Gulf Shores, Ala. – (OBA) – After issuing requests for proposals to secure a $20 million loan for the airport’s terminal expansion, the city will discuss awarding the loan. The winning bid came from Renasant Bank after nine bids were submitted to the city. The terms for the three-year construction loan include an interest rate of 4.8 percent, with Renasant paying $5,000 toward attorney fees related to the loan.

The city council will discuss the loan at a work session on March 2 at 4 p.m. in council chambers at City Hall. Work sessions are for discussing items to be voted on in a later work session, and the earliest the loan can go up for council vote is March 9.

According to the agenda, the loan will be used “to design, develop, acquire, construct, improve and equip the terminal expansion.”

During the work session, the council will also discuss:

• Demolition of two derelict houses in the city at 141 Windmill Road and 1420 W. Lagoon Ave., the city has been working to have them repaired or removed beginning in 2024. After trying to work with property owners, the city has now received competitive bids for demolition of those properties, including $29,900 for the home on Windmill Drive and $18,800 for the one on West Lagoon. The city will bill the property owners for the cost of demolition.
• Buying workstations for the new Justice Center from Xybix for $131,891 to design and select dispatch workstations for the new Justice Center south of Cotton Creek Drive and east of State Route 59. Also on the agenda for discussion is the purchase of furniture for the center for $706,130. The center is expected to open this summer. See related story: Gulf Shores Reports Steady Progress on Justice Center and Fire Training Sites
• Stop sign requests for Martyn Woods at West Second Street in midtown. The sign in Martyn Woods will be at the intersection of Treasure Oaks Road and Millhouse Road, including crosswalks at the southern intersection.
• A franchise agreement with MCIMetro to install and maintain fiber optic infrastructure on city rights-of-way for five years for Verizon Wireless. MCIMetro will pay a quarterly franchise fee. Other similar franchises in the city have been held by Uniti Fiber, Southern Light and C Spire.
• Annual agreements with Valor Hospitality and Gulf State Park to provide two lifeguard towers and two lifeguards on the beach at the Saltwater Pavilion and one tower and one lifeguard at Gulf State Park Lodge. The lodge will reimburse the city $36,000 for the Saltwater Pavilion and $20,000 for the lodge services.
• An amendment to the Walking Area Overlay District to allow the rebuilding of existing single-family homes and duplexes if they are destroyed.
• A request for a waiver to plot wetlands on two lots on the north side of West Lagoon Avenue near West 10th Street. Signs will be required at the 30-foot wetland buffer to inform current and future owners of the projected wetlands.
• An assembly permit for the Gulf Shores Junior City Council’s Spring Market is planned for March 28 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the public parking lot on East 24th Avenue in the Waterway Village District.