Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – After several years of infrastructure projects near the city’s beachfront in surrounding neighborhoods – parking, sidewalks, streetscape, and drainage – Gulf Shores will now focus on a new direction. The city is planning a new tax incentive program to support business development in the area.

The city council will meet in a committee-of-the-whole session on July 6 at 4 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall.

“The Beach Walking District Area Investment Program and Waterway Village Area Investment Program are designed to support high-quality private investment that strengthens the city’s walkability, expands year-round economic activity, and elevates the city’s dining, retail, lodging, and mixed-use offerings within these priority areas,” a memo from Economic Development Coordinator Blake Phelps states. “The program provides a rebate of new taxes generated by projects, allowing investors to reduce upfront costs and improve long-term project

feasibility.”

According to Phelps, the city will offer up to 50 percent tax rebates for city sales taxes, lodging taxes, and property taxes. Targeted in the program will be “high-end or destination” restaurants, boutique or specialty retail, mixed-use commercial-lodging-retail outlets, “high-end” and boutique hotels, and entertainment-focused uses.

“To be considered, interested applicants must first apply to the review committee,” Phelps’ memo states. “Potential projects will be evaluated using a transparent scoring system used in the discretion of the Review Committee.”

Among those are:

• Job creation (high-wage, year-round positions)
• Public improvements (parking, plazas, landscaping, sidewalks)
• Architectural quality
• Local ownership or local operator involvement
• Sustainability or resilience features
• Year-round operation
• Attractiveness to full- and part-time residents as well as tourists and visitors
• “Higher-scoring projects may receive higher rebate percentages or longer durations,” the memo states. “Actual terms depend on project scale, public benefits, and alignment with city goals. All relevant capital investment and financing details (including proof of substantial equity, funding, or financing sources), developer experience and comparable completed projects, market studies, design schematics, engineering analyses, architectural and site plans, construction/bid cost estimates, and financial revenue projections for the city.”
• Applicants whose projects are approved will then begin negotiating terms with the city on the final development agreement.
• The council will also discuss an amendment to the zoning ordinance to expand the Walking Overlay District boundaries.

During the work session, the council will also:

• Consider a taxi franchise request from Granbury Executive Transport to operate a “luxury chauffeur, airport, executive, corporate, special event, and non-emergency medical transportation services.”
• Discuss a land swap with Gulf State Park to acquire land and rights of way for a bypass road south of the Gulf Pines neighborhood. The bypass will start east of the Gulf Shores wastewater treatment plant on Canal Road and connect to East Second Street south of East 20th Avenue and north of East 16th Avenue. The city will give up more than 53 acres, including 24 acres north of Waterville USA water park and 25 acres north of East Second Avenue and west of Wade Ward Park. The state park will give up more than 30 acres in two parcels, one on Canal Road east of the wastewater treatment plant and a second south of East 21st Avenue.
• Hear a request from Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bonifay to annex 1.33 acres into the city on Cotton Creek Drive.
• Discuss a request from the police department to apply for a Port Security grant from the Department of Homeland Security to help with the cost of a new command vehicle. If awarded, the grant would cover 75 percent of the $2.2 million cost of the command vehicle, with the city’s portion being $562,750. The current command vehicle is 15 years old.
• Consider a contract with Eventbrite for ticket sales for the city’s Winter Series and other events. Eventbrite has had the contract for the past two years.
• Discuss an assembly permit for the Tour De Beach bike event for MS on Sept. 26 at the Lake Shelby picnic area.