The project will combine habitat restoration with public access for kayaking, birding, and nature walks.

The city said the land purchase that established the project was funded in 2017 through a Natural Resource Damage Assessment grant from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Planning records also show the city received $4.4 million in NRDA funding in 2019 to acquire and protect the property. A neighborhood meeting about the project was held in June 2021.

City records describe the site as a large wetland property with approximately 6,100 feet of shoreline along Little Lagoon. Planning documents state that the park was created to conserve and restore natural resources, allow limited outdoor recreation, and protect the land from future development. The property had remained vacant until work began.

The city has said that buying the land preserved an important natural area and helped ensure it remains a sanctuary for wildlife and outdoor recreation. Planning documents noted that the current zoning could have allowed roughly 30 to 40 single-family lots or houses. Instead, the site is being developed as a public park for passive recreation and conservation.

According to planning records, the park plan includes 27 paved parking spaces, one restroom, boardwalks, and a kayak launch. The site will also connect to existing pedestrian and bicycle facilities along West Beach Boulevard. Three bike racks, providing space for 15 bicycles, are also included in the plan.

Most of the property is expected to remain in a natural state. Planning documents indicate that about 13 acres are to be preserved as native vegetation and about 30 acres as wetlands. The city also required a natural buffer around wetlands and allowed certain passive features, such as boardwalks, to extend into setback areas where permitted.

City planning records state that all site lighting will be turtle-friendly, even though the project is outside the Marine Turtle Conservation Zone. Trash service will be managed by the city’s Public Works Department. The site is also planned to include a gate to secure it after dark.

Construction is being handled by Asphalt Services under a $2.6 million bid. Design services are being provided by Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood. When finished, Laguna Cove Nature Park is expected to offer residents and visitors a new place for quiet outdoor recreation while protecting one of Gulf Shores’ sensitive coastal landscapes.

For more information, click here: https://www.gulfshoresal.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/1231