowledgement and Agreement
5. Before photos of property to be improved
6. Completed Certificate of Appropriateness
7. For murals, then a completed Foley Main Street Downtown Mural & Street Art Project Contract and Release.
8. Renderings, descriptive information on the design / improvements and products to be used.
V. PROJECT
A. All work must comply with City, State, and Federal Regulations.
B. Applicants, or hired contractor, will be responsible for obtaining necessary regulatory approvals, building permits, sign permits, and other necessary permits from the City of Foley. These can be obtained from the Building Department via the Citizenserve online permitting portal.
C. One of the three (3) contractor bids provided with the application must be used to complete the work stated within the application.
D. Contractor completing the project must hold current & appropriate State License and City of Foley Business License.
E. Construction specifications and work completed must comply with all applicable building and occupancy codes.
F. Applicant’s payments to contractors or other vendors must be made by check or credit card. Cash payments will not be reimbursable.
VI. REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS
1. Project completion and final inspection (the project must pass inspection) by a member of the City of Foley Building Department and a Council Member is required prior to reimbursement.
2. Reimbursement shall be made only on improvements specifically approved as part of the grant. If an item that was approved is not completed or does not pass inspection, then the grant funding will be decreased by the amount of that item. The amount of reduction will be based on the itemized bid provided by the contractor that is used on the project.
3. Submission of reimbursement request along with reimbursement documentation to include final itemized invoices and proof of payment. Proof of payment includes a cleared check, detailed credit card receipt, or contractor vendor receipt detailing payment and the amount shown on the proof of payment must agree with the amount listed on the provided invoices (this can include multiple payments to one vendor; however, the total of those payments must equal the total of the invoice). All documentation must be submitted with 30 days of project completion and final passing inspection. Cash payments will not be reimbursable under this grant.
4. The applicant will be reimbursed by check within 30 days of receiving complete reimbursement documentation. Contractors and vendors will not be reimbursed directly.
5. A city representative will contact the applicant to let them know the reimbursement check may be picked up at City Hall. A release will be required to be signed at the time of check pickup.
6. Projects are not guaranteed funding until the project has passed inspection and all supporting reimbursement documentation has been received, reviewed and verified. Certain work may be withdrawn if any portion of a project changes substantially from what was approved by the Historical Commission and/or City Council.
7. The City of Foley has the right to request additional reimbursement documentation and/or hold, deny, or partially pay reimbursements based on the information provided with the reimbursement. The documentation provided must adhere to and satisfy the requirements set forth by governmental accounting standards, applicable laws, and rigorous audit protocols to ensure compliance, transparency, and fiscal accountability.
Façde Grant Checklist
If your business or building is in the Historic Districts: All of the following must be included in order to be considered for the grant.
If your business or building is only in the Foley Downtown Overlay District: All of the following must be included except the COA in order to be considered for the grant
Certificate of Appropriateness:
• Certificate of Appropriateness application (submitted online via Citizenserve)
• Photo or sketch of existing façade and sketch or rendering of proposed façade renovation
• Historic photographs if available
• Written description of the changes including materials to be used
Grant Submission Package to be submitted online via Citizenserve:
• Completed Grant Application will require the following information:
- Property Address
- Business Name/Type/Years in existence
- National Register Historic District? Contributing or non-contributing?
- Local Downtown Historic District? Contributing or non-contributing?
- Foley Downtown Overlay District?
- Expected effect of project on business
- Why you need/want the grant
- Project expected cost and Start/Completion dates
- Maximum grant amount available for property
- Grant amount being requested
• Photo or sketch of existing façade and sketch or rendering of proposed façade renovation
• Historic photographs if available
• Written description of the changes including materials to be used
• Signed Acknowledgement and Agreement
• Contractor’s Bid
Process following the meeting:
• Foley Historical Commission provides approved COA and Recommendation for grant funding for requests within the Historic Districts -OR- Planning and Development Services provides recommendation for grant funding for requests in the Foley Downtown Overlay District only.
• City Council Approval
• Notification to Foley Building Department of Work Completion Date within 6 months of work start date
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Foley, Alabama, as follows:
SECTION 1: Approves the Facade Improvement Incentive Grant Program for the Local Downtown Historic District, the National Register Historic District & the Foley Downtown Overlay District.
SECTION 2: This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption as required by law.