Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – The city council is being asked to review a business license application for a business located in Orange Beach, Gulf Coast Rental Co., to rent golf carts to Gulf Shores residents. It will be discussed during the July 18 work session beginning at 4 p.m. in council chambers.

According to the agenda, staff is recommending denying the application and sites three occasions where owner John “Tater” Harris acknowledged he had rented carts to customers in Gulf Shores without the proper licensing. Those included driving on a sidewalk on Gulf Shores Parkway and on two separate occasions on West Beach Boulevard.

“The second occasion on May 14 a golf cart owned by the applicant was being operated by a renter on West Beach Boulevard and parked at the Lagoon Pass parking lot,” the staff report states. “The applicant was issued a citation for unlawfully renting a golf cart prior to obtaining a proper business license by the Gulf Shores Police Department.”

Again, on July 5, a cart owned by Harris was spotted on West Beach and did not have the proper tags. At that time, city staff asked Harris to provide “an acceptable management plan” to make sure residents were aware of which streets golf carts can legally operate on per the city’s ordinance.

“To date the applicant has not provided the requested plan to manage the proper use of these golf carts in order to maintain the safety of renters, pedestrians, bike users and the general public and he has not ensured that all customers will be knowledgeable of where the approved neighborhoods/designated cart streets are located,” the staff report states.

On July 13, Harris contacted city staff and asked his business license to be reviewed by the city council. In his request, Harris said he intended to rent carts for usage only on private streets, campgrounds and Gulf State Park.

During the work session, the council will also discuss:

• Continuing its role for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) to enforce the Division 8 regulations for the coast. This contract allows the city to receive funds from ADEM reimbursing our expenses for enforcing these regulations on permitting, variance requests and patrolling city beaches.
• Approving a liquor license application for Desmond’s Taste of Jamaica now operating in the old Crazy Cajun location near the previous site of the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.
• Issuing assembly permits for the Tour De Beach fundraiser for the National MS Society on the weekend of Sept. 17-18 and for the city’s S’mores on the Shore event on Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. at the west end of Gulf Place.