Gulf Shores is seeking an additional $2 million in Restore Act to complete a conservation project on 53 acres of land with shoreline on Little Lagoon. In its first council meeting of the year, the city council will take up the item in a work session on Jan. 6.

“As part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process related to the Deepwater Horizon oil (spill), the city was awarded $4.4 million for the acquisition and protection of 53 undeveloped acres of property located on the south shore of Little Lagoon near the west end of West Beach Boulevard,” a memo from Grants Coordinator Dan Bond states. “The property has 6,100 feet of shoreline on Little Lagoon and has significant areas of wetlands and other critical habitat.

Gulf Shores bought the property in 2019 and paid for engineering, planning, permitting and design to restore and enhance habitat and wetlands and to allow limited public access for a nature park.

“Protection of this important natural area will serve to enhance water quality and habitat for the Little Lagoon watershed while providing passive public recreation opportunities,” Bond wrote. “In 2024, the city requested additional (National Resource Damage Assessment) funding from (Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) for the project due to increased costs. ADCNR has authorized an additional $2 million in NRDA funding to allow the completion of the project. This revised implementation agreement will add the additional funding for engineering and construction to the existing project.”

This project is fully funded by the Restore Act grant and administered through ADCNR. The council will meet at 4 p.m. on Jan. 6 in council chambers at city hall. 

During the meeting, the council will also discuss:

• Approving a contract with Fource Group to help recruit active-duty police officers and active-duty military who have recently left active duty or are soon to leave military service in a nationwide search. Money from the Asset Forfeiture accounts will pay for the contract with Fource Group based in Fallon, Illinois.
• Approving a contract for uniforms from Cintas for Public Works employees for $25,000. If approved, the contract will be valid for three years.
• Approving a three-year contract for HVAC maintenance for a total of $65,427 an increase over the last contract “due to scope of work modifications pertaining to the Fire Station 1 install, as well as taking labor and material price increase into account since the original 2021 contract,” according to a memo from Public Works Director Noel Hand.