After the BP oil spill, long-time Gulf Shores councilman Steve Jones began making near daily trips to the beach camera in hand to document changes on the city’s beaches. He has continued the daily trips when he’s available.

Of late, Jones has noticed a disturbing trend on the beach he and Mayor Robert Craft would like to see reversed. Jones made his comments to open the city council work session on Oct. 17.

“Our beaches seem to be overwhelmed with the presence of visitors with dogs of all sizes,” Jones said. “I also understand that there is information available and signage is in as many places as seemingly possible. The problem remains and does not show signs of noticeable improvement in spite of as much police presence as possible. I don’t know anything can be done but there must be more that can be done.”

Access for pets and especially dogs is growing with a new state law allowing dogs in outside patio areas of restaurants. Another trend is getting an internet certificate saying a dog is registered as a service or emotional comfort dog like USA Service Dogs.

“Frequently visitors that I’ve approached toss out a service dog statement intended to make anyone stand down but clearly in nearly all cases they are simply using that line,” Jones said. “Most of the time the animal is clearly not a service dog.”

The same law authored by the late Rep. Steve McMillan, R-Foley, also reiterated what is considered a service animal under the state code.

“Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with with a disability,” according to a work sheet provided by the Alabama Department of Public Health. “The tasks or work the dog does must be directly related to the person's disability.”

Craft said before the city did extensive work at Gulf Place, dogs were not only prohibited from the beach they weren’t allowed in parking areas either.

“When we redid our beaches, we felt we had more room and better opportunities to allow that,” Craft said. “If this continues, we may be forced to not allow it. We have to fix it or we’ll have to consider stopping.”

Jones said he makes that point to people he encounters with dogs on the beach but his notice mostly falls on deaf ears.

“Dogs are allowed at the beach just not on the beach has become my script of choice and sometimes visitors comply,” Jones said. “Most times they either ignore me or become belligerent. It’s a shame that more pet owners are not responsible enough to pick up after their pets which of course cast a whole lot of pet owners in a bad light.”

And, it’s not just visitors who aren’t complying with the ban on dogs on Gulf Shores beaches.

“Anyone that lives here should know and not break the rules, laws actually, but I do know many local residents who do ignore and break the rules, laws actually,” Jones said. “If you notice the moment the pet is on the beach, please help us educate them that it is unlawful to have pets on white sand beaches. We are all ambassadors and we can all help educate each other and our visitors. I share all of this with the hope of two outcomes. One, that the subject gets enough to earn some additional press and two, that people watching and listening online understand that their beaches, our beaches need help addressing this issue.”

During the work session, the council also discussed:

• Surplus and sale of unneeded items on govdeals.com from Oct. 24 through Nov. 8. The fall list includes eight SUVs or pickups and one wave runner.

• Setting municipal court dates for 2023.

• An assembly permit for the Winter Concert Series at Erie Meyer Civic Center with events scheduled for Jan. 30-31, Feb. 6-7, Feb. 16 and March 2. Entertainment includes a tribute to the Piano Men Billy Joel and Elton John, legendary cowboy trio Riders in the Sky, Marc Broussard and Paul Thorn.

• An annexation request from Alicia King for a single-family residence located at 6981 Grund Lane north of County Road 8 west.

• A rezoning request of a .74-acre parcel in the 18400 block of State Route 180 or Fort Morgan Road to change from single-family residential to a duplex district on the vacant lot. The changed received a 9-0 favorable recommendation at the September planning commission meeting with conditions that three detached single-family dwellings be built on the parcel.

• The Waterway mixed-use development at the former site of Frith’s Bait Shop to include two short-term rentals, retail space and mobile vendor court able to have five food or retail vendors. The plan received a 9-0 favorable recommendation at the September planning commission meeting.