Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – The city is planning moves to bring the Laguna Cove project on the south shore of Little Lagoon forward by hiring Goodwyn Mills Cawood to design, arrange permitting and provide construction engineering and inspections on the nature park improvements.

On April 21, the Gulf Shores City Council will meet in a work session at 4 p.m. in council chambers at city hall. Included in the $79,200 project are:

• Protection and restoration of critical habitat and wetlands
• Dune restoration with Fish & Wildlife
• Public restrooms
• Low-impact public parking
• Passive recreation opportunities such as kayaking, birding, and interpretive boardwalks
• “The property has 6,100 feet of shoreline on Little Lagoon, and has significant areas of wetlands and other critical habitat,” a memo to the council from Capital Projects Director Clint Colvin states. “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.”
• Gulf Shores used a Natural Resource Damage Assessment grant to acquire the 53-acre tract in 2017 and will fund the project and it went out to bid in February of 2024. All bids were substantially over budget, the memo states. In January, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources authorized an additional $2 million NRDA grant to cover the overage.

During the work session, the council will also discuss:

• Awarding a contract to Civil Southeast for $119,400 to manage a sidewalk project along East First Street between East 16th Avenue and East 20th Avenue to serve two apartment complexes along this roadway. The Transportation Alternatives Program grant through the Alabama Department of Transportation will cover 80 percent of the construction and construction engineering and inspection costs for the project.
• Reappointing Linda Bender to another term on the Beautification Board to last through April 9, 2028, and to appoint Elizabeth Morgan to the board to complete the term of John Eslick, who resigned. Morgan’s term will end on Sept. 1, 2026.
• Implementing a contract with C Spire for $32,657 to provide computer network security, with half the cost paid upfront and the rest paid on project completion. The council will also consider a second contract with C Spire to provide monitoring services for $41,112 in a three-year agreement or $13,704 per year.
• A contract with Vital Exam to provide annual physical exams for city employees at $615 per employee for about $88,000.
• Approving the purchase of 15 time clocks for the city that will track core human resources on city employees for $52,485